Resuming ADF full-time service

Resuming ADF full-time service | Who is a re-entrant | Make your scheme election | Effect on your retirement pay or deferred benefit

If you are receiving a DFRDB pension or you have elected to defer your benefit (but have not claimed it), and you re-enter the ADF on continuous full-time service (CFTS), you must make a DFRDB or MilitarySuper election before re-entry.

Failure to lodge a scheme election before re-entry will result in automatic MilitarySuper membership.

MilitarySuper membership is final and irreversible for your re-engagement and all future fulltime ADF engagements.

Your Scheme Election

Your scheme election depends on the nature and length of your re-engagement.

Returning to the Reserve Forces for Less than 12 Months

If this is your situation, you must elect before re-entry whether or not you want to join MilitarySuper. (Deferred benefit re-entrants do not get to make an election – you automatically join MilitarySuper).

If you choose not to join MilitarySuper, you continue to receive DFRDB pension but you do not re-join the DFRDB Scheme as a contributor. You will also accrue a productivity benefit but you will not have invalidity cover.

Note: You must make a scheme election before each re-entry to the Reserve Forces for less than 12 months (unless you have joined MilitarySuper, which is final). This includes any extensions to your contract. Failure to make an election before any re-entry will result in automatic MilitarySuper membership.

Returning to either the Reserve Forces for 12 months or more or the permanent forces for any full-time service

If this is your situation, you must elect before re-entry whether you want to join MilitarySuper or re-join the DFRDB Scheme as a Contributing Member. Contributions are due for the scheme you choose, and your pension is not paid during the period of service. After discharge, your pension will be recalculated and will recommence.

Note: If you choose the DFRDB scheme, your election continues to apply to all subsequent re-entries to the ADF of the same nature (ie in the Reserve Forces for 12 months or more or in the Permanent Forces again). If you re-enter the Reserve Forces for a period of less than 12 months, you will have to make another election.

Joining MilitarySuper

If you join MilitarySuper, you must contribute to MilitarySuper and your DFRDB pension will be suspended during your engagement. After discharge your DFRDB pension will recommence (including any CPI adjustments) and you will be entitled to MilitarySuper benefits. MilitarySuper benefits are generally not payable before preservation age. You may want to seek professional advice for your individual circumstances

If you join the MSBS, your DFRDB pension will stop until your resignation or retirement. When you resign or retire, your pension will then be reinstated, having been updated by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The MSBS employer benefit will grow at the normal rate for a new entrant—that is, starting at 18% of FAS.

Please refer to the new D100 form (PDF 187KB) if you are a former Member of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (DFRDB) Scheme:

receiving retirement pay
receiving invalidity pay
or
with a deferred benefit that you have not claimed

who intends re-entering the Australian Defence Force (ADF) (including the Reserves) on continuous full-time service (CFTS).

Forms and Fact Sheets

PDFs can be viewed and printed using the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader.