Retirement - TIG

[BCan]

Trying to decipher DoD regs regarding Time-in-Grade (Lt Col) and retirement.

Lets say I have 20 years, been an 05 for two years, and I put in paperwork to retire.

Lt Col TIG requires 3 years to retire as a Lt Col...what does that mean? I understand that I can't wear a retired Lt Col hat to the BX but does it drastically effect benefits? Or...can I not even apply to retire until I hit 3-years TIG?

As I read it, under the high-3 retirement, they average out your highest 36 months of service...so if you have 1-year of 04 pay and 2-years of 05 pay...thats the average, right? Not quite as much money as getting 3-years TIG...but better than never having been payed as an O5?

So the BL question: I want to retire before hitting 3-years TIG as a LtCol...is it possible and what is the damage?

Any help is appreciated!

[Herk Driver]

HIgh 36 months average of pay like you said. You retire with an ID card that says Maj

[Learjetter]

You can apply to retire up to 1 year out (normally), eg apply 1 mar 15 for a 1 mar 16 retirement date. If you don't have 3 years TIG on your selected retirement date, you'll be retired in the next lower grade. Your retired PAY, based on your 1405 date, is computed from your highest 36 mos of base pay. So, in your example: you began service 1 jan 2000, promote to lt col on 1 jan 2018. On 1 Jan 2019 you apply for retirement effective 1 jan 2020. Since you don't have 3 yrs TIG, you're retired in the grade of major, but your retired pay is 2 yrs o5 + 1 yr 04. Which is A LOT less, for the rest of your life, than 3 yrs as an O5.

DFAS and AFPC sites have some very good calculators...check them out.

[BCan]

Thanks guys. By my math it would cost me about 220 dollars per month to forgo the last year. I just want to understand what I'm losing...sounds like it might not be a ridiculous amount vs. what I have lined up for a follow-on career and/or avoiding another move on the kids.

Thanks Again.

[BCan]

Learjetter,

you touched on another topic I'm getting conflicting info...when/how I apply for retirement. I understand, typically it is 1-year. However, if I have orders dropped for a conus assignment, 2-year ADSC right?, then I can turn down the assignment?, apply for retirement?, even if outside of 1-year?

It was my impression, that once I'm inside of 2-years, I have options to get out of a conus / oconus assignment based on those assignements ADSCs.

My gameplan was to take a 365, return home inside of 2-years, then decline any assignment. Now that I'm working with AFPC to line up the 365, I'm not getting any confirmation that this plan is solid.

I have heard rumors that a 365 gets you a 24-month deferment from assignments once you return...but I haven't seen that in writing anywhere either.

Thanks again.

[Hacker]

Learjetter,

you touched on another topic I'm getting conflicting info...when/how I apply for retirement. I understand, typically it is 1-year. However, if I have orders dropped for a conus assignment, 2-year ADSC right?, then I can turn down the assignment?, apply for retirement?, even if outside of 1-year?

You can actually even take the assignment if you want it without incurring an ADSC. You simply have to actually establish a retirement date in the system in lieu of signing the ADSC -- there is a carve-out in the "you are eligible to apply for retirement 12 months prior" rule that lets more-than-18-but-less-than-19 year guys do this.

It is a pain; I did it, and I had to explain what it was and show the AFI to every level (up to and including the SQ/CC) at my local base MPF, as well as call the people at AFPC and explain it to them in order to get it to work. EVEN THEN, once I inprocessed into my new base, they added the ADSC anyway, and I had to fight with the same office at AFPC to get them to remove the erroneous ADSC.

[BCan]

Hacker,

I'm in the opposite boat...I'm 99% sure I don't want to take another assignment...unless hookers and blow are included. However, some are telling me I cannot apply for retirement outside of 1-year, some are telling me I can be PCS'd immediately following a 365...with 18 months left till retirement.

Lot's of people involved in the assignment and retirement process and most of them do not understand how the two interact.

[HossHarris]

Perhaps you should read the separations afi. It's painful, but the "lt Col with more than 18 years declining an Adsc that would take him to/past 20" is specifically addressed in the nightmare of a chart. It might be the assignments afi...I forget. Read them both.

You can't beat the shoes unless you understand their rules better than they do.

Edited April 11, 2015 by HossHarris

[BCan]

Hoss, read'em. to include the note that the chart is just for reference...WTF? It is disheartening that I'm forced to make decisions based on how I interpret AFIs that other people should be SMEs. I'm guessing the assignment/retirement AFI writers must sit right next to the ROE writers. FML.

[Learjetter]

Perhaps you should read the separations afi. It's painful, but the "lt Col with more than 18 years declining an Adsc that would take him to/past 20" is specifically addressed in the nightmare of a chart. It might be the assignments afi...I forget. Read them both.

You can't beat the shoes unless you understand their rules better than they do.

Concur

Read the ADSC reg too...

You'd be surprised how many guys are accepting erroneous ADSCs...

[stract]

not quite your situ, but we had a guy in my unit several years ago who got orders to an OCONUS assignment. The ADSC would have taken him past his UPT ADSC. He declined the assignment and had to establish a DOS for 2+ years in the future equal to his ADSC expiration. He then remained in the unit until he separated.

[BCan]

For future bros ref...good stuff here regarding 3/7 day opt....sorry I didn't find it earlier.

[AA]

I just 7-day opted an assignment with 19 months remaining on my UPT ADSC. I didn't want to incur the CONUS PCS ADSC of 24 months. My DOS was set the day after my UPT ADSC expires!

Everyone from the Group/CC on down, to include the assignments guy at AFPC was adamant I couldn't 7-day opt....but I did!

Assignment cancelled and told to remain in place to finish out my ADSC.

[Lord Ratner]

I just 7-day opted an assignment with 19 months remaining on my UPT ADSC. I didn't want to incur the CONUS PCS ADSC of 24 months. My DOS was set the day after my UPT ADSC expires!

Everyone from the Group/CC on down, to include the assignments guy at AFPC was adamant I couldn't 7-day opt....but I did!

Assignment cancelled and told to remain in place to finish out my ADSC.

Congrats! What reg did you use to prove them wrong?

[AA]

In the end, I didn't have to convince anyone. The interesting part of this event for me was this was my call. The OG/CC, WG/CC, Functional, had no say in this process. This went from my Sq/CC direct to AFPC and some GS-07 set my DOS as 1 day after my UPT ADSC. A few weeks later, my assignment was cancelled.

AFI 36-2110 Table 2.9 Rule 8 - O's may select a DOS not later than the date they complete there longest ADSC...the actual DOS approved will be based on needs of the AF.

AFI 36-2110 Para 2.30.2.2.1 Which says O's with indefinite DOS selected for PCS...an ADSC incurring event...who have an ADSC greater than which they would incur for the event which selected are not eligible to execute a 7-day option. Meaning I was eligible!

.

Edited April 12, 2015 by AA

[ViperStud]

BCan, be careful of the threat of a second 365. Not sure what dwell time people require after a 365, but if it's the same 180 days as for other deployments you might get screwed.

My buddy got back from a deployment with about 18 months left. They tried to stick him with a 365 immediately after his dwell time was filled, would have taken him past retirement but then they were willing to accept slightly <365. He got saved by having already applied to retire. That and good leadership. Good luck.

[RTB]

My buddy got back from a deployment with about 18 months left. They tried to stick him with a 365 immediately after his dwell time was filled, would have taken him past retirement but then they were willing to accept slightly <365.

That is just f'd up. Belongs in the What's Wrong with the Air Force or Leaving the Air Force for the Airlines threads. Glad he was able to jink out of it.

[ViperStud]

That is just f'd up. Belongs in the What's Wrong with the Air Force or Leaving the Air Force for the Airlines threads. Glad he was able to jink out of it.

He had just applied for retirement at 1-year out and while it was "in the mail" they dropped the short-notice (slightly less than) 365 on him. It took about a month of fighting with the threat of still going looming over his head, but he got out of it with a retirement date set. Close call.

The lesson I learned was that regardless of those that say "no one is looking at that stuff" to try and screw us, someone actually is looking at it. Maybe a functional, maybe some other AFPC cronie - who knows. I've seen too many get hit with at least 6-monthers on their way out the door.

[Dupe]

I just 7-day opted an assignment with 19 months remaining on my UPT ADSC. I didn't want to incur the CONUS PCS ADSC of 24 months. My DOS was set the day after my UPT ADSC expires!

Everyone from the Group/CC on down, to include the assignments guy at AFPC was adamant I couldn't 7-day opt....but I did!

Assignment cancelled and told to remain in place to finish out my ADSC.

Funny that the GP/CC was rebuffing you. I see this as ADSC 101. The AF can't extend your commitment without your agreement.