At this time of year we get many questions from Army members who anticipate that they may be converted from Intermediate Regular Commission (IRC) to Regular Commission (RegC)
Typically, the questions are framed around what impact this might have on their pensions?
AFPS75
Service Personnel (SP) that expect to earn a pension under AFPS75 (so either AFPS75/15 or AFPS75 only) need to be aware that if they transfer to RegC and then choose to leave on their original IRC end date, then their AFPS75 benefits will be based upon Premature Voluntary Retirement (PVR) terms rather than the potentially higher, compulsory terms that they would have enjoyed had they completed their IRC engagement.
Leaving at any date prior to the end of the RegC will see AFPS75 benefits calculated on PVR terms, though these have less of an impact on a long career.
AFPS05 or AFPS15
SP expecting benefits on AFPS05 only, AFPS15 only, or a combination of AFPS05 and AFPS15 need not worry about the PVR terms as these apply to AFPS75 members only. There are no restrictions on exit points under these two salary related (rather than rank based) schemes.
We hope that this will reassure SP going through this conversion process – we are aware that sometimes the timescale for decision making, in this area, is short.
