In order to receive FERS/CSRS credit for military service, you must have served active-duty and have had an honorable military service record.
Further, if you seek to receive FERS/CSRS credit, you must make a contribution (deposit) to the retirement fund that covers your period of service. For FERS, the contribution typically is 3 percent of military base pay; for CSRS, the contribution typically is 7 percent of military base pay. These amounts may differ if:
- your creditable civilian service was interrupted by military service; and,
- you were redeployed.
In this circumstance, your contribution (or deposit) would be more than the prescribed amount (3 or 7 percent), or the amount of civilian retirement deductions which would have been withheld had you not entered uniformed service (if the amount is less than the typical deposit for military service).