If he's not an officer, he is not eligible for retirement unless he gets medically retired with a disability pension, which is frankly pretty hard to get "during times of war" when there's a ramp-up in people in the military, and frankly isn't very much - maybe as much as SSDI, depending on how long you were in, according to my neighbor (a disabled Iraq war vet).

If "they can still do a desk job" - because in austerity, those disabled slackers aren't allowed to just sit at home and collect government money , they are still eligible to use their GI bill as "re-training" funds.

Unlike regular 20+ year retirees, his dependents - his spouse and children - are no longer recognized in DEERS (the military database).

The medical retiree above is not eligible for TriCare - general medical, and neither is his family - the medical "entitlement" he is left with is strictly for whatever damage is linked to his military service, similart to worker's compensation - a certain amount of recorded disability and is covered by the VA instead of by TriCare.

If he gets VA (depending on his location i.e., how well the local VA is staffed, how many and what sorts of facilities are available, and how many vets need services in his area), he has to navigate a varying paperwork minefield to be able to access the medical services he qualifies for.

And even those medical services have roadblocks - his income balanced against his disability, etc.

So no, the shooter of Bin Ladin is not eligible for retirement if he leaves military service or is forced out due to medical issues if he's only done 16 years.

Haele

Basically, everything you say is just plain wrong. Let me break it down:

Retirement. Everyone, officer and enlisted, is eligible to retire after 20 years of service, regardless of rank or position. Those that are injured or ill and no longer able to perform their duty can medically retire. Medical retirement from the service is different from a disability pension. 'The Shooter' basically waived all of this by getting out 36 months too early.

"Desk Jobs": 'The Shooter' was a Tier One Operator. One of the things that means is that he was in a hand selected, all volunteer unit in an all volunteer specialty in an all volunteer force. In other words, if he wanted out of 'the unit' there were plenty of places for him. The fact that he didn't pursue any of that is very odd.

Health Care: 'The Shooter', like all Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, is eligible for VA health care for 5 years no questions asked. He is also eligible for free VA health care for any service related disabilities. This VA health care is not needs based.

Had he waited 36 months, he and his entire family would have been automatically enrolled in Tricare permanently. Tricare does not suck. Less than $500 a year for full coverage (you have to pay extra for dental and the vision plan really does suck, but the whole package is hard to beat). Medically retired personnel are also eligible for Tricare. This is not needs based.

VA Disability Compensation: The VA disability payments are actually pretty good. If 'The Shooter' was wounded and injured as the story implies, then he could be eligible for a fairly decent disability compensation check each month, tax free. This is not needs based.

VA Pension: "The Shooter' is probably not eligible for a VA pension because he is able to work. It is needs based.

GI Bill. The post 9-11 GI Bill, for which 'The Shooter' is eligible, is an incredible benefit. It basically pays for 4 years of college with a housing stipend. It is also transferable to dependents.

he gets good benefits...just no pension.

On Edit - I see the problem - you didn't read the sarcasm in the desk jockey paragraph, when I was channeling one of my non-military co-workers who thinks military retirement is sucking off the government teat, and I may have not been clear enough with "forced out after 16 years".

You probably thought I meant forced as in medically discharged instead of either the "up and out" discharge, or a personal "I hate this place" quit action that many people do after 8 years or even 12 years.
Frankly, I felt I was "forced out", myself; I faced an untenable situation I had no ability to transfer out of at 12 years and was looking at 3 years of powerlessness in the middle of an irresponsible hierarchy clusterf** of a command, so I left active duty for a (at that time) good job offer. But at least I stayed in the reserves to finish the investment I had made and was able to keep a few benefits that saved me over the years.

But nevertheless, even though I retired without the retainer payment that active duty retires with, I know that because I did the full 20 years, I will eventually get my pension and Tricare benefits when I turn 60.

My information may be a bit out of date, but I don't see where I got anything wrong. I talked about medical retirement. Heck, I'm going to college with those who were medically retired at anywhere from three to eighteen years of service, most of whom are Iraq war vets, the young pups...

The complainer has VA and hopefully VA disability - if he applies. Likewise, he has the GI bill, housing loans, job-seeking services, counseling, and all the other services that they're just waiting to get for him.

And despite what you say, the VA is (at least for those who aren't I/A vets, it seems) needs based if your injuries aren't service related; I can't go to the VA for just"anything" because I don't have more than 50% service-related disability and I "make too much" - I make over $30K a year.
Because I "just retired" instead of retiring on a medical, in 1999, it took three years of scheduling appointments between work to finish the screening for my disability rating, and a bum knee - "which might be service related, but they're not sure", slight hearing loss, and asbestos exposure gets me a whopping 10% disability rating, (sorry, no disability compensation for me, I guess I wasn't special enough) and five-year check for either lung cancer or asbestos-related CPOD, which they will treat and compensate me for when it appears. Nothing more, and certainly no disability compensation - unless the asbestos finally gets to me.

Don't get me wrong, the VA medical in this area has good service once you get in, but it's crowded and there's always a wait to sign up, and it's a paperwork nightmare because so many very needy vets want to get in - especially in this latest employment downturn.

Secondly, it doesn't sound as if "The Shooter" even looked into VA disability - or even the reserves to finish out his 20, which will leave him with some benefits until he can collect full when he turns 60. It sounds as if he wants to whine about not being able to just retire and get full bennies when he wants to leave before his party time is over.

Honestly - I really don't have a lot of compassion for someone who wasn't willing to take the advantages that he could have that close to retirement to stay in until he could be medically discharged if that would be the final situation. I'm going to college with active duty, retirees, and vets who were medically discharged under the "Wounded Warrior" plan who are all on the GI bill. And they agree with me - if he could deal with the BS for 16 years, what's so hard about four more to ensure you are covered? Especially when you can brag to anyone stuck around the desk you are riding while you're on the ROAD.

If he really wanted to get out, going through the disability process if he was that bad off could take a year up to two years, in which he could remain in housing, take care of his family, and get into any number of transition programs that the Navy has.

I'll admit, I'm not up on all the benefits retirees and vets are getting in the Post 9/11 era - it sounds as if they're getting a better deal than us post-Vietnam vets do. (And I didn't even get the Montgomery GI bill, even though I transitioned to the reserves after 1990; I enlisted during the "VEEP" era, which was pretty crappy, to say the least)

Haele

I believe it's 20 years minimum. I do feel for the fellow somewhat, but he should have been aware that being a Navy SEAL is 1.) Definitely a high-risk occupation 2.)Hard on the body 3.)Not something that can't be kept up long-term. A little checking puts a SEAL tour at 4 and a quarter years. If had enlisted to become a SEAL, say in my early 20s, I would probably not serve more than two tours. Even then their's a great deal that could happen to you.

I have nothing to show for my 13 years, except PTSD, Gulf War Syndrome, and a bum shoulder!

... from http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalpay/a/retirementpay.htm

it now a reward for longer service rather than defined.

he is entitled to a disability retirement - sounds like something else is going on....TBF

A member whose condition is not stable may be placed on the temporary disability retired list (TDRL) for up to five years at which point they must be either discharged, retired or returned to duty

http://militarypay.defense.gov/retirement/disability.html

marry w/the TDRL.

I mused downthread about this--there is a huge piece missing, and I am a bit surprised that Phil Bronstein (who is a well known newspaperman) didn't plug that gap.

Generally, when a person hits 16 and change, they'll continue them to 20. If one leaves voluntarily, that's a different story altogether, but someone who wants to stay, particularly someone with "that" on his resume, would be found a desk and some paper to push.

Further, if his body is wracked with service connected disabilities, he needs to go before a med board and be given a disability or limited duty determination. There is just something Not Quite Right here. It looks like he CHOSE to leave the service when his enlistment was up, and did not file for disability before he left (which is the better way to do it--they will keep you waiting if you go for it after the fact):

Or something else to make money that he could not do while serving.

Sounds like he had options and took the worst one, but no idea why.

about doing some vague sort of "piece work" (that sounds a bit like consulting) now and again. He keeps insisting he has no income--I guess he was a "saver" during his career? Or his wife works?

But there is a huge gap in this narrative. It's big enough to fly a stealth Black Hawk through!

I am very surprised at Phil Bronstein--it looks like he was "awed" at being able to interview this gentleman and hang out with him, because, certainly, meeting a fellow who averred he was "the guy" (or at least one of the guys) who shot Bin Ladin is a rather exciting thing for some segments of our society. It just looks, to me, like Phil got too close to the story and lost some of his critical thinking skills.

The piece suffers as a consequence, but it is an interesting read despite that.

but this exact same problem affected tens of thousands of gay people who were serving honorably who were thrown out just for being gay, not allowed to reach 20 years, for doing nothing wrong, just being gay. And that injustice predated DADT by decades - DADT was actually an improvement over the previous policy.

And to this day, thanks to DOMA, surviving spouses and children of gay service people get nothing.

He needs one more tour to get retirement. They explained this early in his career, a career advisor had to.

That said, retirement is all but luxurious.

I thought the VA was for all veterans, or is it only active duty and retirees with 20 years of service? Retirement only going to people with 20+ years is one thing but all people who are willing to enlist and serve should get VA benefits for life, regardless of length of service. Do you get lifelong benefits if injured in battle? Not sure how it works, but this guy should get lifetime healthcare at the very least... but I also feel I should too because I'm an American.

There is more to this story I suspect.

Getting enrolled is the rub. It's a dog and pony show getting in, and it can take years, and only after you've exhausted all other options; federal, state, county, and private assistance. My Brothers deserve better.

wants to criticize the President. If he wants to praise the Pres., well, maybe a job with a Federally elected Democrat?