army officer time in grade requirements for retirement

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. This requirement may be reduced to no less than 2 years as authorized by the SECDEF. MyNavy Career Center TERA is only offered when the military needs to selectively reduce the size of its force. Take the time required to understand all the requirements and work your way up the ranks! Follow the instructions and return to PERS 835, PSC Bishop or whomever is sitting in the chair at the time. Ive read that about 98% of all officers get promoted to 1LT, about 95% to CPT and then about 80% to MAJ and about 70% to LTC and less than 50% to COL. On the other hand, many unsuccessful soldiers complain that they cant get promoted, yet they dont do the things they should be doing such as max out the education, max the APFT, qualify with their weapon, attend school, etc. Though I completely agree that you need to take responsibility for you own career. As you might imagine, this did not go over well. Learn the roles and responsibilities of the Army The key is to be aware of your options and the impact of accepting or declining. If I join the guard after 2025 as an officer and stay until August 2028, would that count as my 10 years as a commissioned officer to receive officer retirement pay? You fine tune your leadership abilities. This is generally 20 years of service, unless they are authorized to retire early under TERA (remember from above, TERA allows members to retire with as few as 15 years of active duty service, if they are offered this by their branch of service). Choose to apply your knowledge and skill to a career with meaning. No one else cares as much about your promotions as you do. Your pension should be based on the system under which you started your service: the average of the highest 36 months of pay for the pay tables in effect when you begin your pension. Best qualified (about 50% of officers who meet the requirements will be promoted to COL). Its actually not uncommon for military members to receive orders after they are eligible for retirement and decide they would rather retire than uproot their families for another cross-country or international move. Imagine thinking you had successfully retired at a given rank only to receive a letter from your services personnel center informing you that you are actually retired at a lower rank. There's no obligation for talking to us. While getting promoted at the minimum time requirements sounds great, there is also one drawback: less experience. This gives them some experience at each rank and makes sure they dont get promoted too fast! In addition, if you retired awaiting pay from the Guard with your 20 years of active duty, youd still receive a non-regular (Reserve) pension which would not start until age 60. Sorry for the rant. Yes, the one basic requirement to become an Officer is that you must have a bachelors degreenot necessarily at the start of the process, but by the time youre commissioned as an Officer. Again, it pays to understand the mechanics of retiring as an officer. a) be forced to retire as an enlisted member because you didnt have the requisite service time to retire as a commissioned officer, or, b) retire before you have the time in rank to retire at that pay grade, or. The Army sections 3911 and 3926 lay out the requirements of a Reserve an active-duty retirement, at least 10 years of which have been active service as a commissioned officer. After all, you want people with experience leading Soldiers. You should do the same thing. . Previously the law stipulated that warrant officers would be retired in the permanent or reserve warrant officer grade they held on the day before their retirement, even if an officer had. No. EARN THAT BRASS!!! Army-Portal.comyour information resource for all things Army! The reasoning is, if you cant progress within a certain amount of time, then something is wrong. Officers must have served on active duty in that grade for at least three years. FREE Weekly Updates! As always, if you are an officer considering retirementconfirm with your base personnel section and service personnel center that you meet the requirements for retirement at your current rank. This law made several changes to military personnel statutes, specifically 10 U.S.C.A. Speak with your human resources or personnel office for more specific information. Advanced Enlistment as an E-3 possible. Experience helps, but competency is much more important. Nope. 3. Thanks for your service and come home soon! 2.C. Find out how much home you can afford today. The best thing you can do is educate yourself about the promotion requirements so you can position yourself for upward mobility and long-term career success. However Ive never heard of any DoD initiatives to bring back Final Pay. Please see below information for DFAS Tier 2 High Three Calculation Department: Please call the number above only.it goes directly to Tier 2 High Three Calculation Departmentif you try any of the other DFAS numbersyou will be on the phone for hours and be transferred to multiple departments until you are finally directed to Tier 2 High ThreeTrust me! Military Retirement Pay What Will My Military Pension Look Like? That said, members may incur a service commitment when they commission, so they may be required to fulfill this prior to voluntarily retiring. I reverted back to my highest pay grade held (E-9), once I reached my full 30 years (active duty & fleet reserves) I was eligible to request for highest pay grade heldwhich was O-3E. 1. There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. [1] See William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Pub. And while Example 2 is outside of your control, being aware of this situation gives you the information you need to file an appeal or work with your JAG to see if anything can be done to avoid missing out on the retirement benefits you have earned. There are some exceptions, including the Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA), which allows members to retire with as few as 15 years of service, and Chapter 61 medical retirements. I am not able to find what I thought I read now. Unfortunately, most officers dont do that. Its fascinating. Does this apply to AFRC transfers, i.e. Promotion rates for active duty commissioned officers are intended not [emailprotected] Does a BZ board count as a Mandatory Promotion Board? Note: At the time of my inquiry (June 2018) about receiving my 30 year certificatein order to get the application for the Prior Higher Grade, you had to wait to receive the 30 year certificate package at that current time PERS 912 was backlogged in sending out the 30 year packages. As there are Any opinions are those of the author alone, and not those of an advertiser to the site nor of The Military Wallet. Review your options at ROTC Scholarships, or immediately apply by creating an account at my.goarmy.com to get started. Kept me from having to depend on PERS 912 to send me the package at a TBD date in the future. Counseling FAQs: A Mental Health Resource Guide to Counseling and Substance Abuse Recovery for Active-Duty Personnel, Applicant Intake Form for Military/VA Matters, Veterans Law Pro Bono Project Intake Form. Thank you, It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Servicemembers Legal Clinic you may wish to learn more about TIS and TIG. John Hughel. If you dont have a degree yet, the Green to Gold program is a way for enlisted Soldiers to earn a commission as an Army Officer after completing a bachelors degree or a two-year graduate degree. For the most part, promotion to 1LT and CPT is automatic. Ryan Guina is The Military Wallets founder. Several service members have contacted me regarding the qualifications for earning retirement as a commissioned officer. Philip, Im a Final Pay retiree whos tracked the system over the years, and Ive never ever run across that. If i retire in 2025 with only 6 years of commissioned service, how is my retirement pay calculated (High 3 as an officer or high 3 as my highest enlisted rank (E-6)? To become an enlisted Soldier, you must be 17 years old. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. The problem arises in trying to prove extreme hardship or unusual circumstance. I was reverted to enlisted at the end of my 20 AFS. Just because someone has been around a while doesnt mean they are deserving of a promotion. TIG requirements are set by federal law (United States Code: Title 10) Army Ranks and Pay Scale When you are in the latter stages of your career, you are often at the mercy of your functional or career advisor. If you have questions about Veteran programs offered through or by the Dept. Did it have a bearing on my case? set limits for the general officer ranks, vacancies usually occur only MST: What is it and what can we do to help? Your email address will not be published. My application has moved forward and up the chain of command. They arent patient enough to get the experience they need to do their job right and learn the ropes. Nearly 100% officers who meet these requirements will get promoted. He is a writer, small business owner, and entrepreneur. to vary greatly between the military services (although it will still Qualifying for Retirement from the Reserve Component: Note: You may incur a service commitment when you earn your commission. of Veterans Affairs, the Dept. Its definitely not in federal law or the DoD Financial Management Regulation. Together, we'll talk options and decide if ROTC is the right path for you. In that situation, youd be considered to have served satisfactorily after six months and the 10 years of commissioned service would probably be waived. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. This is the most insightful site Ive seen about enlisted/officer retirements. If they serve 20 years plus but not the entire 30 years of active service, then they are transferred into the Fleet Reserves, which is an inactive reserve status. Im guessing Ill be going the regular board route anyway but I would like clarify all options. Learn more about Army Eligibility Requirements and how to receive Officer training while in college. So, even if you meet the minimum time in grade and service requirements, and are selected for promotion by a DA Board, there is no guarantee of promotion. I like that Army Officers have minimum time in grade requirements. 1370 (b) (1), changing the time-in-grade ("TIG") requirement for any officer applying for voluntary retirement in a grade above Captain from six months to three years: [2] (b) Retirement of officers retiring voluntarily. Twenty years or more: regular or reserve commissioned officers. Marines . Food for thought! Find out what it takes to become an Officer and stand among the fearless leaders of the Army. Depending on the dates of your Iraq deployment, you may be able to start your pension three months early for every 90 days in a fiscal year that youre deployed to a combat zone. Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs. If you are retiring as an O-4 or lower, you only need 6 months time in grade to retire at that grade. I actually thought I had a pretty good chance this time around but I admit it was tough getting my board file ready while mobilized/deployed (I admit I didnt expect to get looked at BZ until I got the HRC email while at the mob site. However, when you consider additional benefits like free health care for full-time Soldiers, as well as allowances for housing and food, opportunities to get an advanced degree without incurring debt, 30 days paid leave every year, and more financial benefits, the Army is more competitive than similar civilian careers. Your retirement grade will be the highest grade satisfactorily held. Best qualified (about 70% of officers who meet the requirements will be promoted to LTC). 1370 (2021)). However, they also have their own policy regarding retirement rank. Can the Army help me pay for medical school? Buy anything you please. I commissioned in August 2018. These experiences give you new skills, perspective, and attributes that give you a competitive advantage with future promotions. In item #3 you mentioned still receive a non-regular (Reserve) pension which would not start until age 60. I have two follow-up questions: There are also time in grade requirements to retire under a certain grade (see the section below regarding retirement pay grade). I joined the USAF August 1981 and got out 1 May 1992. Ready to take the next step? One might think that the change could affect retirement pay, and that the reduction in pay would constitute an extreme hardship for the retired servicemember, however, this is not the case. Additionally, active duty members need 10 years of commissioned service, unless the Secretary of their branch of service has authorized members to retire with 8 years of commissioned service. Your email address will not be published. I get it. Youre an Army Officer. These are just my best guesses from my own experience. o Clarifies how to address Retired Soldiers (para 1-9). So Im going to dive into the details. TERA rules may apply when authorized by the Secretary of the branch of service. You may be surprised to learn that the Army Reserve jobs offer part time government job opportunities in a wide variety of areas. The maximum time in grade is 42 months. Should I Talk to Someone? To help facilitate the process, the Army holds promotion In general, if you will retire at the rank of Captain or Lieutenant or lower, you must meet the retirement eligibility requirements listed above and have at least six months of satisfactory service at that rank. We understand you may not be ready to join yet, or that we may not be the right fit, and that's fine. Yes. You pay the same price on Amazon you normally would. There are additional rules for retiring at the pay grade of O-7 through O-10. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. I think its good to have minimum time in grade requirements. You could be doing a great job, but just not have the openings, or maybe get lucky if a job comes open in your area. Prior to this deployment I was holding an O-4 position and my commander at the time was looking at a Position Vacancy Promotion prior to my selection for this deployment. There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. in grade is the amount of service in the current paygrade. [5] Military Compensation, Department of Defense, https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement/. Also, if you have any questions, post them here and I will do my best to answer them for you. As our good friend, GI Joe said, Knowing is half the battle.. Please contact us for any further information you require. So true. Age and service requirements, O-3 and O-4: 2 years (up to 18 months may be waived), O-5 and higher: 3 years, subject to waivers allowed by law. Guide to Joining the Army. army officer time in grade requirements for retirement. I also realize that board proceedings are secret but it would certainly help if one could know that an admin error or similar was what derailed an otherwise promotable individual.We often joke around here that we wish the system that so efficiently mobilizes and deploys us even without the required time between deployments could promote us just as efficiently. The authority of the President under this paragraph may not be delegated.[4]. Nearly 100% of officers will get promoted to 1LT O2 (1LT) to O3 (CPT) The minimum time in grade is 24 months. This will help them get a better understanding of the amount of time needed to reach certain goals. is extremely competitive with less than 1 percent of career officers ever 2. of the Army, and the Army Chief of Staff. It also explains your military education requirements, civilian education requirements, and time in service requirements for each Army Officer Rank. Army Enlisted Promotions This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Does that ever happen without war? Hence the need to know the definition of Mandatory Promotion Board in this context. However, most likely Ill hit my maximum TIG (7 years) just prior to the convene date of the board in 2015. Commissioned officers: general rule; exceptions. Welcome to Part-Time-Commander.com. The career path for officers in the Army depends a great deal on time in service and time in grade, but those aren't the only considerations. of Veterans Affairs, please visit their website at va.gov. Ryan, There is a lot of legalese in the preceding link, so Ill translate it: In general, if you will retire at the rank of Captain or Lieutenant or lower, you must meet the retirement eligibility requirements listed above and have at least six months of satisfactory service at that rank. All waiver requests will be Officers and Warrant Officers may apply for retirement up to 1 year prior to their desired retirement date by contacting the Retirement Services Office, Mrs. Lovelady at email: Julie.k.lovelady.civ@mail.mil or 912-767-3326 to schedule their initial retirement counseling. Please read through this entire article, as we will look at examples and include references and links to Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which is the section of U.S. law that governs military service, including pay, retirement, discharges, and much more. Time in service is the total accumulated military service and time This information can help you make important and valuable career decisions and help you avoid costly mistakes such as turning down orders and retiring before you have accrued the necessary service time as a commissioned officer, or the necessary time in grade to retire at that pay grade. 1. An enlisted service member must have 30 years in order to be considered retired from active duty. I see no pride in that. I was fortunate enough to be referred to PERS 835, ASC Yarbro (at the time) and he sent me the application via email. When you become an Officer in the Army, your opportunity for growth doesn't stop. Army Officer salaries are generally comparable with mid- to senior-level corporate executives. years of active service may serve to meet the minimum retirement eligibility or no later than 270 days after the effective date of classification, whichever is later, unless separated earlier by the assistant secretary of the army (manpower & reserves affairs). This is where you need to decide whether or not to accept or decline the orders. They were proactive and knew what had to be done in order to get promoted on or ahead of time. When you get too comfortable where you are, its easy to get stagnant and passive. However, the SecDef can, at times, authorize the Secretary of the branch of service to allow members to retire with as few as 8 years of commissioned service, provided they otherwise meet the retirement eligibility criteria. To become an Army Officer, you must be at least 18 years old and have a college degree obtained either through ROTC, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, or from another college or university program. If you dont meet the requirements and submit a retirement application, you may be retired at a lower rank than you anticipated. It is important to understand that these are the MINIMUM requirements to get promoted! Please review this DFAS site (if you havent yet): https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement/, this site will answer the different types of retirement scenariosbased on when you entered the service. Been a long deployment. The Military Wallet is a property of Three Creeks Media. (Buy the way the names have been changed to protect the innocent and not so innocent) One thing I would like everyone to know is weve had NCOs miss out on promotions for no other reason that their current passing PT score was not recorded properly in their file. The survivor annuity purposes follows the army retirement time in grade requirements, that are collected. Written by Spring 2022 M-VETS Student Advisor Carl Chandler. Case in point, for me, I was enlisted, officer, back to enlisted for retirement purposes. Thankfully, enough attention was raised about this issue, and after a Congressional inquiry, the Army allowed the members to retire as officers. We admire you for considering such a big career decision at your age. Updates policy for loss of a rating official or rated Soldier for NCOs (Para 2-19b). The two provisions do not, however, discuss credit for prior service in computing eligibility for retirement in the first place. Understanding this table of data can help you better prepare for your career. If they havent been promoted after that much time in grade, then the military can discharge them for failure to advance. What do you think? Armed Forces > Subtitle E. Reserve Components > Part II. My In the Zone Board is March 2014. For officers, But I digress, knowing the parameters and hopeful expectations of promotion will help them set goals and direct the trajectory of their career which is important to both military and civilians, dont you think? This type of military retirement will not be covered further in this article (you can read more about it in Ch 61 of the U.S. Code if you want the details). Some people probably need more, if they arent doing everything they are supposed to. And since they know you need to follow orders to remain in the military, they have you in a tough spot. They are just beginning to understand the importance of planning. Federal Law 10 U.S. Code 1370: In order for an officer to be eligible for retirement in any grade above O4, the officer must have served for at least 3 years in that grade. This article may contain links from our advertisers. Phone: 703-993-8214 Accepting the orders means you pick up your life and move (yet again). Nearly 100% officers who meet these requirements will get promoted. Become a leader and serve your country in one of the nation's top leadership training programs. If I get MEBd after 2025 but before August 2028, would my retired pay be officer or enlisted (not concerned about disability pay and all that, just what rank is my retirement pay being calculated at). These cookies do not store any personal information. Yet I am on my 3rd Board and have been retired since 2012. You need to complete your military education as quickly as possible, you need to take the tough jobs that no one else wants and you need to be good at what you do. Our conversation will likely begin with some basic qualifying questions, like your age and education level. Please let me know if you have more questions about that and well dig into the dates & point counts. That is very little indication of what your future as an Army Officer has in store for you anyway. If you are retiring as an O-5 or higher, you need to have 3 years time in grade to retire at that grade, unless your branch Secretary has authorized commissioned officers to retire with only 2 years time in grade. Knowing is half the battle 50 % of officers who meet the requirements and work your up... Return to PERS 835, PSC army officer time in grade requirements for retirement or whomever is sitting in the first place Joe..., Pub your promotions as you do prove extreme hardship or unusual circumstance the appearance U.S.! Still receive a non-regular ( Reserve ) Pension which would not start until age 60 5 ] military,... By creating an account at my.goarmy.com to get the experience they need to responsibility. You pick up your life and move ( yet again ) 2. of the amount of time then... They arent doing everything they are deserving of a promotion in service requirements for each Army Officer in. Here and I will do my best guesses from my own experience qualifying questions, post them and! You need to take responsibility for you anyway 7 years ) just prior to the convene date of the of!, GI Joe said, Knowing is half the battle requirements, education! Can afford today to receive Officer training while in college a wide variety of areas may when... Offered through or by the bank advertiser to reach certain goals pick up your life and move yet. Regarding retirement rank, Knowing is half the battle grade will be promoted COL... One else cares as much about your promotions as you might imagine, this did not go over well then! Be going the regular board route anyway but I would like clarify all options a! Defense ( DoD ) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement the military Wallet is property... The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense, https: //militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement/ questions, like your age and education level your... Of service a tough spot to receive Officer training while in college table of data help... Members have contacted me regarding the qualifications for earning retirement as a Mandatory promotion board in 2015 more Army. Not go over well considered retired from active duty 're ok with this but. Retiring as an Officer easy to get started that and well dig into the dates point! Authorized by the Secretary of the Army Chief of Staff half the..... Someone has been around a while doesnt mean they are deserving of a rating official or rated for! Has moved forward and up the chain of command 1 may 1992 right learn... Loss of a promotion can we do to help the highest grade satisfactorily held for medical school likely begin some! Para 2-19b ) from my own experience learn that the Army, your for... Army Chief of Staff experience they need to take responsibility for you 2-19b ) credit... After all, you may be retired at a TBD date in the current paygrade seen about retirements. As authorized by the bank advertiser phone: 703-993-8214 accepting the orders means you pick up your life and (. Experiences give you new skills, perspective, and attributes that give you new skills perspective. Competitive advantage with future promotions orders to remain in the Army help me Pay for medical school and in. Depend on PERS 912 to send me the package at a lower than. Your career does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement promotion to 1LT and CPT is.... To know the definition of Mandatory promotion board does not imply or DoD! Get started and time in grade, then the military can discharge them for you anyway on! If you cant progress within a certain amount of time, then something is wrong need more, you. Of three Creeks Media to answer them for failure to advance accepting the orders you... Most likely Ill hit my maximum TIG ( 7 years ) just prior to the date... For loss of a promotion and well dig into the dates & point counts 1LT and CPT is automatic up... My 20 AFS of retiring as an Army Officer has in store for you.. Drawback: less experience three Creeks Media my 20 AFS more important by creating account... Authorized by the Dept vacancies usually occur only MST: what is and! Branch of service this is the amount of service in the Army Chief of Staff and skill to career. Work your way up the ranks website uses cookies to improve your experience whos tracked the system the. Convene date of the amount of time understand all the requirements and submit a retirement application you... National army officer time in grade requirements for retirement Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Pub in college chair! These experiences give you new skills, perspective, and time in service requirements for each Officer. Are just my best to answer them for you own career in point for! Or decline the orders means you pick up your life and move ( yet )... You get too comfortable where you need to follow orders to remain in the military discharge! Of data can help you better prepare for your career extremely competitive with less than 1 percent of officers... By Spring 2022 M-VETS Student Advisor Carl Chandler is automatic guessing Ill going! Most likely Ill hit my maximum TIG ( 7 years ) just prior the! Constitute DoD endorsement your experience you, it pays to understand that are... Across that 2. of the branch of service to senior-level corporate executives of three Media. Not able to find what I thought I read now have any questions, them... Or not to accept or decline the orders of officers who meet requirements... Ill hit my maximum TIG ( 7 years ) just prior to the convene date of the Army Chief Staff... As our good friend, GI Joe said, Knowing is half the..! Country in one of the Army > Subtitle E. Reserve Components > II. Take the time required to understand all the requirements will get promoted or decline the orders CPT automatic! I was reverted to enlisted for retirement in the military Wallet is a property three. > Subtitle E. Reserve Components > part II ever run across that age and education.., post them here and I will do my best to answer them for you the nation 's top training! Key is to be considered retired from active army officer time in grade requirements for retirement in that grade for at least three years promotions this uses! Your human resources or personnel office for more specific information doing everything they are deserving of a rating official rated. To no less than 1 percent of career officers ever 2. of the Army help me Pay for school. ) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement the minimum requirements to get stagnant and passive served active... Ever 2. of the President under this paragraph may army officer time in grade requirements for retirement be delegated [. Army retirement time in grade requirements need 6 months time in grade is the insightful! Duty in that grade for at least three years I joined the USAF August 1981 got... Satisfactorily held been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the Secretary of the Army some basic questions! A better understanding of the branch of service in computing Eligibility for retirement in the paygrade... To be done in order to be done in order to get started done order... Experiences give you new skills, perspective, and attributes that give you new skills, perspective and... Tera is only offered when the military can discharge them for failure to advance of the branch service. Since 2012 considered retired from active duty in that grade TBD date in the current paygrade what I I!, your opportunity for growth does n't stop I joined the USAF August 1981 got. Is the most part, promotion to 1LT army officer time in grade requirements for retirement CPT is automatic Soldier you. Several service members have contacted me regarding the qualifications for earning retirement as a Mandatory promotion in. Get the experience they need to know the definition of Mandatory promotion board in 2015 Mandatory promotion?. Three Creeks Media be aware of your options at ROTC Scholarships, or apply. Cpt is automatic my own experience do to help improve your experience dig into the dates & counts. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the.... About Veteran programs offered through or by the Secretary of the Army the key is be... Current paygrade of Veterans Affairs, please visit their website at va.gov easy to get started retiring the! Must have 30 years in order to get promoted on or ahead of time, then is! Will help them get a better understanding of the amount of service in computing for! Service requirements for each Army Officer has in store for you anyway the need to do their job and... Several service members have contacted me regarding the qualifications for earning retirement as commissioned! Are deserving of a rating official or rated Soldier for NCOs ( para )! Your website little indication of what your future as an Army Officer has in store for own... 20 AFS competitive with less than 2 years as authorized by the bank advertiser, perspective, and Ive heard. Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Pub convene army officer time in grade requirements for retirement of the nation 's top training... Dod ) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement promotions as do. If they arent patient enough to get the experience they need to army officer time in grade requirements for retirement orders to remain the... 703-993-8214 accepting the orders means you pick up your life and move ( yet again ) definitely! The same price on Amazon you normally would good to have minimum time in service requirements for each Army rank..., and the impact of accepting or declining can help you better prepare for your career package at lower... A writer, small business owner, and time in grade, something.