Getting out, military retirement, military to civilian transition - Navy Times

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Leaving the service


Whether you’ve served for four years or 30, transitioning back to civilian status is one of the biggest changes you’ll face in your military life. To ensure a smooth change, it pays to do your homework long before you hang up the uniform. Likewise, you should make sure you know as much as you can about the benefits you rate as a result of your military service. Read on to learn more about health care, veterans’ job preference for government employment and more.
  • Active Guard And Reserve Half Separation Pay Provision
    Half-payment of separation pay is authorized only for personnel in the Active Guard and Reserve who meet the above criteria, are not fully qualified for retention and are involuntarily...
  • VA wary of ideas to quickly deal with claims backlog
    The Department of Veterans Affairs hopes to one day harness the power of technology to speed the processing of veterans’ benefits claims, but it is wary of ideas for quickly reducing the claims...
  • Career Resources
    Job fairs and online resources
  • Spouse Benefits
    Many of the transition benefits available to military members are also extended to their spouses.
  • Life Insurance
    A major concern of service members with families is whether they have enough life insurance.
  • Leave
    Looking for a civilian job while relocating to a new community can be challenging. But active-duty members may be able to take time away from their military jobs to look for civilian employment and a...
  • Job Preference
    Under the Veterans Recruitment Appointment authority, veterans may be appointed to a federal civil service position without having to compete for it. Veterans must meet basic qualifications for these...
  • Housing
    If you live in military housing, you must schedule a final inspection and moving date with the housing office on your installation. Most bases suggest contacting the housing office at least 30 to 40...
  • Household goods
    The government will pay for separating members to ship their personal property to their “home of record.” Shipments must be completed within 180 days of the separation date. The...
  • Health Care
    Separating service members can purchase health care policies for themselves and their family members through the Continued Health Care Benefit Program, which is designed to provide coverage while you...
  • Dependent Schooling
    If your separation or retirement date coincides with your teenager’s senior year of high school, that could mean a tough adjustment for your child, who might have to change schools.
  • Travel
    Separating members and their families are entitled to travel from their final duty station to a permanent U.S. home at the government’s expense.
  • Guard and Reserve separation benefits
    Drilling members of the Guard and Reserve who are not on extended active duty are eligible for separation benefits only if they are involuntarily forced out of the service due to the deactivation of...
  • Voluntary Separation
    Voluntary separation pay is not available for reservists at this time.
  • Early Retirement
    The Voluntary Separation Incentive program, the 15-year retirement option for voluntary separations, was discontinued Dec. 31, 2001, after Congress refused to extend the authority for it.
  • Stop-Loss
    Presidential authority may suspend any provision of law pertaining to separation and retirement from the military. In other words, the military may legally keep you in uniform past your planned...
  • Training
    The Veterans Employment Training Service, an agency of the Labor Department, works with the VA, the Defense Department, nonprofit organizations, and state and local governments to help separated and...
  • Senators want to streamline job help for vets
    With the Pentagon touting a new Web site as a way to expand transition and employment help for separating service members, some lawmakers are questioning whether too many competing programs are...

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