• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Ground truth on ADT and VA Benefits?

Guesser

New Member
Lookin for some cold hards facts on whether or not ADT for Operational support qualifies for various VA benefits, namely VA Home Loan and GI Bill. Most articles and literature specify that ADT does not qualify, with the underlying assumption that the ADT is for schools or other training.

I have had a difficult time tracking down the bottom line on ADT for operations. The GI Bill benefits do seem cut and dry, stating that ADT does count, but VA Loan is more ambiguous. If these type of ADT days do in fact count, what proof do I need to provide? What can I provide prior to receiving a DD214 if I'm currently on orders?

Anyone have first hand experience? Particularly interested in the Home Loan in the near term..
 
Last edited:

Hozer

Jobu needs a refill!
None
Contributor
Generally, ADT is not creditable towards GI Bill eligibility. 90 days cumulative Active service is the minimum. the GI Bill customer service folks are actually quite helpful and there are many individual circumstances that may make you eligible. Sometimes the VA looks for a deployment to a combat zone for the 90 day minimum threshold. Two years of creditable active service generally makes one eligible, regardless of deployments to combat zones.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp

Home loan basics:

Served 90 consecutive days of active service during wartime, served 181 days of active service during peacetime,
You have more than 6 years of service in the National Guard or Reserves, you are the spouse of a service member who has died in the line of duty or as a result of a service-related disability...

http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/purchaseco_eligibility.asp

ymmv. I can't say enough good things about the GI Bill.

Cheers.
 
Generally, ADT is not creditable towards GI Bill eligibility. 90 days cumulative Active service is the minimum. the GI Bill customer service folks are actually quite helpful and there are many individual circumstances that may make you eligible. Sometimes the VA looks for a deployment to a combat zone for the 90 day minimum threshold. Two years of creditable active service generally makes one eligible, regardless of deployments to combat zones.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp

Home loan basics:

Served 90 consecutive days of active service during wartime, served 181 days of active service during peacetime,
You have more than 6 years of service in the National Guard or Reserves, you are the spouse of a service member who has died in the line of duty or as a result of a service-related disability...

http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/purchaseco_eligibility.asp

ymmv. I can't say enough good things about the GI Bill.

Cheers.
Hozer, I followed your link, but I’m still not sure where it discusses ADT. Can you provide any more details or references? Sorry if I missed it btw.

I thought drills, funerals, and Annual Training did NOT count, but ADT, ADSW and mobs did.

I’ll call the VA next week as well.
 

bubblehead

Registered Member
Contributor
ADT counts towards total aggregated active service. See attached. The VA is stupid in that you may have to provide to them a letter containing: copies of your endorsed orders, the attached PDF, and table outlining how many active days you have done (see screenshot).

When I applied for GI Bill benefits a couple for grad school, the VA initially denied my request stating I did not have enough active time. After I submitted my letter to them, it was approved.
 

Attachments

  • Selected_Reserve_Post_9_11_Qual_Service_Table.pdf
    20.6 KB · Views: 64
  • Screen Shot 2018-05-19 at 09.15.36.png
    Screen Shot 2018-05-19 at 09.15.36.png
    309.5 KB · Views: 54

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
@bubblehead That chart is great, thank you sir.

Do you know if ADT time counts toward qualifying for veteran-owned small business (VOSB) status with the VA?

I have heard different rules, and their website FAQ on VOSB eligibility criteria is ambiguous.
 
ADT counts towards total aggregated active service. See attached. The VA is stupid in that you may have to provide to them a letter containing: copies of your endorsed orders, the attached PDF, and table outlining how many active days you have done (see screenshot).

When I applied for GI Bill benefits a couple for grad school, the VA initially denied my request stating I did not have enough active time. After I submitted my letter to them, it was approved.

Thanks Bubblehead. Footnote 2 “written ADT orders not reflecting the legal reference will qualify toward the total aggregate” seems confusing to me. Since ADT is used both operationally and for training, I thought maybe only some ADT counted.

I left AD on 7/31/2004, so when I transferred benefits I was placed in the 30-36mo/90% benefits (41 days or so shy of 3yrs post 9/11 AD). This year, when my son went to use the benefits, the VA said congratulations, based on your active service you qualify for 100%?

He’s going to a private/yellow-ribbon school (yellow ribbon is only offered for those with 100%), so that’s huge.

I do have 19 days of ADT...which still doesn’t seem like enough. I’ve called, but gave up.

I don’t trust this great news, so I’m looking into ADT options to put me over the hump. Thanks for the ref and your experience.
 

bubblehead

Registered Member
Contributor
Thanks Bubblehead. Footnote 2 “written ADT orders not reflecting the legal reference will qualify toward the total aggregate” seems confusing to me. Since ADT is used both operationally and for training, I thought maybe only some ADT counted.

I left AD on 7/31/2004, so when I transferred benefits I was placed in the 30-36mo/90% benefits (41 days or so shy of 3yrs post 9/11 AD). This year, when my son went to use the benefits, the VA said congratulations, based on your active service you qualify for 100%?

He’s going to a private/yellow-ribbon school (yellow ribbon is only offered for those with 100%), so that’s huge.

I do have 19 days of ADT...which still doesn’t seem like enough. I’ve called, but gave up.

I don’t trust this great news, so I’m looking into ADT options to put me over the hump. Thanks for the ref and your experience.
ALL ADT counts.
 

bubblehead

Registered Member
Contributor
Do you know if ADT time counts toward qualifying for veteran-owned small business (VOSB) status with the VA?

38 CFR Part 74 - VETERANS SMALL BUSINESS REGULATIONS

Veteran is a person who served on active duty with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, for any length of time and at any place and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. Reservists or members of the National Guard called to Federal active duty or disabled from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty or while in training status also qualify as a veteran.
 
ALL ADT counts.
Got it--All ADT counts.

I'm still confused as to how I went from rating 90% to 100%. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. I have a hard time believing that my 19 days gets me within rounding error distance of 36 months post 9/11 service. I'll keep calling the VA ("Teacher, you forgot to give us homework" kind of thing).
 
Got it--All ADT counts.

I'm still confused as to how I went from rating 90% to 100%. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. I have a hard time believing that my 19 days gets me within rounding error distance of 36 months post 9/11 service. I'll keep calling the VA ("Teacher, you forgot to give us homework" kind of thing).

I suspect I’m a rare case of the VA’s error being in my favor. I’m pretty sure I’m about 20 days short of 36 months post 9/11 service, but I’ve called the VA twice and the best they can do is say “no, I’m looking right here and you’re at 100%”.

It will be a bit disappointing if in four years a mistake comes out and I’m on the hook for the yellow ribbon expenses...
 
Top