Benefits guide

The mandatory off-ramp: counseling, the Transition Readiness Seminar (TRS), and a chosen track (employment, education, vocational, or entrepreneurship).

• Transition activities must begin no later than 365 days before R-day; you may start at 24 months.
• TRS is multi-day and valid 24 months: MOS/MOC Crosswalk, DOL Employment Workshop, VA Benefits I & II, Financial Planning.
• Pre-separation counseling is captured on DD 2648 and filed with IPAC.
• Capstone verifies you are "career-ready" before you separate.

Up to 180 days of civilian industry training during your last 180 days of service — a runway into a post-service job.

• USMC caps it by rank (E1–E5 up to 120 days; most others up to 90) and it is NOT an entitlement — command approval required.
• You must complete TRS requirements at least 180 days before separation to be eligible.
• It does not delay your retirement date and cannot overlap terminal leave — order is SkillBridge → terminal leave → separation.

Gross monthly pay = your retired-pay base × a service multiplier. High-3 uses 2.5%/yr; BRS uses 2.0%/yr plus TSP matching.

• High-3 base = average of your highest 36 months of basic pay.
• High-3: 50% at 20 years, rising to 75% at 30. BRS: 40% at 20 years, plus government TSP contributions.
• Your plan is set by your entry date (BRS for 2018+ entrants).
• Retired pay receives an annual COLA. Use the official DoD calculators at militarypay.defense.gov.

An annuity that continues part of your retired pay to a survivor. Elected at retirement on DD 2656.

• Premium is 6.5% of the elected base; the survivor receives 55% of that base.
• If you do nothing, SBP auto-defaults to full Spouse Only at full retired pay.
• Declining or reducing coverage requires your spouse’s notarized concurrence.
• This is effectively irreversible — decide deliberately.

Tax-free monthly compensation for service-connected conditions. File before you separate via Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD).

• File VA Form 21-526EZ when 180–90 days remain, after your final physical.
• Under 90 days left, BDD is unavailable — file a standard pre-discharge claim instead.
• VA combines multiple ratings on a whole-person scale (not additive) and rounds to the nearest 10%.
• CRDP vs CRSC concurrent-receipt rules affect how a 20-year retiree’s retired pay and VA comp interact.

Your federal retirement account. At separation you can leave it, roll it over, or withdraw — with tax consequences either way.

• Options: keep in TSP, roll to an IRA or civilian 401(k), or withdraw (installments/partial/annuity).
• Early-withdrawal penalties generally apply before age 59½; required distributions begin at the statutory age.
• Roth (after-tax) vs traditional (pre-tax) changes when you pay tax.

Retiree medical coverage. Enrollment is NOT automatic — you must act within 90 days of retirement.

• Retirement is a Qualifying Life Event giving 90 days to enroll in/switch between TRICARE Prime and Select.
• Miss it and you fall to space-available care (12-month retroactive backstop for under-65 retirees).
• FEDVIP dental & vision enroll during the Federal Benefits Open Season (Nov–Dec) via BENEFEDS — separate from TRICARE.
• TRICARE (insurance for any condition) and VA healthcare (service-connected care) can generally both be used.

Education benefits for you or your dependents. The transfer-to-dependents window is the single most time-critical decision.

• Transfer of benefits (TEB) to dependents MUST be requested via milConnect WHILE STILL SERVING — impossible after separation.
• Eligibility: 6 years served + agree to 4 more (the add-on may be waived near retirement — confirm).
• 36 months of benefit; the Forever GI Bill removed the 15-year use deadline for most recent service.
• VR&E (Chapter 31) supports veterans with a service-connected employment handicap — distinct from the GI Bill.

Using accrued leave before R-day, selling unused leave, and your government-funded final move home.

• Terminal (transition) leave is taken immediately before R-day at full pay and allowances.
• You can sell back unused leave (career cap and tax treatment — verify current rules).
• Permissive TDY/PTDY provides extra days for job and house hunting.
• Retirees get a final PCS move to a Home of Selection, with a multi-year window to execute it.

The paperwork that proves your service and unlocks every benefit. Copy everything before you turn originals in.

• Review and sign your DD 214 ~30 days out; verify dates, awards, and the RE code.
• Copy ALL medical/dental records (3 copies) before turning originals in to IPAC.
• Get the retired ID card (Next Gen USID) for you and dependents at RAPIDS; update DEERS.
• DD 2656 sets up retired pay — DFAS needs it complete or your first check is delayed.

When the money actually arrives, and how your state treats military retired pay.

• Your first retired paycheck arrives the first business day of the month after retirement (paid in arrears) — budget a ~30-day gap.
• State income-tax treatment of military retired pay varies widely; many states fully exempt it (Hawaii does).
• If you received any separation/severance pay, VA may recoup it from disability comp — confirm.