Lisa Rein writes the figure has doubled from 2009 records, amid government budget cuts and a pay freeze, furloughs, recovering retirement accounts and increasing veteran hires.
The trend is seeing the exit of old hands, experienced workers who may be difficult to replace.
At the Federal Aviation Administration, for instance, about 35 percent of controllers are of retirement age today, the report said, citing Government Accountability Office figures.
For some agencies, the departures present an opportunity to hire ounger employees, especially in the information technology sector.
âNo matter what your budget is, youâve got to set aside dollars to invest in the current workforce to make sure theyâre operationally ready to succeed into leadership positions,â said Angela Bailey, associate director for employee services at the Office of Personnel Management.
GAO has urged agencies to plan ahead, noting that almost a third of all federal workers will be qualified for retirement by 2016.