What is the difference between retiring and resigning your commission?

In the United States Armed Forces, what is the difference between retiring and resigning your commission?

Public Comments

1. Hello Vince, Well, first to be able to resign a commission you first have to be an officer in the US Armed Forces to even have a commission. A commission is a lifetime appointment as an officer in the Armed Forces of the United States. There are two kinds of officer commissions. Active and Reserve. People who graduate from the US military academies receive an active commission and serve in the active duty forces. People who are given a Reserve commission are those who receive their commissions through the ROTC programs at colleges. A Reserve officer serves for as long as the service needs them. Of course, both commissions as officers are lifetime commissions. And, if an officer "resigns" his/her commission that means that he/she gives it up and gets no further benefits of being an officer in the US Armed Forces. When a person retires whether he/she be an officer or enlisted person they will receive retired pay. This pay is actually called "retainer pay." That means that the service, according to the current rules, can recall a retired person back into active duty - enlisted or officer. If an officer resigns his/her commission they receive no retired - retainer pay or other benefits. Enlisted people do not resign. They serve for the term of the contract that they sign on for. Usually, an enlisted person who continues in the service will sign up every 4 or 6 years until they are eligible for retirement after 20 years. Then, they must actually submit a paper requesting approval to "retire" and begin to receive retired benefits. Best wishes, Larry Smith Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.) First Sergeant
2. That is good information Larry. I put in my 20 and never really understood the resigning part it make more since now. I have no idea how many times I have seen were an officer was given that option during my time. He/she could do one or the other. If they were to chose letting the military take some kind of action they would have done time behind bars. so they would have still lost the benefits anyway. So I guess they wanted to still make it on the outside with there eduction and some dignity in tact.