Retiree Activity Program

Retiree Direct Deposit information

Effective March 1, 2013, all retirees receiving paper checks will need to establish a direct deposit. For more information on how to establish a direct deposit, click here.  

Retiree Acitivity Program information

The Joint RAF Mildenhall/RAF Lakenheath Retiree Activities Office is located on the second floor of the RAF Mildenhall Passenger Terminal. It is normally open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The office is staffed by volunteers from the retiree community, so there many be times when no volunteer is available to open the office.

When the office isn't staffed, messages may be left on the answering machine, and those will be dealt with as soon as possible.

The mission of the Joint RAO is to serve as a point of contact between the retiree community and the active duty force. It is the focal point for providing information and guidance to military retirees of all services, their family members and survivors.

The Joint RAO volunteers always welcome visitors to the office. We can also be contacted by telephone, fax, e-mail, the military postal service and the British postal service.

Visa Waiver Program

Will you be visiting the United States and travelling on the VISA Waiver program? This program allows those non U.S. passport holders and those without a U.S. visa in their passport, to travel to the United States with a round trip travel ticket, entrance for a maximum of 90 days.

You must now also send an Electronic System for Travel Authorization application at least 72 Hours prior to your travel, this application may only be accomplished via the Internet at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/. The form is easy to fill out and is good for two years, it can be amended easily to accommodate new travel arrangements the system operates via ESTA.

Income Taxes on US Military Retirees' Pay

Income taxes on U.S. military retirees' pay: Money received as retirement pay by a retired U.S. military person resident in the United Kingdom is subject to income tax by the U.S. government, but such money is wholly exempt from tax by the British government.

Authority for this is the bilateral tax treaty between the U.S. government and the U.K. government. The current treaty came into effect on Jan. 1, 2004. For United Kingdom purposes, the treaty may be referred to as United Kingdom-3 Income Tax Treaty, and the relevant article is Article 19.

Should any bank or other financial institution attempt to impose British taxes on such money you should refer them to the provisions of this treaty. If a retired U.S. military person resident in the United Kingdom is required to file a British income tax return then the person's military retired pay may be reported in the following manner. This procedure has worked without known exception.

On the supplementary pages for foreign income make no entry to the question about pensions income. In the additional information box at the end of the supplementary pages, enter the following: "Page F[number of page where question about pensions income is located], Pensions: Military Retirement Pay received from USA Government is not subject to UK tax--the provisions of Article 19, Section 2(A), of the United Kingdom-3 Income Tax Treaty apply." Should you wish, you may add, "(For information only, the amount received was $.......)".

Should you desire a copy of the treaty article, you may obtain it from the Internal Revenue Service, 24 Grosvenor Square, London W1A 1AE, England.

Arrears Beneficiary Information

Who is your arrears beneficiary? This area continues to be a major problem at DFAS-Cleveland. Who have you designated as your arrears beneficiary for your last month of retirement pay? We do not know on which day we will die; therefore you should ensure the information on your arrears beneficiary is current at DFAS-Cleveland. Contact your nearest RAO about completing DD Form 2894 (Designation of Beneficiary Information).

Retiree Links

Air Force Retirement Activities - http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil
Army Retirement Services - www.armyg1.army.mil
Armed Forces Retirement Home (Washington) - www.afrh.gov
Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) - http://aafes.com
Defense Commissary Agency - www.commissaries.com
Military Records (replace DD Form 214, medals) - http://vetrecs.archives.gov
Pay/SBP Inquiries - www.dfas.mil
Social Security - www.ssa.gov
Medicare - www.medicare.gov
Veterans Administration - http://va.gov
Tricare for Life -www.tricare.mil/tfl/default.cfm
Tricare Mail Order Pharmacy -www.tricare.mil/pharmacy/tmop.cmf
Air Force Afterburner - http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil select "Retirees", then select "Afterburner"
Cost Guard Evening Colors - www.uscg.mil/hq/psc/eveningcolors
Marine Corps Semper Fi -www.manpower.usmc.mil select "Veteran Marine", then select 'Semper Fidelis"
Navy Shift Colors - www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLibrary/Publications