# Retired govt/military double-dipping? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259 "2011-07-25T12:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259/121 "2016-10-27T12:21:57Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > For my time on the military, retirement pay was not vested nor was it earned until one hit the 20 year mark. Yes, that is a cruddy system. A cruddy system? Depends on what it’s intent is. For years and years we paid the military (and federal government) workers peanuts, with the hook that at some point in the distant future, you’d get a pension. We wouldn’t have gotten many? most? of these people to stay in without this hook. So the system did serve the military, the Nation, and those who stayed 20+ years well. Now it seems as though that may not be sufficient. Or DoD competitors for manpower are no longer offering a pension so DoD doesn’t have to. But as mentioned up thread, cliff vesting is soon going away with blended retirement. We’ll see how that goes. Many of us have concerns. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259/122 "2016-10-27T15:03:52Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t think it is a cruddy system. I have a guaranteed income every month for the rest of my life. As do I; however, those who served 10, 15, or more years yet less than 20 got no retirement because they weren’t vested. That’s a cruddy system. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259/123 "2016-10-27T15:14:50Z")
Theoretically you can serve more than enough to qualify and get nothing if you commit a serious enough infraction. Administratively - and subject to change - if you get to 18 years you will be given a mandatory retirement date when you hit 20 years for some things (failure to get promoted, failing physical fitness standards). I eventually did retire with a pension so it wasn’t a problem. However, my W2 had the box checked that said I was covered by a pension plan which affected my ability to contribute to an IRA and I could have been kicked out with nothing. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259/124 "2016-10-27T16:51:51Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Theoretically you can serve more than enough to qualify and get nothing if you commit a serious enough infraction. OK. So if an Air Force Officer murders his family for example, would you still like him/her to get their pension? > [@tim-n-va](#): > > I eventually did retire with a pension so it wasn’t a problem. However, my W2 had the box checked that said I was covered by a pension plan which affected my ability to contribute to an IRA and I could have been kicked out with nothing. It’s generally pretty hard to get kicked out prior to 20. And if you’re sufficiently junior that you can’t make all of the promotion gates to get to 20, unless your spouse is making some serious coin, you’ll never get to the gross income threshold where the pension plan notification would have made any difference to full contribution to an IRA anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259/125 "2016-10-28T12:39:21Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > As do I; however, those who served 10, 15, or more years yet less than 20 got no retirement because they weren’t vested. That’s a cruddy system. Every system is cruddy for SOMEBODY. I don’t think that someone who only served for 10 years and got out is deserving of a check every month for the rest of their life. And everyone knew what was required for retirement pay before they joined. I’m happy with that system, and glad I retired before the NEW system was put into place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retired-govt-military-double-dipping/590259.md?page=6)