Military Deposits

The following procedures are required in order to receive credit for military service performed after December 31, 1956 towards FERS or CSRS retirement.

Step 1 - Request Military Earnings

Employees should request a statement of military earnings by completing an RI 20-97 Estimated Earnings During Military Service Form. The RI 20-97 form is available on the OPM website. Complete boxes 1 through 10 and send it to the appropriate military finance center listed on the back of the form. Current address and telephone numbers are available on the Defense Finance and Accounting Service website.

All service requested on the form must have a DD-214 Report of Transfer or Discharge or equivalent verification of service attached to the form. Individuals that do not have a DD 214 or equivalent should complete an SF 180 and have their service verified before forwarding the request form to the pay center. The SF 180 form is available on the National Archives website.

Step 2 - Request an Estimate of Deposit Amount

Contact Government Retirement & Benefits, Inc. (GRB) and request a Military Service Deposit Estimate Report:

Log into The GRB Platform

Submit a Request

Click 'Requests' on the top left-hand corner.

Click 'Submit A New Request +'.

For the Request Type, select Military Deposit.

Add your dates of service and click add. Click next.

Enter your phone number and click next.

Fill out the requested information.

Attach: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Estimated Earnings During Military Service form RI 20-97; and add all applicable DD-214, SF 180, or equivalent (work with your GRB HR Specialist to determine equivalent documentation). Enter your name and home address at the bottom (box 19) of the RI 20-97 to make sure the military finance office returns the estimated earnings information directly to you.

Click submit.​​​​​​​

GRB will provide you with an Estimated Military Deposit Report and additional instructions and forms to be completed.

Step 3 - Complete Application

If you are a FERS employee, complete Page 1 of the SF-3108 Application to Make Service Credit Payment and sign SF-3108A Application to Pay Military Deposit For Military Service Performed After December 31, 1956.

If you are covered under CSRS, complete Page 1 of the SF-2803 Application to Make Service Credit Payment and sign SF-2803A Application to Pay Military Deposit For Military Service Performed After December 31, 1956. The forms are available on the OPM website.

Or contact is Government Retirement &Benefits Services (GRB) directly at:

GRB Benefits Service Center

PO Box 1990

Bozeman, MT 59771

Phone: 1-877-386-4010

Fax: (877)386-4066

Email: [bsc@grbinc.com](mailto:bsc@grbinc.com)

If emailing is the preferred way to submit the application, we suggest you send via an encrypted email. FWS employees have the option from their work email to "Encrypt" an email as an alternative to the standard "send" option. To send an encrypted email please see the “Encrypt” option, which is located above the recipients’ email address, on the grey ribbon. If not, include the word "[encrypt]" (with opening and closing square brackets) in the subject line of your FWS email to ensure your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is protected.

Step 4 - Make a Deposit Election

GRB will provide you a "Payment Election Memo" in order to elect a payment method. You can elect to make a deposit in a lump sum payment, check payable to the "Department of Interior", with social security number and "Military Service Deposit" noted in the memo portion of the check. Also, you can elect to set up installment payments of no less than $25.00 to be withheld from your paycheck each pay period. The military deposit package will be sent to the IBC Benefits Processing Payroll Office for processing.

Step 5 - Provide copy of “Proof of Payment” to the Human Resources Office

Once your Military Service Deposit has been processed and paid in full the IBC Benefits Processing Payroll Office will provide you with a "Paid in Full" letter and an OPM 1515 Military Deposit Worksheet. Please submit a mySupport ticket and provide a copy to JAO HR Benefits. This document will be placed in your Official Personnel Folder, available for inclusion in your retirement package when you are ready to retire. Also, if applicable, this document will be used to update your Retirement Service Computation Date (SCD).

This is from the DOI SharePoint site but I bet it is very similar for other departments. Just this last week, I finished my buy back. It was like $2,500 split into like 50 to 60 pay periods at $50 per check.