Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, §1, and c. 4, §7, cl.43, you qualify as a veteran if you meet ONE of the following three requirements:
1) You have at least 180 days of regular active duty service and you were honorably discharged or released.
2) You have at least 90 days of active duty service, at least one day of which was during wartime per the chart below, and you were honorably discharged or released.
| To qualify as a veteran of this conflict | you must have at least one day of wartime service during this period |
|---|---|
| World War II | September 16, 1940 through December 21, 1946 |
| Merchant Marine | December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946 |
| Korea | June 25, 1950 through January 31, 1955 |
| Korea-Vietnam | February 1, 1955 through August 4, 1964 |
| Vietnam | August 5, 1964 through May 7, 1975 |
| Lebanon* | August 25, 1982 through 2024 |
| Grenada* | October 25, 1983 through December 15, 1983 |
| Panama* | December 20, 1989 through January 31, 1990 |
| Persian Gulf | August 2, 1990 through 2024 |
| *Naval and Marine DD214 must indicate Expeditionary Medal. All DD214s must specify campaign: Lebanon, Grenada and Panama. Please note that, pursuant to M.G.L. c4, §7, the six months of active duty for training in the Active Reserves and the National Guard does not qualify as active service toward the minimum period listed here. If your only active duty was active duty training, you are not eligible to purchase credit for your military service. |
|
3) You served in wartime and were awarded a Purple Heart or service-connected disability, or died, regardless of whether you completed the minimum length of active duty service in the chart under (2), above.
Are you a military veteran as defined by M.G.L. Chapter 32 Section 1?
If you are a military veteran, you may apply to receive up to four years of service credit with the MTRS for this time. You may apply to make this purchase at any time during active service prior to one year after the date on which you earn 10 years of creditable service1. This 10-year total can be reached through regular work with any MA contributory retirement system or through completing another service purchase2. This deadline is absolute.
Please note: If more than a year has passed since you earned 10 years of creditable service, and you have either not previously applied to purchase this time or did previously apply but never completed the service purchase, you have a one-time grace period to purchase this service which ends August 8, 2025.
National Guard or Reservists, who do not meet the M.G.L. c. 32 definition of veteran within one year of accumulating 10 years of creditable service in the MTRS, or who have not reached the maximum of four years of eligible military service purchase time (on a five years for one year basis) within one year of accumulating 10 years of MTRS service, will have additional time to make the purchase3. They will have five years from the date on which they qualify as a veteran, or the date that they qualify for the full four-year purchase, whichever date last occurs, to make payment or enter into an installment plan agreement. It is incumbent on the member to track their military service time and earning of veteran status, not the retirement board.
1 Example 1: Joe Teacher became a member of the MTRS on 9/1/2020. Provided he continues to teach full-time, he will accumulate 10 years of service by 8/31/2030. He has until 8/31/2031 to purchase his military service credit or begin an installment payment plan. As of 9/1/ 2031, he will be ineligible to purchase this time.
2 Example 2: Sara Science presently has 8 years of creditable service with the MTRS. She completes payment on 2 years of out-of-state public school service on 8/31/2027, giving her a total of 10 years of creditable service. Thus, she has until 8/31/2028 to purchase her military service credit or begin an installment payment plan. As of 9/1/ 2028, she will be ineligible to purchase this time.
3 Example 3: Paula Pencil is an Army Reservist who will reach 10 years of creditable service as of 6/30/2030. She accrues enough active military duty to meet the c. 32 definition of a military veteran on 12/31/2030. She will have until 12/31/2035 purchase her military service credit or begin an installment payment plan. As of 1/1/ 2036, she will be ineligible to purchase this time.