It won’t let me complete my taxes without paying for the deluxe package just because I have a military retirement plan

Yes. Unfortunately the free version has its limitations. Currently these are the only situations that allow a fee file with Turbo Tax.

• W-2 income
• Interest or dividends (1099-INT/1099-DIV) that don’t require filing a Schedule B
• IRS standard deduction
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Child Tax Credit (CTC)
• Student loan interest deduction