Can I join the Army Reserves or National Guard if I am currently collecting compensation from the VA?

Kyle,
Don't do it! You will be required to pay back every dollar you earn in the reserves or Guard back to the VA!!! Not worth it. It is also not worth the risk of having a Toxic Leader who may jeopardize your career inside the military or outside - and you can be certain that if a medical issue keeps you from being at drill on time, missing drill or not performing well on a PT test - leaders in the Guard or Reserve (some who may not have deployed), will likely not care and will likely write you up and process you for malingering or a multitude of other things - which could lead to an other than honorable discharge or separation. Be proud of your service already, join the VFW and/or American Legion if you seek to reconnect with a brotherhood and camaraderie. Also, if you are considering other civilian careers, don't take a chance on letting the military cause you further injury or time away from a career that you should be totally devoted to. Hope this helps and best of luck!

I am a drilling reservist and have a 100% rating by the VA. I drill for points only (except for a couple days during the year to keep my deficit that accrues down - for SGLI). Yes, you can be rated by the VA and serve in a TPU. Regarding retention: It's based on several things to include the potential of a med board (mine retained me). The minimum retention standard is as follows: You can qualify with your weapon, wear your LCE, wear a helmet and pass an APFT or alternate APFT (if med boarded). Bottom line: Each year (FEB - MAR) the VA will send you a letter that states they know you drilled for XX amount of days. If they skip you a year, they'll get you for two years. They go by FY, not CY. You and your commander will fill out the back, which will determine how many days you drilled for pay. You send it back to the VA. The VA will then withhold your check until that amount is repaid.

Note: If you are filing for disability or already have a rating, USE AN ADVOCATE - Don't try to deal with the VA directly. I go through Disabled American Veterans (DAV). You can pick your own advocate but I strongly recommend DAV.

The National Guard will take you as long as you are rated 60% or less, and provided your disability does not hinder you in your job perform or APFT.

In 2010 I left AD and joined the OKANG, after joining the VA rated me at 60%. I drew both, a Drill check and VA Compensation check. At the beginning of the fiscal year the VA would stop my Compensation till they recouped their money for the year. 2013 and 2014 the VA suspended my Compensation since I gave them a copy of my Deployment Orders. Mid 2014 I returned home and I started receiving VA Compensation at the 60% rating and my Drill Checks once again. In the fall of 2015 my VA rating increased to 100%. At 100% I drill for retirement points only because my two day Drill check doesn't come close to the VA Competition for the same time. Because of my disabilities I can't pass the APFT, so in June of this year I will ETS. I hope this helps.

But if you are receiving disability because obviously something hurts or not functioning properly, why would you be able to join the reserves? That's waste fraud and abuse. Active duty guys can't do it, why should Guard and reserve member? We are on the same team right?

Yes, you can. my daughter in laws step father is in the reserves. He is collecting disability at 80%. He's in the reserves to make it to equivalent of 20 yrs so he can retire and receive retirement pay.

The answer is Yes; However, you cannot receive military duty pay and disability pay for the same day. For example when you go to annual training that is maybe 2 to 3 weeks that's you'll see a big change unless you are have a high percentage of disability pay.

It depends what the ratings are based on, and wheather your injuries would limit or prohibit you from performing your duties. I'm in the Oklahoma National Guard, I joined two days after my terminal leave was up, they knew up front I was broke coming in. Four months later the VA rated me at 60%, they said no problem. Now five years and a deployment later the VA has rated me at 70%, and still no problem.

As for the disability compensation. Technically you can not draw both a VA check and a Military check. So that can be handled one two ways. You can continue drawing the VA check and drill only for Retirement points. Meaning no money period under M-Day status, Annual Training or Schools listed under Title 32. Or you can draw both checks and forfeit your VA check one to two months on average every year. To pay back the overage the VA gave you over the year.

I one Soldier that told the VA to cancel his disability payments which the VA did do. However when he ETS' d and he went back to the VA to restart his disability claim, he literally had to start his claim over. That is what he told me personally.

Thats my two cents, Good Luck

Richard Aldrich
SGT, OKANG

If your state has a defense force, you can also look there. They need prior service Soldiers who have been there, done that. Lots of opportunities for cameradirie, networking, and using civilian skills.

And how would you be able to physically and mentally be able to handle that? You are disabled now.... no? If not, then why take disability in the first place?

I lost a leg below the knee in Afghanistan in 2005. When I med boarded out in 2006 it was right before they started letting functional leg amputees stay in if you could handle it. I tried to join the National Guard and was counseled that I would lose all my VA benefits, but the recruiter now appears he may have been misinformed.
Too bad. I am too old now but would have loved to have continued to serve.