Veterans who perform active or inactive duty training must choose one and waive the other You will waive benefits for the specific number of days you would have been paid both at once VA literature advises, "Most Veterans choose to receive drill pay instead of disability compensation or pension" If your disability is found to be permanent and is rated at 30 percent or greater, or you have 20 or more years of service, you will be placed on the Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL). Review your base military pay for a full month as if you were on active duty. The .gov means its official. The VA sends veterans a copy of Form 21-8951 once a year. while on active duty, report it to your medical support personnel. So if you serve the traditional one weekend a month, two weeks a year, you would receive military compensation for 63 days of service (48 weekend drills and 15 AT days). Your $400 drill pay is based on serving 4 days out of 30. If the decision was made in May, but backdated to an earlier date, use the earlier date. Neither The Military Wallet nor Three Creeks Media are associated with or endorsed by the U.S. MORE: Veterans: Unlock Your Homebuying Dreams with a VA Loan. Dual payments are legally referred to as "concurrent receipt." The U.S. Code prohibits service members from receiving dual compensation while on active duty or during inactive training. Now I have a letter I owe them over $7,800 because I didnt waive my disability pay while I drilled. Gardening is a great way to spend time outdoors and get in touch with nature. The Veterans unit commander must sign VA Form 21-8951 only if the Veteran reports. 2 years if that was your agreement when you enlisted, 4 years if you entered the Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty (called the 2 by 4 program). Surviving Spouses: A surviving spouse of a veteran may receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Veterans Non-Service Connected Disability Pension Benefits Sign up to get helpful Social Security information, announcements, and tips sent directly to your email inbox. Save big with our most popular military and veteran discounts on travel, retail, cell phones, and more! The certifying official may be someone in your schools financial aid, Veterans Affairs, registrar, admissions, or counseling office. IF they don't, this can ruin relationships and be a really bad idea. 1. All rights reserved. Why do you compare the full monthly rate for military base pay and VA disability compensation? Find out if you qualify for a VA home loan or a housing grant to help you live more independently with your service-connected disability. So if your VA disability compensation were $300 a month, each day of VA disability compensation is worth $10 per day. Thank you for your question. a section for your unit Commander to sign the form. Instructions on how to complete the form. This would mean writing a large check to DFAS. He served over six years on active duty in the USAF and is a current member of the Illinois Air National Guard.