Military retirement comes with a set of benefits that extend well beyond the pension itself. Here's the practical breakdown:
Healthcare
TRICARE eligibility continues into retirement, with TRICARE For Life supplementing Medicare once a retiree becomes Medicare-eligible. See our TRICARE overview.
Retirement pay
Calculated differently depending on your retirement system (legacy High-3, or the Blended Retirement System for those who opted in or entered after 2018). See our retirement pay overview.
Education
Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, which can also be transferred to dependents under certain conditions. See our GI Bill overview.
VA benefits and disability compensation
Separate from retirement pay, administered by the VA rather than DoD. See our VA benefits overview and disability compensation overview.
Other privileges
Commissary and exchange access, Space-A travel eligibility, and state-level veteran benefits (property tax exemptions, education benefits for dependents) that vary significantly by where you settle.
Relocating to Arkansas specifically? See our Arkansas relocation guides.