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

PFC Kyle Corcoran This is an old post; however, I wanted to follow-up with you on how you made out and offer some additional suggestions. First, did you rejoin the Reserves or National Guard? Second, if you were/are unable to rejoin due to medical issues, have you checked to see if your state has an official State Guard? I find it to be an incredibly rewarding opportunity to not only continue service in uniform and enjoy camaraderie with fellow veterans, but also an opportunity to provide mentorship and instructions to volunteers without prior service, to include those civilians who join to see if military life is compatible with them. This often leads to enlistment in the federal service. BTW: I am sorry that members thumbed you down. I found this to be an appropriate question for the membership and applaud you for seeking to rejoin the service as much as possible to continue to serve.

Consider one of the vet programs, ie VFW, American Legion, or one of many others. Try to get and active post.

You can collect both, I only have a 20% disability and actively drill, there is a form that your commander signs every year that deducts your VA compensations from your drill pay.

PFC Corcoran, you cannot double dip. You get to choose to keep disability pay or military pay in lieu of VA compensation by law. I work for the VA and am a disabled Veteran. Having medically retired in lieu of a length of service retirement, I have great disdain for the current system that allows "broken" Reservists and Guard members" to drill and receive military pay, then revert back to disabled Veteran status. The VA has a tremendous backlog, partly due to the increase in claims from Guard and Reserve members that were mobilized to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq as frequently as active duty units since the middle of the last decade. What I don't comprehend is how someone with a bad back, bad knees, PTSD and/or any other disabling condition is physically fit to serve part-time while the active duty ranks are gutted through the MEB/PEB process as it should be. VA has to wait on notification from DFAS that a disabled Veteran returned to active duty status. So, "drill pay" claims are always worked in arrears and it forces VA to recoup over-payments and waste manpower doing so, instead of focusing that manpower on disability and compensation claims for those who served and no longer can or do. Thank you to all who have served, but if you are not fully capable of serving and world-wide deployable, get out, stay out, collect your VA benefits that you've earned and make way for another to serve and get promoted instead of holding a billet to accrue retirement points. If you want camaraderie and brotherhood, join VFW, DVA, American Legion or any other Veterans' Service Organization. Attend their meetings and participate in their volunteer activities, but don't come back in to hang out with other service members who have to go forward while you're on Rear-D. You can't get retired pay from the Guard/Reserve until you're 60 years old anyway and have ample opportunity and time to build a rewarding career outside of the military.

Wow! I don't know how that would work. Were you "medically retired" from the military? I think the nature of your disabilities would have a huge bearing on what would happen. You may have options, an MOS that fits within the confines of your disability. I understand your feel though. I hate say it, talk to a recruiter - not just one but several.

I think if you are 30% or less you can still serve in reserves but you forfeit VA pay.

I have has a few clients do that very thing. Percentage of disability as well as the actual disability itself should be a major factor in the decision making process. Now, if you have a permanent and total rating there is no way they will accept you and you would be crazy to jeopardize that. If its the comradery you seek, take the advice of someone here you told you to join a veterans organization. Remember another thing: You would be asking two governmental organizations to coordinate benefits. Really want to open that can of worms???

You can still be in reserve forces, but your reason for collecting va benifits can not be disqualifying medical reasons, and you can only collect retirement points towards retirement, more then likely you will be disqualified for medical reasons because you are getting va payments. If you were still in that would help

I could only collect disability or receive my National Guard Pay, couldn't collect both. If you go for the disability compensation, ensure you get a letter from the commander to state that you have given up your Drill Pay, or inform the VA that you are willing to give up your disability pay. The VA will take back all pay if you collect both. I gave up my Drill Pay. A couple of times the VA had misplaced my letter and they took back what they paid me.

Unless it has changed, the maximum disability is 30%, and you give the VA (used to be) your AT pay only. I was Activated with a 20% disability... and as a Reserve CO, I had a few men who were 30%. When I went (50, 70, 100) I was sent a retirement certificate.