Ala. Code § 36-27-42

Any member who was a member of the Employees’ Retirement System on October 1, 1974, and who prior to said date had been ineligible to receive credit for service rendered as an employee prior to October 1, 1945, for reasons other than having been employed as a nonmember, shall be eligible under the provisions of Article 1 of this chapter to receive credit for all service as an employee rendered by him prior to the date of establishment of the retirement system; provided, that such person has never waived his claim on the funds of the retirement system by withdrawing his accumulated contributions to said funds; and provided, that said member has not been absent from service more than five years in any period of six consecutive years after becoming a member of the retirement system.