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Gray Area Retirees – Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve

 

AF Reserve and Air National Guard Gray Area Retirees must submit applications to begin retirement pay through the new platform: myFSS

Special Note from the Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC) to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Airmen:

HQ ARPC is currently experiencing delays in processing Age 60 and Reduced Retired Pay Age (RRPA) pay request applications.  Current delays have predominantly been caused by the increase in customer submitted, quality errors.  To streamline our processes, we have instituted a Quality Control team (QC) who are closing and returning erroneous applications to the applicant with instructions on what corrections are required and additional guidance such as., “please read the instructions in its entirety, correct all identified errors, and reapply in myFSS.”  Once the application has passed the quality review, the QC team will notify the applicant that their application has moved to the next step in the process.
Current wait time is 105 days for applications to be reviewed by the QC team for customer errors.  Applicants will not lose their place in the queue when they reapply since we process/prioritize based on the retirement effective date (60th birthdays or Reduced Retired Pay Age dates).  Once the application has passed the quality check, it will be approximately 10 business days for you to receive your order and pay request to DFAS.  
To give you more control in the process, we have provided a list of common errors ARPC’s Quality Control team encounters daily with instructions to prevent you from replicating these errors:

DD Form 2656 

1.     Block 4 Retirement/Transfer Date: applicants inputting their transfer to the retired reserve date. 

a.       The correct date should be your 60th or Reduced Retired Pay Age (RRPA) date.  See instruction page on the DD Form 2656 for more information.
b.       Members must have a confirmed RRPA date from myFSS.
c.        To request a RRPA calculation in myFSS, the service member must follow the below instructions:
  1.  Log into myFSS
  2. Click on “myRetirements”
  3. Click on “Career Calculators”
  4. Click on “Submit RRPA Applications”
  5. Follow instructions to submission

Note: For more information on RRPA, please copy and paste the below URL into your browser:
https://myfss.us.af.mil/USAFCommunity/s/knowledge-detail?pid=kA0830000000104CAA 

2.     Block 7 Member or Former Member of the: applicants are selecting the incorrect blocks

a.        Select b. Reserve Component
b.       Select (2) Non-Regular Retirement

3.     Block 35: RCSBP election either missing or not matching original election

Note: Retirement pay will be retroactive as of the date of the order. Those members eligible for TRICARE benefits at age 60 will also be retroactively authorized as of their 60th birthday.


To access all retirements myFSS knowledge articles please copy and paste the below URL:
https://myfss.us.af.mil/USAFCommunity/s/knowledge-detail?pid=kA08300000001D8CAI

Get the helpful ARPC Instructions on How to Complete the DD2656 here (right-click or long-press to download to your computer or device)


Members needing assistance, please contact the Total Force Service Center at 1-800-525-0102.

Gray Area Future Retiree myPay Accounts


Gray Area Retirees can now stay connected and informed between the time they stop drilling and the time they start receiving retired pay. It’s a new kind of myPay account especially for Gray Area Retirees.

This basic “Future Retiree” myPay account provides Gray Area Retirees a convenient way to keep your contact information updated with DFAS during the gray area period, so you can receive important information from DFAS and from the Air Force.

With your current contact information, DFAS can keep you informed about changes in the law or policy that may affect you, send you the Air Force Afterburner Retiree Newsletter and the DFAS Retiree Newsletter, and remind you when the window to apply for retired pay is approaching.

In addition, with current contact information in the new myPay account, when DFAS receives a completed Gray Area Retiree application for retired pay, DFAS will send email status notifications to you, including: when DFAS receives the application, when DFAS begins working on the application, and when DFAS completes it. Remember, you should always be working first with the Air Force on your retired pay application.

How to Stay Connected During the Gray Area

Who Are Gray Area Retirees?

Gray Area Retirees are members who served in the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve, are qualified for retired pay, and have retired from their service (stopped drilling),but are not yet at the age where they can start receiving retired pay. The time between their retirement from the service and the date when they are eligible to begin receiving retired pay is the “gray area.” The “gray area” applies even if the member is in the Retired Reserve.

If you are unsure if you are a Gray Area Retiree and eligible for retired pay, contact the Total Force Service Center – San Antonio at 1-800-525-0102.

Important Information for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Gray Area Retirees

For Air Force Reserve and ANG Airmen, the retirement packet will be completed by the individual (retirement is not an automatic process). No earlier than 12 months and no later than 6 months in advance of pay effective date, you must apply by logging into myFSS (you may need to create an account):

  • Click on “myRetirement”; 
  • Click on “ARC Retirements”; 
  • Click on “+Begin Application Process”; 
  • Review/Acknowledge Pre-Application Information (knowledge articles will have detailed information; 
  • Click “Start Application.”  You will be prompted to enter contact information and upload the required pay document (DD Form 2656) and any additional documents if needed.

Once the application is received and processed at ARPC, the packet will be forwarded to DFAS for pay processing. Only then will DFAS track and advise the customer of the status.

Early Receipt of Retired Pay

Some members of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard may be eligible to receive retired pay earlier than their 60th birthday, depending on how their creditable service is calculated. To find out what date you can begin collecting retired pay, you must apply by logging into myFSS:

  • Click on “myRetirement”; 
  • Click on “ARC Retirements”; 
  • Review Knowledge Article in reference to Reduced Retired Pay Age
  • Submit a Reduced Retired pay Age Application to confirm a Reduced Retired Pay effective date.
Late Applications

If you are past your date to apply for retired pay as a Gray Area Retiree, you should  log into myFSS:

  • Click on “myRetirement”
  • Click on “ARC Retirements”
  • Click on “+Begin Application Process”; 
  • Review/Acknowledge Pre-Application; 
  • Click “Start Application”.  You will be prompted to enter contact information, upload the DD Form 2656 and any additional documents as needed.

Our service level goal is to have retirement applications completed and to DFAS 30-60 days prior to the servicemembers pay effective date. If an application is submitted late, it will be processed approximately within 60 days upon receipt.
 

Air Reserve Personnel Center Reserve Retirement Counseling Cell (RRCC)


The RRCC is a resource for Reserve Airmen to help answer individual member questions about military retirement, such as estimated retirement pay, Reduced Retirement Pay Age, the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan, and other retirement related issues.  

The RRCC provides information through virtual one-on-one counseling appointments and global engagement, such as briefings, social media presence, and news articles.    

The team is currently at initial operating capacity and at this time can only advise Reserve Airmen. As the team grows, the hope is to assist Guardsmen soon. Unfortunately, the team cannot provide guidance or advice regarding civilian retirement.  

Airmen who would benefit from Reserve military retirement counseling or have any questions regarding how the RRCC can provide assistance can contact the team at arpc.dpt.rrcc@us.af.mil or call 1-800-682-1929 to make an appointment. 


 

 



 
Page Updated Apr 16 2024
Get Connected

Find out how to log in to your new myPay account.

We have a helpful downloadable Gray Area Future Retiree myPay Login Tips PDF with specific instructions on our new Gray Area Retirees webpage
 https://www.dfas.mil/grayarea
Click here for the: "First Time Logging into myFSS Non-CAC Users Guide"

If unsuccessful, submit a trouble ticket to the A1 IT Service Desk by either of the following actions:
 - Visit Link: https://www.afpc.af.mil/Support/Contact-Us/ 
 - Call the A1 IT Service Desk: Call 800-525-0102, option 6
 - Email:  a1dta.a1.sd@us.af.mil