Something interesting that I found out about last year after calling the pay center.

Members Who Initially Entered Into Uniformed Service before 8 September 1980

• Retired pay calculated as:
Basic Pay Rate of Highest Pay Grade Satisfactorily Held
times Retired Pay Multiplier

• Members qualifying for “saved pay” while on active duty, i.e., member held W-4 before appointment to LT, and W-4 pay & allowances > O-3E pay & allowances:
- If W-4 basic pay > O-3E basic pay, the member’s retired pay will be computed based on W-4 basic pay.
(Ref: 14 USC 423(a), 421, & 334; 10 USC 1406; CG Personnel Manual Articles 12.C.15.c.1, 12.C.15.g, 12.C.16.a.1, and 12.C.16.a.4)

• Members not qualifying for “saved pay” while on active duty, but were promoted within the warrant officer ranks to W-4 while concurrently holding rank of LT.
- If W-4 basic pay > O-3E basic pay, the member’s retired pay will be computed based on W-4 basic pay.
(Ref: 14 USC 423(a), 421, & 334; 10 USC 1406; CG Personnel Manual Articles 12.C.15.c.1, 12.C.15.g, 12.C.16.a.1, and 12.C.16.a.4)

Members Who Initially Entered Into Uniformed Service after 7 September 1980

• Retired pay calculated as:
High-36 Month Average Basic Pay Received
times Retired Pay Multiplier

• Members qualifying for “saved pay” while on active duty, i.e., member held W-4 before appointment to LT, and W-4 pay & allowances > O-3E pay & allowances:
- High-36 Month Average Basic Pay is calculated based on pay received by the member.
- If W-4 basic pay was received by the member in lieu of O-3E basic pay, W-4 basic pay will be used when calculating the High-36 Month Average Basic Pay.
(Ref: 14 USC 423(b); 10 USC 1407; CG Personnel Manual Articles 12.C.16.a.2 and 12.C.16.a.3; DOD Financial Management Regulation Vol 7-B, section 030108)

• Members not qualifying for “saved pay” while on active duty, but were promoted within the warrant officer ranks to W-4 while concurrently holding rank of LT:
- Because High-36 Month Average Basic Pay is calculated based on pay received by the member, the member’s promotion within the warrant officer ranks, while concurrently serving as a LT, has no impact on calculation of retired pay.
(Ref: 14 USC 423(b); 10 USC 1407; CG Personnel Manual Articles 12.C.16.a.2 and 12.C.16.a.3; DOD Financial Management Regulation Vol 7-B, section 030108)

So it looks like if you are high 3, then you want to make W4 before going to LT. Did I read that right?
Chris

Chris,

It all depends on timing. It takes 11 years (fm the time you make Warrant) to get high 3 credit for W4, if all goes well. If you make warrant early (before 16 years) or late (after 21 years) in your career Temp LT might be the way to go.

That's my view!

Thanks, I just had my interview with the MLCPAC ADM today to get my recommendation, so I'm good to go for this year. We'll see if I make the points....
Chris

quote:

Originally posted by PdlPirate85:
It all depends on timing. It takes 11 years (fm the time you make Warrant) to get high 3 credit for W4,

I made w2 at 18.5 years. I have just enough time to hold w4 long enough to get high 3 at that level of pay, if I stay to 30. So in my case going temp LT would be better if I don't want to stay that long right?

quote:

Originally posted by ssmith9867:

quote:

Originally posted by PdlPirate85:
It all depends on timing. It takes 11 years (fm the time you make Warrant) to get high 3 credit for W4,

I made w2 at 18.5 years. I have just enough time to hold w4 long enough to get high 3 at that level of pay, if I stay to 30. So in my case going temp LT would be better if I don't want to stay that long right?

Right. The payscale should help you make the determination that is right for your situation. Quite frankly, I would drather be an old warrant vs an old Lt.

I figure I missed my chance for Lt. back when I was in my twenties. But everyone looks at it differently. If you love your job, stay warrant and go to thirty would be my recommendation. W4 at 30 is nearly on par of 0-4 pay at that point.
Good luck and Happy New Year to all!

dave....aka chapwood

I had the opportunity to go CWO3 to Lt but I was also slated to go to the ACET program at the local university after I returned from Marcus Island. The choice was take the temp O3 or go to school. I opted to take the schooling and never looked back. I ended up with a BS degree in Engineering. Now that I am retired, that decision has proven to be correct. The college degree has done way more for me than a move to O3. But that was a personal decision. Some may opt for the O3. The college degree was very important to me, and I realized that after I retired.

CWO4(ELC) Ret.

smart man