What GS grade should a retiring E-7 apply for? — GS-9/11 entry, USAJOBS qualification, and locality pay — in Johnnie Pippin's voice.

If you're an E-7 reading this 12–18 months out from separation, this is the long-form answer to the search query a federal HR reviewer will quietly run on your résumé. Four sections: the realistic entry grade, how USAJOBS grade qualification actually works, what the Washington–Baltimore–Arlington locality rate does to a GS-11 IT Specialist paycheck, and what an E-7 résumé needs that an E-5 or E-6 at the same target grade usually doesn't carry.