terminal leave or not

[todd2968]

I'm due to retire in a little more than a year and, I'm thinking of why take terminal leave if at the end you get a check and your DD-214. Yes you might have to show up but what are they gonna really ask you to do your last 60 days and who really cares if you do it or not? If you have something to do, job interview, most people will let you go. Of course take job hunting and house hunting, but most people when on leave just sleep till noon and spend money. It really does depend on your command and your job on this one, but I have mixed feelings.
What do you think???

[themailman]

Most definitely, take your terminal.

[thebloodsonthewall]

That is a tough one. It would be nice to get a nice big check right as you retire. It would also be nice to have 60 days of leave to put together your new life. One of the problems with terminal leave that I see is that if you fly to wherever your new home is, you still have to come back to clear the post and all that other good junk. But if you aren't going far than it is not a problem.

[Bruemoon]

That is a tough one. It would be nice to get a nice big check right as you retire. It would also be nice to have 60 days of leave to put together your new life. One of the problems with terminal leave that I see is that if you fly to wherever your new home is, you still have to come back to clear the post and all that other good junk. But if you aren't going far than it is not a problem.

not sure which branch you guys are in, or if they do it differently, i'm out in 3 months (Navy) and when you take your terminal leave, you are done. not required to return or anything, it's basically as if you got out that many days early.

[bobfried]

+ 1

When I took my terminal leave it was sign all your paperwork and get the hell out. Did not have to come back to do anything and if I did I was assured it could be done via fax.

Think of it as having a bridge between the military and your new life wherever it is. Having that paycheck come in regularly won't disrupt your routine.

[Zorrm]

I agree with taking your terminal leave. It will make the transition from the military to the civilian world much easier IMO.

[DougJ]

I agree, take the leave. If you sell your leave at the end you get base pay after taxes only. Take the leave, get the same check you are used to, and spend the time with no distractions transitioning to whatever it is you're going to do.

[Arondos]

I planned on taking terminal leave. Then i fell at PT and broke my wrist. I ended up retiring with a full length arm cast on. That kind of put the kabosh on a job search. I would take the leave, if you can get a job lined up you can even start working while on leave.

[dogg007]

Do you get your BAH if you sell your leave?

[DougJ]

Do you get your BAH if you sell your leave?

No, I anwered this question previously:

>If you sell your leave at the end you get base pay after taxes only...

Also, the military can pay members for unused leave at certain points in their career, such as reenlistment and voluntary retirements, separation, or discharge. By law, members may receive accrued leave payment up to a maximum of 60 days during their military career. When a member "sells" leave, he/she receives one day of base pay for each day of leave "sold." However, the legislative history of the law clearly expresses congressional concern that members use leave to relax from the pressures of duties and not as a method of compensation.

[daves100]

take your terminal

I took 80 days of terminal leave with BAH

started a new job after one week of starting terminal leave.. Double paychecks for almost 2 months

[Uriah02]

Take the terminal! The only reason I sold back 2 months of leave was because I wasn't authorized BAH... Also of note, they tax you a higher rate when you take the payout.

[todd2968]

I higher tax is an over compensation you get the overage back in taxes.
Many jobs I'm looking at doing are gov jobs and most can't start til DD214 is in hand, which doesn't start til after. Noone really addressed what they did on terminal eat sleep grow a beard DRINK.

[epilepticninja]

Take that terminal. You will need it for the transition period. You don't want to walk out of the military one day, and into sillyvillian life the next.

[BoJackUSMC]

+1 Taking terminal leave
Take it now