Posted on Feb 27, 2014
Can I join the Army Reserves or National Guard if I am currently collecting compensation from the VA?
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I have been collecting disability compensation from the VA since October 2012 and I am also using my Post 9/11 GI Bill to attend college. I really miss the camaraderie and brotherhood I felt while in the military. I really want to join the Army reserves or the National Guard so I can still attend college but be part of the military again. Would I have to cancel all of my disability compensation? Is that even possible? Some one help me out. Thanks.
Prior Service
Disability
VA Claim
Army Reserve
Army National Guard
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 277
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I believe it depends on your medical condition and the percentage of disability you are collecting.
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LTC Michael Parker
It depends on whether or not you meet fitness standards regardless of the VA rating.
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This a very fact specific question. The simple answer is yes as long as you don't have a condition or take meds that make you non-deployable. As stated by others, you can't receive drill pay and VA disability concurrently. once a year you have to report the number of days you were paid for by the military to the VA and ellect if you want to loose those days in drill pay or VA disability. Simple math.
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They will give you an option after the new year for the commander to sign, then depending on how many days you attended drill they will stop you compensation for that may days.. example you drill 56 days total all year then you will not get compensation taken for 2 months.. they will give you plenty of notice before..
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The answer is that it depends. The chances are that you might not be able to pass MEPS and AR 40-501 requirements for enlistment/commissioning in the US Military if you are disabled enough to qualify for compensation.
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I thought about your question for a few seconds and just shook my head. I thank you for your prior service, which was interrupted by an injury of some kind, and I am happy you got an Honorable Discharge so you can collect VA compensation.
However, Ask yourself this! Will my disability interfere with the safety of my unit or completion of their mission. If it would interfere with their safety or ability to complete the mission successfully, then I would have to say no don't attempt to reenter the Army.
You are a veteran, you served, now accept what has happened and find another way to enjoy the camaraderie you enjoyed before. Veterans Associations, events on local posts, etc. God bless and I salute you for your desire to serve our great country.
However, Ask yourself this! Will my disability interfere with the safety of my unit or completion of their mission. If it would interfere with their safety or ability to complete the mission successfully, then I would have to say no don't attempt to reenter the Army.
You are a veteran, you served, now accept what has happened and find another way to enjoy the camaraderie you enjoyed before. Veterans Associations, events on local posts, etc. God bless and I salute you for your desire to serve our great country.
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I just feel bad for our Korean War veterans, Vietnam-era veterans, Desert Storm/Desert Shield veterans, and pre-9-11 vets who have been shafted by the VA when trying to do their initial and follow-on VA claims. I’m truly thankful that the VA claim system has improved during my era, and I would never truly understand the frustration that some of our previous veterans have gone through. Without their lobbying of Congress to fix the system, I would have never been in this position. I’m truly grateful to all those past veterans who have addressed these issues.
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I think that might tie in with having your cake and eating it too. Doesn't the disability pay
identify you as someone unable to perform normal duties. How would you be able to join the Reserves or National Guard if you're been identified as disabled?
identify you as someone unable to perform normal duties. How would you be able to join the Reserves or National Guard if you're been identified as disabled?
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FWIW, i went in the Marines while collecting VA compensation from Army service. of course, the compensation stopped while i was active and i had to be re-evaluated when i left the Corps.
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PO1 Robert Chalmers
I don't know if you can still do it now, but when I was in, we had several people who were drilling just for retirement points, but weren't collecting pay.
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It is my understanding depending on the percentage you can join the reserves but they take out what ever you make from disability, don't quote me on that, just getting this from a SFC who collects partial from a past deployment. So in essence if he is right you only get above what your disability pays. You would have to check with a retention NCO or recruiter to be sure.
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You would have to give up or pay back the money while with the reserves I had to
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You can join the guard as long as you are allowed to reenlist first. If you do enlist in the guard you will have to choose VA pay or Guard pay. If you try and be sneaky about it you will be called out and either pay the VA back for the drill days you do a year. So do the right thing and pick one or the other.
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There will be a code on your dd214 says if u are eligible to reenlist..
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SSG Robert White
You need to check with a Reserve Recruiter, all the answers here are people's opinions and not the current regulations. Seek out a professional and don't seek answers in this forum, you will be greatly disappointed. There is an old saying "An ounce of prevention with worth a pound of cure"!
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CPL Aloysius Grimaudo
All he has to do is look at his dd214 it tells u right on there... my code says I'm not able to ever cause I'm 100 percent disabled.. its says it on everybody's..
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I went through this situation. I was in the Guard and was diagnosed with PTSD.I started receiving my compensation from the VA and received a letter a few moths later saying that I either receive Drill Pay and drop the compensation,or keep receiving compensation and Drill for points only. No double dipping. They will make you pay it back.
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SSG Jeffrey Leake
BG (Join to see) - Sir,I appreciate your guidance. I wish someone would have gone over it with me at that time. I left my Infantry Unit and reclassed as an 88M in the Western part of North Carolina. My father lived there and was ill due to Agent Orange exposure during his 2 tours in Vietnam. I moved to help him out.
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SSG Robert White
BG (Join to see) - Actually you can drill and receive compensation. After some time, the VA will inform you that you drilled for so many days and they are going to suspend your compensation for that many days.
What you should be looking at is would it be better being in a IMA slot. This way your drilling for points vs. being in a TPU.
Also, even though we have the Wounded Warrior Programs, you might want to look at being med boarded and get a medical retirement. I would contact the Army Wounded Warrior Program at Walter Reed. Call ret CSM Tim Battle at [login to see] and find out what you need to do to get boarded.
Last, if your percentage is too high, and with the downsizing of the Army, at some point they may look at cutting you loose. The military can only carry so many people that are non deployable. Unless you meet the criteria for a Chapter 3 retirement (between 15-19 years), you could lose everything. Weigh your options carefully.
What you should be looking at is would it be better being in a IMA slot. This way your drilling for points vs. being in a TPU.
Also, even though we have the Wounded Warrior Programs, you might want to look at being med boarded and get a medical retirement. I would contact the Army Wounded Warrior Program at Walter Reed. Call ret CSM Tim Battle at [login to see] and find out what you need to do to get boarded.
Last, if your percentage is too high, and with the downsizing of the Army, at some point they may look at cutting you loose. The military can only carry so many people that are non deployable. Unless you meet the criteria for a Chapter 3 retirement (between 15-19 years), you could lose everything. Weigh your options carefully.
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BG (Join to see)
SSG Robert White - Yes, the VA just adds up your number of days on duty status and then deducts it once a year instead of every month. Since drill days are double pay, you will come out ahead, just realize that your last VA check of the year will be short. While you can find an IMA slot, many are DIMA slots which are the same as TPU as far as pay is concerned. Better to get pay and points in my opinion.
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Yes you can. I've done it for years. You cannot collect pay and VA compensation for the same days, so for training days, you'll have to pay that amount back. It is withheld from the next year's VA compensation. If you are on orders for an extended period of time... 30+ days or more, you can notify the VA and ask them to suspend the VA compensation for the duration of your orders, then start it again when your orders are completed. As noted in previous comments, most Guard or Reservists have about 40 days or duty for the year. At the beginning of each fiscal year, you'll get a form from the VA asking for verification or correction of the number of days that they paid that you were on duty. That amount will be withheld in the next years VA compensation. It's spread out over the entire year and not withheld all at once. Very doable and easy to adjust to. The number of Soldiers in my unit collecting both has grown with the number of deployments... Only 1 has had a VA compensation issue. It was resolved without too much heartburn.
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SSG Robert White
You need to get a DD220 if your AD is for less than 90 days. After 90 days you will get a DD214. If your injured during the period of 1-89 days, you need the DD220 to show that you were injured so you can claim VA compensation.
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Yes you can. Many people coming off active duty are eligible for VA Benefits, but rather than going into the IRR for the remainder of their enlistment they go into the regular reserve. You get benefits for the days you're not in uniform. Those are caught up each year via paperwork. You'll essentially be collecting benefits for 26 of the normal 30 days / month. If the disability is an MOS limiting condition, they may restrict you, but normally it's not, or they'll let you reclass to another MOS. There are many Soldiers who get both VA compensation and USAR pay. If you're mobilized or come back on active duty, the VA benefits stop. The govt will only pay for your care 1 way, either thru the Army or thru the VA. My disability is for an injury to my hand and my knees. I can still do my job, but collect benefits for the days I'm not in uniform.
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SSG Robert White
Most people do their VA exams wrong. When getting out, they do the exams the way they learned while in the military. The military wants to know how healthy you are. The VA wants to know how messed up you are. Also, the VA might not have done a proper C&P evaluation. If that was the case, your entitled to a second opinion. You will need to put the reason on a 21-4138 and cite (word for word) why you should be entitled to a second opinion from the C&P manual. You want to do this the next day after your C&P exam so as to not have it delayed. Also, when you get out, you have one year after getting out to file a claim. If you do, the VA will pay you from the start of the next month after you have gotten out. If you haven't had to opportunity to file a claim, make sure you send in a 21-0966 before the one year is up to extend the period by another year (this is called an INFORMAL claim). If your going to reopen your claim, send in the 0966. If you live east of the Mississippi, fax to [login to see] . If you live west of the river, you can still fax to that number, but there is a fax number that goes to WI.
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