How military retirement pay works
The retirement calculator covers both systems that exist side by side in today's Army. If you joined before 2018 you are almost certainly High-3: 2.5% per year of your highest 36 months of base pay. If you joined on or after January 1, 2018 you are BRS: 2.0% per year plus TSP matching. Pick your rank, enter your years, and the monthly number appears as you type.
Two numbers follow every soldier from enlistment to retirement: what the pension will be, and whether the fitness test passes. Both are simple formulas wrapped in official PDFs and slow government pages. This page puts both on one screen that loads instantly on a phone.
The AFT (formerly ACFT)
The AFT calculator scores all six events — deadlift, power throw, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and the 2-mile run — anchoring each event's official minimum at 60 points and its maximum at 100, with the passing line at 360. Enter raw scores, get points instantly. It works under either name: ACFT or AFT, the events and standards are the same.
2026 base pay table
| Rank | Monthly base pay (2026) | 20-yr High-3 pension | 20-yr BRS pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,917 | $958 | $767 |
| E-2 | $2,150 | $1,075 | $860 |
| E-3 | $2,261 | $1,130 | $904 |
| E-4 | $2,504 | $1,252 | $1,002 |
| E-5 | $2,731 | $1,366 | $1,092 |
| E-6 | $3,187 | $1,594 | $1,275 |
| E-7 | $3,706 | $1,853 | $1,482 |
| E-8 | $4,261 | $2,130 | $1,704 |
| E-9 | $4,888 | $2,444 | $1,955 |
| W-1 | $3,647 | $1,824 | $1,459 |
| W-2 | $4,147 | $2,074 | $1,659 |
| W-3 | $4,707 | $2,354 | $1,883 |
| W-4 | $5,106 | $2,553 | $2,042 |
| W-5 | $5,588 | $2,794 | $2,235 |
| O-1 | $3,826 | $1,913 | $1,530 |
| O-2 | $4,414 | $2,207 | $1,766 |
| O-3 | $5,417 | $2,708 | $2,167 |
| O-4 | $6,204 | $3,102 | $2,482 |
| O-5 | $7,216 | $3,608 | $2,886 |
| O-6 | $8,621 | $4,310 | $3,448 |
| O-7 | $10,357 | $5,178 | $4,143 |
| O-8 | $11,643 | $5,822 | $4,657 |
| O-9 | $13,121 | $6,560 | $5,248 |
| O-10 | $16,704 | $8,352 | $6,682 |
FAQ
What is the difference between the High-3 and the BRS retirement system?
The High-3 (Legacy) system pays 2.5% of your average highest 36 months of base pay per year of service. The Blended Retirement System (BRS), which service members who joined after January 1, 2018 are automatically enrolled in, pays 2.0% per year — but adds government TSP matching and a mid-career continuation bonus. Worked through the table on this page, a 20-year E-7 comes out at roughly $1,853/month under High-3 and about $1,482/month under BRS before counting TSP matching. Read those as a floor, not a forecast: the table here lists one base-pay figure per rank, while the official pay tables add longevity steps, so a real 20-year E-7's High-3 average is higher than the single figure used here — see the note under the calculator.
Is the ACFT now called the AFT?
Yes. The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) was renamed the Army Fitness Test (AFT) as part of the 2022-2023 scoring revisions. The six events stayed the same: Maximum Deadlift, Standing Power Throw, Hand Release Push-ups, Sprint-Drag-Carry, Plank, and the 2-Mile Run. People still search under both names, and this calculator scores both — the event standards and the 60-point minimum per event are the same.
How is my military retirement pay calculated?
Monthly pension = average of your highest 36 months of base pay (High-3) × 2.5% × years of service, or your base pay × 2.0% × years of service under BRS. This calculator uses the 2026 monthly base pay table. It does not include BAH, BAS, special pays, or VA disability compensation, which are calculated separately.
What score do I need to pass the AFT?
You need a minimum of 60 points per event under the current standard, for a passing total of 360 out of 600. This calculator anchors the official minimum raw score for each event at 60 points and the maximum at 100, so hitting every minimum gives you exactly 360 — a pass. Raw scores below the minimum scale down toward 0.
Does this calculator store my data?
No. All calculations run entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or saved — the page works offline once loaded.
Is this an official Army website?
No. This is an independent calculator for soldiers, veterans and their families. For official calculations use militarypay.defense.gov or your personnel office. We built it because the official calculators are slow and hard to use on a phone.
