*He recently told me he would be retiring later this year and will receive $87,000 a year in pension for the rest of his life.*
I’m pretty sure this is mathematically impossible, unless he started working for the feds when he was 16 and is now an SES employee retiring under the old system...and even them I’m not sure it’s mathematically possible.
E.g. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0306/033106rp.htm
Based on the chart that you provided it seems highly likely. He has 30 years of service and is under the old plan. The example they give has a person with the high salary years of $68,000. He makes more than that obviously. Trust me...its true.