Veterans

Retirement law in Massachusetts provides for some special benefits just to U.S. military veterans. Please contact the retirement office if you would like to discuss any of the following:

We also recommend you visit the website and/or office of the Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans’ Services District. Here is the link to their website:

http://www.townofgreenfield.org/Pages/GreenfieldMA_Veteran/index

Adding prior military service to your service record with the retirement system: eligible veterans can purchase up to four years of service credit to add to their service within the retirement system. The cost is based on 10% of your first year’s wages as a member of the retirement system, the payment of which can be deferred up until the last day of work before retirement (interest will apply). Note that you will have 180 days to respond once the retirement office notifies you of the potential. Click here to read more: Request for Military buyback.

Service credit during periods of active military duty: Under the USERRA regulations, military personnel called to active duty are afforded protections to maintain thier emplyment status and continue accruing service credit for up to two years while away on duty: Click here to read more: Active military service credit

Link to USERRA: http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/userra_fs.htm

An additional amount added to your benefit at the time of your retirement: If you are a veteran, as defined in section one of Chapter 32, you will receive $15 a year extra for every year or fraction thereof of creditable service, up to a maximum additional benefit of $300 a year.

Definition of a Veteran

Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, §1, and c. 4, §7, cl.43, you qualify as a veteran if you meet ONE of the following three requirements:

1) You have at least 180 days of regular active duty service and you were honorably discharged or released.

2) You have at least 90 days of active duty service, at least one day of which was during wartime per the chart below, and you were honorably discharged or released.

*Naval and Marine DD214 must indicate Expeditionary Medal. All DD214s must specify campaign: Lebanon, Grenada and Panama.

Please note that, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 4, §7, the six months of active duty for training in the Active Reserves and the National Guard does not qualify as active service toward the minimum period listed here. If your only active duty was active duty training, you are not eligible to purchase credit for your military service.

3) You served in wartime and were awarded a Purple Heart or service-connected disability, regardless of whether you completed the minimum length of active duty service in the chart under (2) above. A person who has died in wartime service will also qualify as a veteran even if the minimum service requirements are not met.

Exceptions to Minimum Service Requirement
It is not necessary that an applicant have completed the minimum service for wartime or peacetime campaign if he or she served some time in the campaign and was awarded the Purple Heart, or suffered a service-connected disability, or died in the service under honorable conditions.

Training Not Considered Active Service
Active service in the armed forces as used in this clause shall not include active duty for training in the Army or Air National Guard or active duty for training as a Reservist in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Creditable Service for Active Reserve and Massachusetts National Guard
Veterans who also have Active Reserve and Massachusetts National Guard Service may receive creditable service for such guard/reserve service on a ratio of five years of such service to equal one year of creditable service, provided they have the qualifications noted above.