Nords, it made financial sense, barely, because I wanted to retire and to qualify for VERA/VISP I needed the 20 years my Military service provided. The VISP amount more than covered the buy-back amount by around 2500.00. Again, if I would have retired an officer or E9, the buy back amount would have exceeded the VISP amount and I would have ended up paying Uncle Sam to retire. And since I was a high grade civie, the annual pension based on total service of 34 years was enough to comfortably live on. It doesn't always work out financially, but it did in my case.