Involuntary Early Retirement Plan Hits Roadblock

Neither of the armed services committees approved the Defense Department’s request to expand involuntary early retirement authority. Currently, the services are restricted to involuntarily retiring no more than 30 percent of officers tagged for such consideration. The Navy and Air Force want the limitation increased to assist their force drawdowns. Both the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2007 authorization bill approved voluntary separation pay and $10,000 bonuses for interservice transfers, but excluded the additional early retirement authority. To expand the authority would require an offset against existing entitlements or an increase in entitlement funding.