Retirement Services Office (RSO)

The Retirement Services Office mission is to assist the active duty Soldier and his/her Family prepare to transition to civilian life by providing information and advice concerning pay, benefits, and entitlements, with the goal of a smooth and successful transition process. The installation also provides post-retirement services on numerous retirement related issues to retired Soldiers and their Families, in addition to assisting survivors of Soldiers who die on active duty to maximize their Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) entitlements.

 

About Us

The RSO office can provide the following services:

 

Pre-retirement services

  • Coordinate, conduct, and facilitate detailed pre-retirement and SBP briefings for all retiring Soldiers (Note: Spouses are highly encouraged to attend).
  • Counsel Soldiers and Family members concerning retirement rights, benefits, and privileges.
  • Conduct individual SBP counseling for all retiring Soldiers and their Family members.
  • Conduct individual RCSBP (Reserve Component SBP) counseling for all RC Soldiers, and their Family members within 60 days after receipt of the Notification of Eligibility for Retired Pay at Age 60 (20–year letter).
  • Assist retiring RC Soldiers and Family members with completion of the DD Form 2656–5 (Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) Election Certificate), upon receipt of the Notification of Eligibility for Retired Pay (20–year letter). Return completed form to HRC–Fort Knox within 90 days of receipt.
  • Conduct individual pre-retirement briefings as needed.
  • Assist retiring Soldiers and Family members with completion of DD Form 2656 and DD Form 2656–1 (Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Election Statement for Former Spouses Coverage), if applicable.
  • Assist retiring RC Soldiers and Family members with completion of the retirement application to include— DD Form 108 (Application for Retired Pay Benefits), DD Form 2656, SF Form 1199A (Direct Deposit Sign-up Form), and DD Form 2656–5, if the RC Soldier deferred RCSBP election to age 60. Completed packet must be returned to HRC-Fort Knox at least 9 months prior to reaching age 60.
  • Process the DD Form 2656 electronically using TRANSPROC (transition processing) to DFAS–CL (Defense Finance and Accounting Service-Cleveland).
  • Provide information related to pre-retirement, such as retirement application processing, retirement orders, DD 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) processing, and final out-processing procedures.

 

Post-retirement Services

  • Publish/mail retiree bulletins annually. Post a copy of the bulletin to the installation’s Retirement Services Office Web site.
  • Conduct an annual Retiree Appreciation Day (RAD).
  • Provide periodic articles for installation and local newspapers.
  • Assist and advise retired Soldiers in understanding and applying for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC).
  • Provide information to retired Soldiers on concurrent retirement and disability payments.
  • Advise retired Soldiers and Family members how to obtain copies of lost documents (for example, DD Form 214, DD Form 220 (Active Duty Report), retirement orders, and medical records); reissuance of military awards; and issuance of military identification (ID) cards.
  • Provide retired Soldiers and their Families with information and referrals on a myriad of other benefits/entitlements including those from Department of Veterans Affairs; TRICARE medical/dental; Social Security/Medicare benefits and others.
  • Inform retired Soldiers of their eligibility to receive Army Career and Alumni Program services on a space available basis for the rest of their lives.
  • Obtain and maintain access and use the DRAS (finance processing) to resolve pay matters for retired Soldiers, Family members, and survivors.
  • Counsel and assist retired Soldiers on changing and on maintaining their SBP election.
  • Counsel and assist survivors of retired Soldiers, and Soldiers who die on active duty regarding their SBP options and entitlements, and the proper processing of their SBP applications, which includes counseling on Department of Veterans Affairs dependency and indemnity compensation and its relationship to SBP.
  • Provide information and filing assistance for the ACMSS.
  • Provide information and assistance to Soldiers, spouses, and former spouses regarding the USFSPA (Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act)


Mandatory Briefings

A Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshop for the Monterey Peninsula area will be hosted by the Fleet and Family Support Center, Naval Postgraduate School (NSP) quarterly. The TAP workshop dates for the remaining fiscal year (2012) are:

TBD


TAP Workshops are recommended for all military personnel two years from retirement and 12 months before separation. NSP requires military personnel have a completed DD 2648 (Preseparation Counseling Checklist) before attending the TAP Workshop. Contact the NPS Fleet & Family Support Center, Transition Assistance Staff, at (831) 656-3060 to reserve a TAP Workshop seat and obtain directions to the TAP workshop location.

Mandatory preseparation counseling sessions (to obtain a DD 2648) are held every Wednesday, 1-2 p.m., at Taylor Hall, Bldg 616, Presidio of Monterey (POM). Personnel can call the POM Transition Center at (831)242-6695, for more information.

There are two mandatory briefings that all Soldiers retiring from the Army must attend: The Pre-retirement briefing and the Survivor Benefit Plan briefing. Both have been combined into one briefing session for the convenience of the Soldier and Family Members.
The pre-retirement/SBP orientation dates for the fiscal year (2012) are:

**The last pre-retirement briefing for 2012 has been changed from
Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 8:30am - 4pm. The briefing will be held at the
Munakata Hall Auditorium (Bldg. 610) across from the Post Office



The events will be held at the POM Weckerling Center, Bldg. 326, starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending at approximately 4:00 p.m. Recommend arriving early due to limited parking.

The uniform for Service Members attending the briefing is their duty uniform. Spouses are strongly encouraged to attend. Topics to be discussed include Retired Pay, Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, ID Cards, Combat Related Special Compensation, Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay, and the Survivor Benefit Plan. Interested personnel must call (831) 242-5232 to reserve a seat. If time permits, a preseparation counseling session (DD2648) for pending retirees will be offered.

 


Retirement Services Operations

THIS OFFICE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED. PLEASE CALL THE TOLL FREE NUMBER BELOW FOR ASSISTANCE

 

The Retirement Services Office is located in room 214, Building 614, 1759 Lewis Rd, Monterey, CA 93944-3223. There are ongoing plans to relocate the RSO office to a handicapped accessible location. Until such time, the RSO office will, upon notification, arrange to meet customers at a handicap accessible location on the installation.

Toll Free Telephone: 1-877-354-2634
Telephone: (831) 242-5232
DSN: 768-5232
FAX: (831) 242-7235

Hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. The office is closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.