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Military Buyback Process

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  How Do I Buy Back My Military Time?

• 1. Complete a separate Estimated Earnings During Military Service request form, RI 20-97 for each branch of service.
  Attach your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD 214 (or equivalent), and any available records of pay or promotions to the RI 20-97 and send to the appropriate military finance center. Verification of your service is required to obtain your estimated earnings. Listing of acceptable documents.

  Note: To obtain a copy of your DD214, write to or send a military records request form, Standard Form 180(SF-180) to:

  National Personnel Records Center
  Military Personnel Records
  9700 Page Avenue
  St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

  2. After you receive your estimated military earnings computation from the military finance center via postal mail, please have your human resource office assist you in completing the appropriate application(s) listed below based on your personal situation:

  • If you are a Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employee, fill out the Application to Make Service Credit Payment, SF 3108 .
  • If you are a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) employee, fill out the Application to Make Deposit or Redeposit, SF 2803.

  3. Send your estimated earnings statement, DD 214 and SF 2803 or SF 3108 to your human resources office.

  If you are employed by DFAS, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), Department of Defense Inspector General (DoDIG), Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), Defense Acquisition University (DAU) or National Defense University (NDU), your human resources office is DFAS. Please mail your information to:

  DFAS Shared Services Center
  Benefits Division, DHFOPB
  8899 East 56th St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46249-6485

  4. The human resources office will provide a calculated estimate of your military deposit amount due, certify your application and forward the required documents to your payroll office. *

  *Please note if your human resource office shifts the responsibility for submitting the application to you, there may be a risk in the delay of processing your military deposit due to an incomplete package. A notification requesting additional information will be sent directly to you through mail

  5. The payroll office will calculate your conclusive military deposit amount due and inform you of the amount you owe by mail to include instructions for making payments.

  6. Make your payments directly to your payroll office by payroll deduction, pay.gov form, check, or money order as directed in the military deposit payment request letter you receive. The deposit may be made in a single lump sum or installments. Your total deposit amount and remaining amount due will be reflected in block 20 of your Leave and Earnings Statement. Each payment and a year to date total will be reflected in the deductions box of your LES.

  7. After you have paid your Military Deposit in full, either by pay.gov, check or money order, your payroll office will send you a Paid-in-Full letter. If your military deposit is paid-in-full by payroll deductions, you must request a Paid-in-Full Letter through your human resource office or customer service representative. A Remedy ticket will be submitted with the title “Military Deposit Paid in Fill Letter”.

  8. If you are employed by DFAS, DISA, DCAA, DoDIG, DTIC, DAU or NDU, your human resources office is DFAS In order to request a Paid-in-Full Letter, please send a request to your human resources office. Please mail your information to:

  DFAS Shared Services Center
  Benefits Division, DHFOPB
  8899 East 56th St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46249-6485

  Or fax your request to 1-866-401-5849

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  How long will it take to process a request?

• Once all applicable documents have been sent to the civilian payroll office, it takes approximately 30 business days to process your request.  If you haven’t received notice after the expected wait time feel free to call our customer service number at 800-729-3277

  Important Reminder: Verification of your service is required to obtain your estimated earnings. Estimated earnings are required regardless if you are buying back time based on a Uniformed Services Employment And Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).