Enlisted Navy and Marine Corps members with less than 30 years service are transferred to the Fleet Reserve/Fleet Marine Corps Reserve and their pay is referred to as "retainer pay".
Air Force and Army members with over 20 years service are all classified as retired, and receive us military retirement pay.
When a Navy or Marine Corps member completes 30 years, including time on the
retired rolls in receipt of retainer pay, the Fleet Reserve status is changed to
us military retirement status, and they begin receiving retired pay.
http://www.militarypensionloan.org/
http://www.militaryretirementloan.com/
US Military retirement pay is unlike civilian retirement pay systems. First and foremost, there is no "vesting" in the military retirement system. There is no special US Military retirement accounts, no matching funds provision, no interest. You either qualify for retirement by honorably serving over 20 years in the military, or you do not. If you are discharged from the military with 19 years, 11 months, and 27 days of service, for example, you do not qualify for retirement pay (other than a few "early US Military retirement" programs, which were designed to reduce the size of the armed forces).
http://www.veteranpensionloan.com/
http://www.veteranbusinessloan.org/
Don't confuse VA Disability Compensation with US Military Disability Retirement Pay. They are two separate animals. The VA uses completely different standards for determining service-connected disability than the military uses for its disability retirement system.
All retiring members who believe they have a service-connected disability can apply for VA benefits prior to, or after retirement. (In some cases, before US Military retirement, military personnel offices may even help you apply). If you are eligible, a service-connected disability is established. While you are required to relinquish us military retirement pay on a $1 to $1 ratio in order to receive VA Disability pay, the following benefits accrue as a result of VA compensation: