Retiring on Same Day as a Basic Pay Change

G-1 RETIREMENT SERVICES OFFICE
Retiring on Same Day as a Basic Pay Change
Effective 1 Jan 2001, commissioned officers under the Final Basic Pay plan, who voluntarily retire on the same day as an active duty basic pay rate change date (e.g., 1 January), no longer have to be retirement eligible at least 30 days before the effective date of the basic pay change to have their retired pay calculated using the new pay scale. As long as they have completed at least 20 years and one day of service by the day before the effective date of the pay change (e.g., by 31 December), they are eligible to have their retired pay calculated on the new pay scale. NOTE: Enlisted members under the Final Basic Pay plan, who retire on the same day as a basic pay rate change, are eligible to use the new pay scale to calculate their retired pay; there was never a requirement that they be retirement eligible 30 days before the change. Warrant officers have never been able to use the new pay scale; they must wait until the first of the following month to retire to get the benefit of the new pay scale.