Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 08/25/2003

Dear Sgt. Shaft
In 1978 I joined the United States Secret Service and was advised that my military time, 4 years 8 months, would count towards my retirement. I was advised that once I served 20 years then I would receive 2.5% for every year I served in the military. About in the middle of my career we were all advised that we would have to pay some sort of back pay for the military time in order to get credit for it. We were also advised that there was nothing in place to pay it back and we would get notified at a later date. In Sep of last year I retired with 24.5 years of service and took a job with TSA. My retirement calculation from the Secret Service is currently 76% including my military time. We were all recently advised that once we become eligible for Social Security then the military percentage would be taken away from us. For your information my retirement is paid through the D.C. retirement system as the uniformed division, along with Park police originally were with the Metropolitan Police Department. I have two questions concerning Social Security.

1. If I loose that additional percentage will I then get more Social Security when its time to offset the loss?

2. If I elect not to file for Social Security will I keep my percentage?

I realize you may not know the answer to question two, but my concern is if they automatically take my percentage will I get more from Social Security by loosing that percentage and will that time then count towards getting extra money. I currently pay Social Security at my new job and have all the quarters I need to qualify.

Thanks,
Ronald M

Dear Ron,
I passed on your inquiry to Dan Blair; the DEPUTY Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the following is his response.

Regarding your inquiry on behalf of Ron, The bottom line is that he isn't covered under CSRS or FERS as a member of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service. He's covered under the DC Police and Firefighters Retirement System. I have given him a contact number with the DC Government, but he may want to contact Social Security as well. The experts here at the Office of Personnel Management explained to me that

They handle firefighters and law enforcement officers (not police officers) if they have coverage under CSRS or FERS. Employees in the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service don't meet the definition of law enforcement officer under CSRS. They're covered under the DC Police and Firefighters Retirement System. They're still Federal employees, and, for them, the DC Police and Firefighters Retirement System is considered another retirement system for Federal employees. It's administered by DC Government, and someone in their retirement unit should be able to answer his questions. They can probably answer the Social Security questions as well, but they may choose to refer him to the Social Security Administration for a definitive answer.

Since he was asking about the retirement benefit he's receiving from the DC government and potential benefits from Social Security and not about the retirement coverage he has at the Transportation Security Administration, his inquiry was referred because his questions were outside OPM's jurisdiction.

The Uniformed Division of the Secret Service is covered in the definition of law enforcement officer under FERS.

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I understand that over the years you have been helpful and supportive of Sam Wright and his Military Absentee Voter Project. As such, we salute you, as we are also strong supporters of Sam and his efforts in this program, and in that regard "we're putting our money where our mouth is". By that I mean that the NATIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEE has taken on the sponsorship and financial support of Sam Wright and this program and we have appointed Sam as our Director of The Military Absentee Voting Project. We intend to support a very aggressive effort in this regard during the 2004 election cycle.

If you'd like more information on who we are and how all this fits, you can punch up our web site at the following URL:

www.nationaldefensecommittee.org

And of course if you have any questions of me, you can reach me at the above e-mail address.

With all good wishes,
Rear Admiral [Ret.] Jim Carey, CHAIRMAN
NATIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEE

Dear Admiral Carey,
I’m glad to see that you are on board ”the good ship Sam Wright”

As I mentioned in previous columns;

The Pitney Bowes Corporation has for many years been using a combination of digital printing, secure encryption and networks to provide security and verification of postage funds totaling more than $14 billion per year.

In light of their experience Pitney Bowes is developing a service based around these technologies which could provide verifiable date stamping for ballots which are submitted overseas. This would allow the ballots when received, to be authenticated for date of submission and subsequent inclusion in the vote.

This system when implemented, could be stationed at embassies, military bases and a variety of different network connections could be developed to suit any specific voter or control requirements.

Dear Sgt. Shaft,
My brother-in-law recently passed away. He served in the US Marine Corps for over 25 years. His wife received a Presidential Memorial Certificate bearing only his name. There was no reference to his branch of service, of which he was very proud, nor to his rank. Is it possible, in the future that at least branch of service could appear on these certificates.

Anthony V.
10 Georgetown Road
Charlottesville, VA 22901

Dear Anthony,
Presidential Memorial certificates are signed by the President to recognize the military service of honorably discharged deceased veterans. I have referred your concerns to the appropriate folks at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the hope of further enhancing this honor as you suggest.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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