You may want to check some of the figures you're throwing around, they aren't real accurate.
The only way a FS employee could retire at age 55, unde FERS, is if they were born prior to 1948 and have 30 years of service, are an LEO or Firefighter.
The way it works, is any employee has to meet MRA, which is age 57 for anyone born after 1970, 55 for anyone born in 1948 or prior, sliding scale for those born between 1948 and 1970...AND you have to have 30 years of service.
If you retire at MRA and between 10-29 years, you take a 5% per year hit to your retirement, and lose eligibility for the SS Supplement.
At age 60 you need 20 years and you can retire without penalty, but you only get years of service x 1.0 of your high 3 base salary, but keep your SS Supplement eligibility.
You are correct about the leave after 15 years of service, 26 days per year. Depending on the source you want to look at, private sector employees on average had about 20 days of paid leave after 15 years, at 20 years, its 25 days a year for the private sector.
Consider paid leave a small perk for federal employees making about 80 cents on the dollar for similar jobs in the private sector.
Carry on...
Buzz H, Thanks for posting. If anyone knows the inside of how the USFS works it would be you. I have a friend who retired as a hydrologist and information officer in the USFS. She retired at 55. She had 30 years of service.
I dispute your claim that USFS employees are paid 80 cents on the dollar for comparable private sector employees. I have two sons who work in the private sector and one son who is self employed. Of the two, one is the union president and a machine tender for a papermill. His vacation time after 16 years, is no where near what you describe. He works long rotating shifts.
SHIFTING GEARS
I would like to know if you think it is an acceptable practice for the USFS to close what is a new and essentially low maintenance vault toilet system, paid for by the taxpayers, for funding reasons?
Do you think the USFS, when posting signs that they are closing a facility for lack of funding, are making a political statement?
During the COVID pandemic were you laid off by the USFS?
At the district level, do you often perceive that the USFS is top heavy, with too many generals and too few foot soldiers at that level?
Do you think that the USFS is slowly trying to go to a fee based system when allocating resources?
Do you think the USFS receives enough compensation for livestock grazing on national forest lands?
Do you think that at the district and region level, that the USFS often promotes people to those levels with more concern for their gender and race as opposed to their qualifications?
On average, how much time do you spend a month in the field as opposed to time spent in the office attending meetings? Would that be the norm for other USFS employees?
In this area, many of the trail systems are maintained by the Backcountry Horseman on a volunteer basis. Do you think they will perform this service with the restrooms locked up at the trailhead?
Finally, do you follow USFS guidelines when hiking and hunting in the national forest, by packing and hauling your own human waste out? I just had to ask.
If you can't answer some of the questions posed here, I understand. However, I think your candid responses as an insider would be very valuable.
just sayin...mh