24 CAR § 10-503. Purchasable service credit — Military service

(a) A member shall receive service credit for service in the United States Armed Forces that cannot be credited to the member under Arkansas Code § 24-7-602(a) if the member pays the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System the actuarial equivalent for the service credit. (b)(1) Effective December 12, 1994, a member shall be treated as not having incurred a break in service with a covered employer if the member: (A) Leaves employment with a school to voluntarily or involuntarily serve in the uniformed services of the United States; and (B) Returns to employment with a school. (2) A member described in subdivision (b)(1) of this section shall accrue benefits for the time he or she served in the uniformed services of the United States if: (A) The member pays the employee contributions as provided in Arkansas Code § 24-7-406; and (B) Employer contributions are paid for the time the member served in the uniformed services of the United States. (c) A member’s absence from his or her employment with a school due to his or her service in the uniformed services of the United States shall not exceed five (5) years. (d) At the member’s request, a member’s payment for United States Armed Forces service credit shall be refunded by the system if the: (1) Member ceased to be an active member before the United States Armed Forces service credit is established as credited service in the system; or (2) United States Armed Forces service credit is not otherwise used to establish the member’s eligibility for retirement under the system.