FY10 STA-21 Applicants gather round!

[gio1633]

wlawr,

Very well said, you are correct and stated it clearer than I did.
The important point as you are well aware is "Eligible Years for Retirement"
The same rule applies not only to the Naval Academy but also OCS.
ALL THE BEST!

 

[gio1633]

BTW, if you opt to join the reserves later on, you will receive "Points" for your time at STA-21 but that's an entire other can of worms that is best left alone now.

 

[timmyhoffa]

Your retirement pay is only based on an average of your base pay for the highest three years. For STA-21 guys, those would normally be the last three years they serve before retirement. If they decide not to let college time count, then STA-21 guys will have to spend 23 years active duty (enlisted + college + officer) to retire at 20 years of service.

What the new bill says is that STA-21 time still counts towards active duty pay purposes (i.e., O1-E with 8 years of service) but not towards retirement years.

I think he was saying that the three years still count for retirement percentages (i.e. STA-21 guys would get 57.5% retirement the year they are eligible to retire).

 

[LMPRPP03]

Thank you jg54170!

 

[G-Felt]

Your retirement pay is only based on an average of your base pay for the highest three years. For STA-21 guys, those would normally be the last three years they serve before retirement. If they decide not to let college time count, then STA-21 guys will have to spend 23 years active duty (enlisted + college + officer) to retire at 20 years of service.

What the new bill says is that STA-21 time still counts towards active duty pay purposes (i.e., O1-E with 8 years of service) but not towards retirement years.

you're both right. you get 50% of your High-3 basepay if you retire at 20 years. but every year past 20 you get another 2.5% of your basepay, working out to a maximum of 75% at 30 years. so if we won't be eligible to retire until 23 years, we will get 57.5% of our high-3 basepay.... get it?

 

[wlawr005]

I think he was saying that the three years still count for retirement percentages (i.e. STA-21 guys would get 57.5% retirement the year they are eligible to retire).

Nope...if you retired at 23 years (20 eligible) then you would only get 50%. That's the whole point.

STA-21 is still a great deal all things considered. Most guys in the program are going to end up doing 20 years as an officer anyway. You may not think so now, but you will when you look at the O-5/O-6 paychart when you get close to that point. Then your enlisted time just becomes icing on your retirement cake.

 

[LAX89]

this retirement stuff is very confusing, ide still rather just worry about getting accepted first..

 

[timmyhoffa]

Nope...if you retired at 23 years (20 eligible) then you would only get 50%. That's the whole point.

STA-21 is still a great deal all things considered. Most guys in the program are going to end up doing 20 years as an officer anyway. You may not think so now, but you will when you look at the O-5/O-6 paychart when you get close to that point. Then your enlisted time just becomes icing on your retirement cake.

I really don't think either of us are experts and it's open to interpretation. It says that the months spent in the STA-21 program won't be considered when computing eligibility for retirement, but will be used for every other computation of time in service. Eligibility and retirement percentage are two different things.... I think the point is to get more years of service for the money that they have invested in STA-21 candidates, not screw people out of retirement pay.
Here's an example: E-5 selected for STA-21 program at 6 years of service and commissioned at 9 years of service. Under the old rule the member completes 11 years of service and retires at 20 years. Under the new rule (STA-21 time not counting) The member would have to serve a minimum of 14 years as an officer to be eligible for retirement. As I said, I think its more about return on investment than affecting retirement pay.

 

[G-Felt]

I really don't think either of us are experts and it's open to interpretation. It says that the months spent in the STA-21 program won't be considered when computing eligibility for retirement, but will be used for every other computation of time in service. Eligibility and retirement percentage are two different things.... I think the point is to get more years of service for the money that they have invested in STA-21 candidates, not screw people out of retirement pay.
Here's an example: E-5 selected for STA-21 program at 6 years of service and commissioned at 9 years of service. Under the old rule the member completes 11 years of service and retires at 20 years. Under the new rule (STA-21 time not counting) The member would have to serve a minimum of 14 years as an officer to be eligible for retirement. As I said, I think its more about return on investment than affecting retirement pay.

i'm with you

 

[G-Felt]

this retirement stuff is very confusing, ide still rather just worry about getting accepted first..

lol i think all of us have been worrying about getting selected a little more than is healthy, i'm more than willing to distract myself by thinking about retirement!

 

[cbaker]

Forget about retirement. I just want to get picked up for the program. We can worry about that in 10+ years.

 

[timmyhoffa]

Forget about retirement. I just want to get picked up for the program. We can worry about that in 10+ years.

I'm with you on that one.

 

[cbaker]

I really want to be going to Iowa State by this time next year. Living there with my family getting my education. That is my ideal situation.

 

[Datkanwel]

That's all I can hope for - being close to the family and finishing school.

 

[SurfRodder]

working out to a maximum of 75% at 30 years.

actually, last I checked, one can complete 40 years for 100%...