Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog

Filling Out a Separation Questionnaire

Posted on October 29, 2025 Updated on October 29, 2025

One of my first tasks during my retirement journey is to fill out this separation questionnaire. Note that I couldn’t open with Preview on my Mac, but it worked fine using Adobe for Mac. If the version below gives you trouble, you can find it on this page (it is NPPSC 1900/1):

Largely, it was pretty self-explanatory to fill out. Tips include:

• If you need to find your official home of record, it can be found in your OMPF on BOL. Here is mine highlighted in orange at the bottom:

• For question #15, DD 214-1 is for reservists and is N/A for active duty.
• For question #19, sending your DD 214 directly to your state of residence or the VA can expedite things when you try to access veteran benefits, so I elected to send it.

If anyone else has any tips or tricks for filling this out, please comment below.

I’m Retiring! Let’s Take This Journey Together

Posted on October 23, 2025 Updated on October 25, 2025

I’ve decided to retire on 1 JUN 2026 at the 25 year mark. This may surprise some people. It surprised me, but it is time to do something else.

As this process progresses over the next 9 months, I plan on documenting what I go through to help others who decide to do the same one day.

How to Request Retirement on NSIPS

This is the Google AI overview, which I found to be accurate and made minor edits to:

To request retirement on NSIPS, log in and navigate to Main Menu > Employee Self Service > Retirements and Separations > Retirement/Separation Request. Here is a screenshot I took to show you where to go:

Select the appropriate request type and fill out the details, including your desired retirement date. Keep in mind that you must retire on the 1st of the month. After entering your contact information, route the request to your Command Reviewer for processing and attach any required supporting documents.

Overall, I found the process surprisingly simple. I only had one issue I couldn’t figure out, and my Command Career Counselor showed me that I needed to add my “PSA” or “Planned Separation Address”:

Detailed Steps:

1. Log In to NSIPS: Access the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) and log in to your self-service account. 
2. Navigate to Retirements and Separations: From the main menu, select Employee Self Service, then Retirements and Separations. 
3. Initiate Your Request: Select Retirement/Separation Request.
4. Choose Request Type: From the dropdown menu, select the appropriate type of retirement or resignation. 
5. Enter Details: On the “Contact Information” tab, ensure both your current home address and your planned retirement address are accurate. 
6. Route Your Request: Click the “route” button at the bottom of the page to send your request for review by your command. 
7. Attach Documentation: After routing, you will proceed to an attachment screen to upload any necessary supporting documents, such as a copy of your DD Form 2648 (Pre-separation Counseling Checklist). 
8. Submit for Final Decision: Once all steps are complete, submit the request to Navy Personnel Command for a final decision. 

Important Considerations: 

• Timing: Officers should submit their voluntary retirement requests 9-12 months before their projected rotation date (PRD).
• Check Eligibility: You can check your eligibility for retirement within NSIPS by going to Employee Self Service > Retirements and Separations > Check Eligibility.
• Pre-Separation Counseling: A mandatory prerequisite to attending the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is completing the Pre-separation Counseling Checklist (DD Form 2648), which must be signed by your Command Career Counselor.
• Contact Support: If your command lacks NSIPS capability, or you need assistance, contact Officer Retirements Branch (PERS-835) for guidance on submitting your request.

Also, here is a checklist I was given by my Career Planner that I plan on working through: