Categories: Retirement Benefits

Credit for Military Service–FERS

Military service for FERS purposes is honorable active service in the following uniformed services: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard and after June 30, 1960, in the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service, and after June 30, 1961, service in the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its predecessor agency.


Active duty in the various reserve components of the branches listed above is creditable for FERS benefits. That is, service in any reserve component is creditable when the individual is called to active duty period only. Such periods include annual active duty training periods. Note: When an employee performs annual active duty training service during which he or she is on military leave with pay from a civilian position, the period is credited as civilian, not military service.
A period of military service may be credited for retirement and death benefits purposes, subject to the following conditions:


  • ‑The military service was performed before the date of separation upon which title to an annuity is based.
  • ‑It was active duty.
  • ‑It was not included in the computation of military retired pay, or if it was included in retired pay, the retired pay was awarded based on disability incurred in combat with an enemy of the United States or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war; or granted under the provisions of chapter 67, Title 10, of the U.S. Code.
  • ‑It was honorable service.
  • ‑A deposit is made for post-1956 military
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