The Fort Meade Retirement Service Office and Transition Service Office mission is to provide quality transition services to all Fort Meade Soldiers transitioning from the military - Expiration Term of Service (ETS), Retirement and Administrative Separations (Chapter). Our offices prepares Soldiers and their Families for retirement, assist survivors of Soldiers who die on active duty, and serve Retired Soldiers, surviving spouses, and their Families until death in order to comply with federal laws, encourage Retired Soldiers to be Soldiers For Life, and improve recruiting and retention. Pre and Post retirement services are provided to Soldiers in our geographical area of operations. 

Pre-retirement support includes:

  • Active duty retirement applications and retirement order publication.
  • Survivor Benefit Plan briefings and counseling.
  • Pre-retirement briefings.
  • Final out-processing, including DD Form 214 and appropriate certificates and retirement flag.
  • Assists retiring Soldiers and family members with completion of the DD Form 2656 (Data for Payment of Retired Personnel).
  • Processes the DD Form 2656 electronically using TRANSPROC to the Department of Defense Finance and Accounting Services, Cleveland (DFAS-CL).

Note- Non-regular retirement (at age 60, commonly referred to as Gray area retirees) application support other than Survivor Benefit Plan assistance is not provided by this office.  Contact the Human Resources Command (HRC) Reserve Component Retirement Branch  or call directly at 502-613-8950.

Post-retirement support includes:

  • Assistance with retired pay accounts (changes to allotments, accounts, addresses, tax paperwork, among others).
  • Assistance with Survivor Benefit Plan account management (changes, former spouse issues, beneficiary death).
  • Assistance with Former Spouse applications for a portion of retired pay.
  • Conducts an annual Retiree Appreciation Day (RAD).
  • Assists retired Soldiers and family members in obtaining: copies of lost documents (i.e., DD Form 214, retirement orders, and medical records); re-issuance of military awards; and issuance of military ID Cards.
  • Publishes mails retiree newsletters at least annually.

 

Every Soldier that transitions from the Army, regardless of type of separation, must meet the following basic requirements:

  • Complete the Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
  • Complete a Physical Examination (Phase 1 and 2)
  • Have Separation Orders
  • Complete DD Form 2656 - Data For Payment of Retired Personnel (Retirement Only)
  • Have Final Stamp on Clearing Papers
  • Have a DD Form 214
  • VA Claim is Optional

Additional Reading Material

Frequently Asked Questions

No earlier than 12 months and no later than nine months from the requested date. All retirements are on the end of the month.

Yes. If you have 19 years and 6 months at the time of notification of the assignment instructions, you can submit your request to retire and that request must be approved within 30 days of the official notification of your permanent change of station. The retirement date will not be later than six months from the date of notification, or the first day of the month following the month in which 20 years of active federal service is completed, whichever is later. All service obligations must be fulfilled not later than the approve retirement date.

Yes. The examination will be accomplished not earlier than four months prior to the anticipated date of commencement of permissive temporary duty (PTDY) or transitional leave (TL) and not later than one before the scheduled date of retirement.​​​​​​​

Yes. Your retirement date will be after you have completed the prescribed four-year Service Remaining Requirement (SRR) from the date of the TEB submission. The SRR starts on the date the Soldier requests to transfer in the milConnect/TEB web page and is otherwise eligible (to include meeting the four-year SSR as of the date of the TEB submission).

Separation orders are usually published 60-120 days (depending on staffing) prior to scheduled discharge date and emailed to the Battalion S-1. Soldiers receive separation orders from their supporting unit S-1's.

Replacing or obtaining a certified copy of your DD Form 214 is very time consuming. A replacement copy (Service Copy 2 only) can be requested by submitting a Military Records Request (SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 1 Archive Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138. Contact information: Phone: 314-801-0800,Fax: 314-801-9195, Email: MPR.center@nara.gov. Website: https://www.archives.gov.​​​​​​​

DA Form 137-1/-2 (Unit and Installation Clearing Papers).Must be COMPLETELY cleared from all unit and installation facilities and agencies and have the first bulldog stamp from the out processing sections.

DD Form 2648, Soldier For Life Checklist (Source: Soldier for Life Office)

Finance Leave Verification Sheet.(Source: Finance)

An updated ERB/ORB.(Source: unit S-1)

Updated SGLV (within 14 days) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/milConnect (must have print out)

Updated DD Form 93 (within 14 days) from S1

Supporting documents to add courses/awards/deployments, etc. to your final DD 214

All Retirees (regular and medical) need a copy of your Survivors Benefit Plan (DD 2656)

Regular Retirees need a copy of your completed retirement physical

All Soldiers must be in uniform during the entire process and have a CAC to sign your final DD 214

Approximately 30 days

You need to complete the form DD 2894 and mail or fax it to Retired and Annuitant Pay to be processed. Normal processing time is approximately 30 days after receipt of this completed form.

Military retired pay stops upon death of the retiree! The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) allows a retiree to ensure, after death, a continuous lifetime annuity for their dependents. The annuity which is based on a percentage of retired pay is called SBP and is paid to an eligible beneficiary.

Military retirement pay based on age or length of service is taxable and must be included as income for Federal income taxes.

Though it does not occur often, military retirees of all ages can be recalled to active duty to face court-martial charges. Generally, the civilian justice system processes military retirees acting with misconduct.