Eligible officers, enlisted members offered early retirement

by Debbie Gildea
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs

12/24/2013 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Staff through senior master sergeants and captains through lieutenant colonels in certain Air Force specialty codes may apply to retire with fewer than 20 years of active service under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

Commonly referred to as the 15-year retirement, TERA will be implemented to help achieve manpower and force structure goals as the service focuses on 2015 and beyond, said Lt. Col. Rick Garcia, the AFPC retirements and separations branch chief.

To be eligible for consideration, members in certain AFSCs must have at least 15, but less than 20 years of total active duty time as of July 31, 2014. Members with at least 19 years of service but less than 20 years of total active federal military service by July 31, 2014 may apply to retire, regardless of control or core AFSC. Lengthy service staff sergeants (those with "grandfathered" high year of tenure at 20 years) who have at least 15, but less than 20 years of TAFMS as of July 31 may also apply to retire, regardless of control AFSC.

Applications will be accepted Jan. 14, 2014, through March 26, 2014, and those approved must be retired by Aug. 1, 2014.

Airmen must apply through the virtual military personnel flight, accessible via the Air Force Portal or the myPers website. After submission, applicants can check the status in vMPF.

Airmen with an approved date of separation or a separation/retirement application pending prior Dec. 16, 2013, are not eligible for TERA. If an otherwise eligible member's separation or retirement application is disapproved, the member may be eligible to apply for TERA.

In addition, approved applicants who are subsequently selected for promotion will be allowed to withdraw their application, but must do so within 10 weekdays of their promotion notification. Airmen who have been selected for an assignment are ineligible to apply for TERA.

"If and when you are notified that you are eligible, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center and talk to your transition assistance program representatives," Garcia said. "TAP is a requirement mandated by federal law to aid Airmen in making a successful transition to civilian life and make informed decisions about their future. Therefore, we recommend you take advantage of resources available to you and consider registering for TAP early rather than wait for a retirement or separation decision. Members must complete TAP prior to starting terminal leave."

For full application instructions, eligibility requirements and a chart showing eligible Airmen, go to the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil and search for FY14 Force Management, or enter PSDM 13-127 for the enlisted program or PSDM 13-128 for the officer program.