FOM1 910 

Advance collection of evidence to support a claim for RRB benefits is encouraged to 

facilitate any future application processing. RRB insured status is preferred, but is not 

required for accepting advance proofs. 

910.5 Advance Proof of Age and Military Service 

Advance collection of proof of age and MS allows us to secure a potential beneficiary's 

correct birth date and to credit an employee's MS months prior to the earliest possible 

ABD. It is especially important to establish an employee's DOB for future benefit 

estimates and Medicare enrollment. Since APPLE screens permanently store proof 

information, data may be entered at any time to create records under any employee's 

SSA number. 

910.5.1 Proof of Age 

When a person presents advance POA documents, examine the evidence for 

acceptability (see FOMI-905.5.2) transcribe the pertinent facts to the appropriate 

APPLE evidence screen; and return the documents to the person. 

Advance-filed age proofs remain on APPLE and may be viewed, supplemented, or 

deleted until an application for benefits is processed. When evidence records are used 

in an APPLE award action, the screens are "frozen". 

A. Discrepant Documents 

When multiple birth dates are indicated on available documents, and F/O 

examination of evidence does not determine the accurate birth date, enter all 

evidence on the APPLE screens and notify RIS by e-mail that a headquarters 

decision is needed. 

B. Evidence Has Low Probative Value 

If APPLE has no previously submitted document of greater value, enter the 

information from the evidence presented and counsel the person on obtaining 

additional supporting proof. Low probative value is not a consideration in the use 

of SSA’s MBR or NUMIDENT as POA. See FOM1 905.5.5 for information on 

when to use MBR or NUMIDENT as POA. 

C. Conflicting DOB ON EDM Record 

Employer and SSA records supply unverified DOB information to EDM. If an 

EDM DOB is wrong, MARC and REAP annuity estimates may be wrong, so 

correct detected errors whenever possible. 

Form BA-6 advises current workers to request a change when the displayed 

DOB is wrong. Historically, documentation has not been required for EDM DOB 

changes. 

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FOM1 910 

When an employee submits POA that differs from the DOB shown in EDM, 

transcribe the evidence to APPLE, and follow the GL-7 instructions in FOMV609.1. DO NOT attach a photocopied POA to the Form GL-7. 

D. Headquarters Handling 

Field personnel will send an e-mail message to RIS when conflicting proofs 

require a headquarters determination of DOB. RIS will examine the APPLE 

screens and develop the correct birth date according to rules for benefit 

applications. 

NOTE: If there are unresolved conflicting birth dates on an evidence record when 

an application is entered, APPLE will select the date with the best proof weight 

or, if the evidence does not clearly establish the DOB, the claim will be referred 

for manual handling. 

910.5.2 Proof of MS 

Periods of MS that are creditable as railroad service months and compensation will be 

credited toward the employee's benefit eligibility as soon as the proof is verified and 

entered to EDM through APPLE. Early recording of MS is important in establishing 

RRA insured status for eligibility queries and allowing uninterrupted processing of future 

benefit claims. 

A. APPLE Entry: 

Transcribe advance proofs of active military duty in the U.S. Armed Forces to 

APPLE. Upon accessing the Proof of MS screen, PF14 will take you to the EDM 

Military Service Information screen. After data entry, EDM will invoke the MS 

module to determine if the military months can be credited as railroad months 

and compensation, or as SSA wages, on the EDM earnings record. 

B. Priority Handling: 

During periods of heavy F/O workload, it may be necessary to prioritize 

processing proofs of military service. On such occasions, encourage mailing of 

proofs to F/O, and return the documents with RL-103A. When possible, record 

evidence delivered in person while the customer is present. 

1. Advise the customer that written verification of credited MS will be 

available within 90 days. If a customer requests written verification, 

establish a pending file to query EDM after 90 days and send a reply 

showing the number of additional service months that are credited to the 

employee. 

2. Send e-mail requests to CESC for expedited Headquarters processing 

only for customers who 

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FOM1 910 

	 Need MS credit for benefit insured status; or 

	 Will be filing an AA-1 application within 90 days; or 

	 Do not have a MS creditability determination added to EDM 90 days 

after APPLE input. 

C. Customer Inquiries: 

1. Use EDM screens to verify that qualifying railroad service was performed. 

When creditability is obvious, informally advice employees how many 

more service months will be credited, but if there are months when both 

RR work and MS was performed, or doubtful credit is involved, wait for 

credits to be entered on EDM by headquarters before confirming the 

additional service months. 

2. The following information taken from regulations and RRB legal opinions 

will help answer questions about MS credit. (See FOMI 215 for full 

requirements of creditability.) 

	 The U.S. military draft ended July 3, 1973. Any MS period that began 

after 7-3-73, is voluntary service and creditability is restricted with 

exception listed below: 

 After 6-30-1973, Involuntary applies only to reservists called or 

recalled to federal active duty. 

	 The State of National Emergency covering MS in the Korean conflict 

and Vietnam era ended 9-14-78. Any period of MS that began after 9-

14-78, but before 8-2-90, was voluntary AND not in a war service 

period and it is not creditable as compensation. 

	 The most recently declared State of National Emergency, referred to 

as the Gulf Wars, began 8-2-90 and has not been declared ended. 

	 Beginning 1957 SSA credits active duty MS earnings similarly to other 

wage credits. Prior to 1957 SSA gave only $160 per month credit for 

MS not used by the RRB. 

	 When MS cannot be used as Tier 2 railroad credits, the earnings are 

included in calculating the annuity Tier 1. 

	 MS before 1975 is considered for use as compensation and as wages 

when a claim is filed. If creditable both ways, it is used to the 

employee's advantage either for a VDB or for a Tier 2 increase. 

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FOM1 910 

	 Annual 2-week active duty training time performed by reservists is 

reported to SSA as wages, but "summer camp" MS rarely meets all 

qualifications for increased RRA credit. When in doubt, submit 

evidence, but do not confirm credit until EDM is updated. 

	 If the RRB uses a period of MS as railroad months, SSA must remove 

those earnings from their benefit computations - even if SSA eligibility 

is lost without MS. 

910.10 Other Advance Evidence 

To plan ahead of the time an application is filed, a potential applicant may provide proof 

of marriage(s), divorce, spouse's age, and other documents that may be needed when 

an application is filed. When these proofs are presented to an RRB office, examine the 

documents and advise the customer regarding their acceptability. 

On line information systems allow us to collect, evaluate and permanently store most 

claims documentation, so it is not appropriate to instruct customers to retain and, in the 

future, resubmit their proof documents when they file an application. 

A. APPLE Entry 

Transcribe pertinent proof information to the appropriate APPLE screens and 

return the documents to the employee or other person who presented them. 

Advise the customer that the evidence will be retained in our permanent 

mechanical files for use when filing an application. 

In case of discrepant documentation, complete multiple APPLE screens, 

including appropriate remarks, and e-mail the responsible headquarters unit to 

request examiner review of the APPLE records. 

B. G-91 Series And Imaging 

Proofs should be photocopied unless prohibited and scanned to Workdesk. If 

unable to photocopy or scan the proof, Form G-91 should be used. 

If no appropriate Apple screen exists when evidence is received, transcribe the 

information to a suitable G-91 series form, return the evidence to the customer, 

and image the G-91 to Headquarters (RIS or SIS) along with any proof of MS. 

Acceptable unique material, not suitable for Form G-91, may be photocopied by 

an RRB employee and imaged directly to headquarters (RIS or SIS) 

FOM1 910 Advance Proofs Acquisition Revised May 3, 2017 Page 4 of 5