Applying for retirement pay begins by submitting an application through the Virtual Personnel Center, vPC. Individuals approaching their Retirement pay effective date (60th birthday or reduced retirement pay age) should submit an application four months prior to this date.

Applicants will be notified when a technician receives their application and will receive their retirement order two weeks prior to their effective date in most cases. Some exceptions are members who work up to their retired pay effective date and members who file late. Applicants who do not receive their order two weeks prior to their effective date are advised to submit a message to the retirement section via myPers, followed up by a phone call to the Total Force Service Center 1-800-525-0102.

With the retirement order, retirees are able to receive their retiree ID Card from their local military personnel service office and apply for healthcare through Tricare. HQ ARPC submits retirement orders to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, DFAS, where they are processed to initiate the retirement payments. DFAS  typically processes retirement pay 30-45 days after receipt of the retirement order, or retirement pay effective date, whichever is later. Once you have received your retirement order please direct questions or concerns to DFAS at 1-800-321-1080. IMPORTANT NOTE: HQ ARPC DOES NOT PROCESS RETIREMENT PAY.

The National Defense Authorization Act for 2008 reduced the retirement age for Reserve Component airmen from 60 to a lesser age, not to be any earlier than age 50. The reduced retired pay age is calculated with qualifying service days on or after Jan. 29, 2008.

Qualifying Service

• Involuntary mobilization - call or order to active duty under Title 10, U.S.C., Sections 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, 12406, or any other provision of law during a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress. Qualifying active duty may be combined between consecutive fiscal years beginning with the FY15/FY16 crossover.
• ​Voluntary active duty - call or order to active duty under Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12301(d)). Includes MPA or RPA provided such active duty is performed under 12301(d).
• Medical treatment/medical evaluation for disability purposes or medical study, Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12301(h)(1).

Nonqualifying Service

• Active Guard Reserve (AGR) (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 12310)
• Annual Tour (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 12301(b))
• ​National Guard Service (Title 32)
• Captive status (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 12301(g))
• Call to active duty (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 688)
• As an Airmen not assigned to or participating satisfactorily in units (Title 10, U.S.C., 12303)
• Under active duty agreement (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 12311)
• Disciplinary/courts martial (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 12315)
• Muster duty (Title 10, U.S.C., Sect. 12319)

Verifying Documentation

Orders citing the applicable section of law are required documents. Airmen should maintain copies of their active duty orders and provide them for the Reduced Retired Pay Age Application.

Orders publishing authorities must ensure proper statutory authorities are included on orders.

Impact on Benefits

Airmen will receive all retired pay benefits (e.g., commissary, base exchange, etc.) except:

• Medical benefits are deferred until age 60.
• Blue ID card (ID card will show Airmen are not entitled to medical until age 60. At age 60, will need to visit a military facility to obtain another blue ID card bestowing the medical benefit).
• Premiums for the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan will be deducted from retired pay upon the age the member starts drawing pay.

*Current as of May 24, 2021*

Retirees can apply no earlier than 12 months prior to their retirement effective date. It is recommended that applications are submitted no later 180 days prior to their effective pay date to ensure payment is received on time.

HQ ARPC is currently processing:

       Applications for retirement pay at Age 60 and over or with a confirmed Reduced Retired Pay Age (RRPA), are processed in the order received, with those application arriving on time (between 365 – 180 days) being processed first.  Those arriving after 180 days will be processed as received.

      (Applications for retired pay for retirees approaching age 60) Retired Reserve Applications are processed in the order received, with those application arriving on time (between 365 – 180 days) being processed first.  Those arriving after 180 days will be processed as received.

       (Applications for retirement for members retiring from the Guard and Reserve. Not pay related.) AF Reserve/ AGR Retirements are processed in the order received, with those application arriving on time (between 365 – 180 days) being processed first.  Those arriving after 180 days will be processed as received.

       (Applications for members who qualify for an active duty retirement (20+ Total Active Federal Military Service)

Please monitor your email for retirement application approval and notification indicating your order is available in myPers under your “My documents area.”   

Please note that Tricare will honor a retroactive enrollment into a Tricare policy due to substantiation of a government administrative error.  Please contact Tricare at 800-444-5445 (Tricare East) or 844-866-9378 (Tricare West) or visit at https://tricare.mil for specific guidance regarding Tricare enrollment. In addition, DFAS will process retroactive to the effective date of retired pay.