Notice of Eligibility (NOE)

20 Year NOE
- Each Soldier who completes 20 years of qualifying
service will be issued a written notice within one year of completing the required service.
- This memorandum will be required at the time of application for retired pay.
-  20 years of service for pay does not necessarily mean you have 20 years for retirement.  If you believe you are entitled to a Non-Regular Retirement, DO NOT leave military service until you have been issued your NOE.

15 Year NOE
- ARNG Soldiers with at least 15 years of qualifying service who are found unfit for continued military service due to a physical disability, not through misconduct, may be issued this written notice of eligibility for non-regular retirement.
- This NOE will not be issued automatically but on a case by case basis as a Soldier meets all the qualifications above.
- This memorandum will be required at the time of application for retired pay.

Age

Standard Age
- Most Soldiers who have been issued a NOE will become eligible for retired pay upon their 60th birthday.

Service beyond age 60
- Soldiers remaining in an active status with the ARNG beyond the age of 60 will become eligible upon receipt of NOE and transfer to the retired reserve.

Reduced Age Non-Regular Retired Pay
- The eligibility age for receipt of retired pay will be reduced below age 60 by 3 months for each aggregate of 90 days of qualifying active duty or active service performed in any fiscal year after 28 January 2008.  A day of duty may only be included once in an aggregate period of 90 days.
- The eligibility age may not be reduced below the age of 50.
- Only orders to duty under the following authorities apply to this law.
- Duty performed as a provision of law referred to in 10 USC 101(a)13(B) and performed under section 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, 12406, or chapter 15 (insurrections) or under section 12301(d) of 10 USC.
- Service performed as authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense under 32 USC 502(f) for the purpose of responding to a national emergency declared by the President or supported by federal funds.
- Service while performing Active Guard Reserve (AGR) duty as described under 10 USC 12310 will not be eligible for qualifying service for reduced age retired pay.
- If you believe you qualify for this entitlement, you should save all source documents for all qualifying periods of service (ex, DD 214, DD 215, DD 220, NGB 22 and NGB 22a as well as leave and earning statements)

Additional Service Requirements

Meet Minimum Required Reserve Service IAW NGR 680-2 (Automated Retirement Points Accounting System)

Chapter 3
Requirements for Retired Pay
3-3. Other service Requirements

a. For Soldiers who completed the years of qualifying service in paragraph 3-2 before 5 October 1994, the last 8 years of qualifying service must have been in a component other than a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve.
b. For Soldiers who completed the years of qualifying service on or after 5 October 1994, but before 26 April 2005, the last 6 years of qualifying service must have been in a component other than a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve.