“I read that 20 years service was required for a pension. Did I read wrong?”
No, you did not read wrong. Though the government is seriously considering changing the way people qualify for retirement again. They have done some things during the various draw-downs that gave partial entitlements or lump-sum payments to people who voluntarily separated prior to being eligible for retirement, but only in certain overage specialties and fields. I doubt SEAL or any other special forces troops would have been eligible for those.
Old Student
MSgt, USAF(Ret.) 1973-1997
Isn’t it really 19 years and 6 months? I seem to recall if they bounce someone with less than 6 months to their 20, they still qualify.