Ask Reg: How long does it take to be vested for federal pension?

The following is a question submitted by a reader to Federal Times columnist Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and the resident expert on federal employee retirement issues.

A Fed Times reader asks:

“I am buying back 17 years of military time. Am I eligible for retirement after 3 years of civilian service or do I have to do 5 years of civilian service to be vested and thus eligible for retirement?

I have got conflicting information.”

Reg’s response:

You have to be vested in the retirement system before you can retire. To meet that requirement, you have to have 5 years of federal civilian service.