Thanks for the info, Becky. He still doesn't understand why he HAS to buy the temporary service, as it won't be counted for anything - he has the full 40 years plus in permanent service payments without it. Also, I suspect he may have been offered the chance to buy it when he became permanent way back when - it makes sense when he says he thought he didn't need to. He says he knows people who have several YEARS of temporary service and that they'll be in 'for a land' when their time comes!