(1) Any person who is at least 62 years of age and who has completed not less than 30 years of service as an officer or enlisted person in the Florida National Guard (exclusive of time served on the inactive or retired lists) on, before, or subsequent to the passage of this section is eligible upon application, whether on the active or retired list of the Florida National Guard, to be retired under the provisions of this section at the highest rank attained while serving in the Florida National Guard or the federal military forces, and shall receive pay in an amount equal to one-half of the base pay as is now or hereafter may be prescribed in the applicable pay tables for similar grades and periods of service of personnel in the United States Army or Air Force; provided that, in computing service in the Florida National Guard, service in federal military forces during a period of war or upon order of the President of the United States, in any military duty, where the applicant has been inducted from the Florida National Guard shall be included; and provided further that, in computing such service performed after July 1, 1955, only federally recognized service shall be included. Eligibility for retirement under this section is in addition to any other retirement that such person is eligible to receive; provided, however, that retirement pay under this section shall be reduced by any amount of retirement pay, pension, or compensation which such person is eligible to receive from the Federal Government for military service.
(2) Any person who is at least 60 years of age (but less than 62 years of age) and is otherwise qualified to receive the retirement pay provided in subsection (1) may elect to retire and thereafter receive a reduced benefit which would be the actuarial equivalent of the person’s benefit under subsection (1).
(3) Sufficient money to meet the requirements of this section is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and payments under this section will be made to those eligible to receive the same on the first day of each calendar month from the General Revenue Fund by the Chief Financial Officer upon prescribed pay vouchers certified to by the Adjutant General of the state.
(4) In computing time of service of an officer or enlisted person in the Florida National Guard for purposes of retirement under this section, service in federal military forces during the period from August 27, 1940, to December 31, 1946, from June 29, 1950, to January 31, 1955, from August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, and from August 1, 1990, to September 1, 1991, all dates inclusive, when inducted into such federal service from the Florida National Guard, shall be included at double the time of actual service.
(5) Upon the death of any person receiving monthly benefits under this section, the monthly benefits shall be paid through the last day of the month of death and shall terminate on that date.
(6) All powers, duties, and functions related to the administration of this section are vested in the Department of Management Services.
