Retired military, what does it mean?

[hopper68]

How many years served with an honorable discharge before one can consider retired?

An article in the Dubois County Free Press made me wonder. Huck's fired a guy for wearing an Air Force retired hat instead of the regulation Huck's hat and the author of the article researched whether or not the guy had the right to wear the hat. It seems the guy was in the AF but not the 20 years so he is somehow not eligible to wear his hat.

A few thoughts on Mr. Junkin and the military | Dubois County Free Press

I hate that he got fired but he did know that if he wore a hat it had to be a company hat, my workplace has the same rule.

 

[Crbn79]

They offer early retirement at times. If you have something like 17 years and your MOS is eliminated, or a draw down of forces like what's happening now. Otherwise probably not so much.

 

[Vigilant]

20 is the gold standard for minimum retirement, but as stated, early retirement has been offered at reduced bennies. It is also possible to be " medically retired" prior to 20 years.

 

[Crbn79]

After reading the story it's 12 years towards retirement, not near enough. For what it's worth the columnist made the story about himself with a side note about the topic.

 

[DRob]

I have a good friend who is a retired from the IN NG. He served at various levels since Vietnam and retired about 8-10 years ago as a full colonel. To him it means a damned nice pension.

 

[Tactical Dave]

My father hits 35 year in in a few months. Like said above it's 20 unless there is a decrease in forces or medical ect ect. Manditory retirement is when you turn 60 for enlisted (beleive you can milk it a few months after you turn 60 but can't remember). For officers I do t beleive there is an age limit.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I started to read the article, but lost interest while he was still humble bragging.

Anyway, as stated retirement is generally at 20. Getting out prior to being eligible for retirement was generally referred to as "prior service" or simply "veteran" when I got out. Retired meant just that, you were on pension either for length of service or medical disability.

 

[Birds Away]

My father hits 35 year in in a few months. Like said above it's 20 unless there is a decrease in forces or medical ect ect. Manditory retirement is when you turn 60 for enlisted (beleive you can milk it a few months after you turn 60 but can't remember). For officers I do t beleive there is an age limit.

Actually it is 30 years for active duty enlisted. But not everyone can stay for 30. You have what is called high year tenure. Basically, if you don't get promoted you don't stay. In the Navy it is 20 years max for E-6 and below, 24 years for E-7, 26 years for E-8 and 30 years for E-9. Age is irrelevant. Officers have a different set of standards. Reserve and Guard units go by a different set of rules, I believe.

 

[hopper68]

Thanks everyone for the input. The author of the article just seemed to be looking for something bad to say about the fired employee.

 

[sailorjim]

I am a retired sailor with 31 years of active duty. The minimum time for retirement regardless of rank is 20 years of active duty. I know of no instance in the last 50 years when an early retirement was authorized and that would literally require an act of congress to make it happen.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Kelly (in Avon), made-man in the Blue-ID Mafia (I prefer the term, consigliore) for nearly 7 years (retired from USAF in 2007 after 21+ years active duty).

Hats: ain't nobody ever asked me for a blue-ID or DD Form 214 for a hat (I have 2 USAF Retired caps, 2 others just USAF). It's a hat, I have a Reds cap, I'm not on that team. I've heard people joke about if you did less than 20 (medically retired) you can't wear the hat or have the bling on your windows. They were kidding.


VSI-SSB (I don't remember, those were the acronyms) allowed a 15-<20 year retirement back early-mid-90s during the drawdown. They are rare, but there are a few out there.


I'll go read the article now, sounds like a uniform for the store thing vice what the hat said. I'll know more when I actually read it.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Well, I read it. That was painful. Still not sure why the guy was fired other than wearing an unauthorized hat. Not sure the guy's time in the USAF, but there weren't F-4E models flying in Desert Storm, RF-4-Cs (Recce birds) and F-4Gs (Wild Weasels), not E-Models.

 

[Crbn79]

My father hits 35 year in in a few months. Like said above it's 20 unless there is a decrease in forces or medical ect ect. Manditory retirement is when you turn 60 for enlisted (beleive you can milk it a few months after you turn 60 but can't remember). For officers I do t beleive there is an age limit.

Officers retirement is a whole basket of craziness. The law used to state that Regular officers would never be RIF'd (reduction in force). However, that seems to be no more, as they are RIF many.

Here's some reading in regards to the current TERA (temporary early retirement authority) MILPER Message 13-231 Temporary Early Retirement Authority TERA