For many incoming 38G officers, especially those joining via direct commission, retirement eligibility and pay can be confusing — particularly if you’re bringing in time from prior service (Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, etc.) or returning after a long break. This guide breaks down how the Reserve retirement point system works and what you need to know to track and plan for your retirement.
📌 What Are Retirement Points?
The Army Reserve — like all Reserve Components — uses a point-based system to calculate:
- Eligibility for retirement benefits (you need 20 “good years”)
- The amount of retirement pay you’ll receive (based on total points earned)
💡 Key Concept: “Good Years”
A “good year” for retirement means you earned at least 50 points in that anniversary year. You need 20 good years to be eligible for Reserve retirement.
🧼 How Are Points Earned?
Here’s how you earn points as a reservist:
| Activity | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Membership (automatic) | 15 per year |
| Weekend Drill (1 IDT) | 1 per drill (typically 4 per weekend = 4 points) |
| Annual Training (AT, ~2 weeks) | 14–15 points |
| Active Duty (mobilizations, TDY, etc.) | 1 point per day |
| Schools (ADSW/ADOS) | 1 point per day |
| Correspondence courses | Varies (depends on course) |
Typical drilling reservists earn around 70–78 points per year.
🔄 Prior Service or Inter-Service Transfer?
If you’re joining the Army Reserve from another branch — active or reserve — your retirement points transfer with you. The Department of Defense uses a unified retirement point system, meaning:
- Your points from the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, etc. carry over.
- Your “good years” also count toward the 20-year retirement minimum.
- You’ll need to submit your prior service documents to have them reflected in your Army records (usually DA Form 5016).
📄 Key Forms by Service Branch
| Branch | Form / System | Description |
| Army (Reserve/NG) | DA Form 5016 (Chronological Statement of Retirement Points) | Found in HRC’s My Records Portal or iPERMS. This is the official Army Reserve retirement points statement. |
| Marine Corps | CRCR (Career Retirement Credit Report) | Available via Marine Online (MOL). Shows annual point breakdown, qualifying years, and total creditable service. |
| Navy | Annual Retirement Point Record (also called NAVPERS 1070/161 or NSIPS summary) | Accessed via BUPERS / NSIPS (Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System). Shows point totals and good years. |
| Air Force / Space Force | AF Form 526 (ANG/USAFR Point Credit Summary) | Found in vMPF under “Self-Service Actions” → “Personal Data” → “ANG/USAFR Point Credit Summary Inquiry.” |
| Coast Guard | CG-4175A (Reserve Points Statement) | Provided via Direct Access / CGBI. Shows point summary and qualifying years of service. |
💡 Always verify that your points and “good years” were properly imported to your Army record once you join. You are responsible for ensuring your historical service is documented.
📊 How Retirement Pay Is Calculated
When you reach 20 good years and retire (typically starting at age 60), your monthly retirement pay is calculated using this formula:
(Total Retirement Points ÷ 360) × 2.5% × Retired Pay Base = Monthly Retired Pay- 360 points = 1 year of active duty equivalent
- The Retired Pay Base is usually the average of your highest 36 months of base pay
Example:
If you retire with 3,000 points:
- 3,000 ÷ 360 = 8.33 equivalent years
- 8.33 × 2.5% = 20.8%
- If your retired pay base is $10,000/month → you receive $2,080/month
📈 How to Calculate Your Good Years
To determine how many good years you have:
- Obtain your official retirement points statement (see the branch-specific forms below).
- Look for each service year anniversary entry.
- Count each year in which you earned 50 or more retirement points — these are your “good years.”
- Total them up. Once you reach 20 good years, you’re eligible for Reserve retirement.
Note: A year where you earned fewer than 50 points does not count as a good year, but the points still contribute toward your retirement pay calculation.
🔹 There is no difference in how retirement points or “good years” are calculated for officers versus enlisted personnel in the Reserve Component. The rules apply equally to both.
🔹 However, to retire as an officer, you must complete at least 10 years of commissioned service. If you do not meet this threshold, even with 20 good years, you may be retired at your highest enlisted rank held satisfactorily, per Title 10, U.S. Code § 1370.
📊 What About BRS and TSP?
If you joined or opted into the Blended Retirement System (BRS) in 2018 or later, your retirement includes two components:
- Defined Benefit (what we’ve covered above)
- Defined Contribution via the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
Under BRS:
- You receive automatic DoD contributions of 1% of your base pay into your TSP account.
- You are eligible for up to 5% total matching contributions if you also contribute 5%.
- You are vested in DoD automatic contributions after 2 years of service.
This makes TSP a critical part of your retirement strategy, especially if you don’t plan to complete 20 good years.
Be sure to review and manage your TSP allocations through tsp.gov. You can select different funds and contribution levels based on your risk tolerance and retirement timeline.
💾 Verifying Prior Service Points
To make sure your prior service counts:
- Request your point summary from your previous branch (e.g., CRCR for USMC, AF Form 526 for Air Force)
- Submit to your Army unit administrator or HRC for integration into your 5016
- Regularly review your DA Form 5016 to ensure accuracy
🛠️ Bottom Line for 38Gs
- Track your points yearly using your 5016.
- Ensure all prior service is reflected (especially from other branches).
- Focus on earning good years — at least 50 points/year.
- Plan for 20 good years minimum to qualify for retirement.
- When in doubt, ask your unit S1 or reach out to HRC to review your record.