THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 79 For Active-Duty Employees 4. Prior Service Credit. If you worked elsewhere in the federal government prior to joining the Foreign Service, the Service Computation Date (SCD) listed in your records may be wrong for retirement purposes. The SCD on your SF-50s (documenting promotions, reassignments, etc.) is for leave purposes only. While employees get leave credit for almost any federal employment, we only get retirement credit for certain employment. If your retirement SCD is inaccurate when you apply for retirement, the State Department’s Office of Retirement may inform you that you are not yet eligible to retire or that your monthly pension payment will be lower than you expected. To avoid such bad news, see ALDAC cable 23 State 49096, “Retirement Credit for Prior Federal and Military Service,” posted at www.afsa.org/retirement. If applicable, take action to add eligible service to your retirement SCD at least several years before you plan to retire because processing by multiple agencies may be required. Your dues help AFSA defend both the activeduty Foreign Service and the earned retirement benefits of Foreign Service annuitants.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=