19-3-503. Election to qualify military service. (1) (a) A member with 10 years or more of service credits may, at any time prior to retirement, make a written election with the board to purchase service credits for all or any portion of the member's active service in the armed forces of the United States, including the first special service force or the American merchant marine in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, up to a maximum of 5 years, if the member is not otherwise eligible to receive service credit for this same service pursuant to 19-2-705.
     (b) To qualify this service, the member shall contribute to the pension trust fund the amount determined by the board to be due based on the member's compensation and regular contribution rate as of the member's 11th year and as many succeeding years as are required to qualify this service, with regular interest from the date the member becomes eligible for this benefit to the date the member contributes. The member may not purchase more of this service credit than the member has service credits in excess of 10 years.
     (2) If a member has retired from active duty in the armed forces of the United States, including the first special service force or the American merchant marine in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, with a military service retirement benefit, the member may not qualify the member's military service under subsection (1). However, a member who is serving or has served in the military reserves with the expectation of receiving a military service pension may qualify the member's active military service under subsection (1) if the member's active duty in the armed forces of the United States, including the first special service force or the American merchant marine in oceangoing service during the armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, is not more than 25% of the total sum of all years of military service including reserve and active duty time.

     History: En. 68-1605.1 by Sec. 10, Ch. 323, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 128, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 68-1605.1; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 609, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 56, Ch. 265, L. 1993.