Serving in the Reserves with a VA Disability Rating?

[ThrowAway4HIPAA]

I got pushed out as a FOS and was looking to continue my service in the reserves to eventually make my 20 (and to hopefully still fly).

My VA disability package came back, and I was expecting a 60%ish rating but due to my collective issues was granted a 100% disability rating.

Can I serve in the reserves with any rating? I've seen in google searches on other forums people who serve in the Army Reserve with up to 60% or so... but there isn't any info on Navy Reserves. Especially not when it has to do with the aviation side of the house. I presume at the least I'd be giving up my flight ability with the Navy, and obviously I understand you need to waive the portion of your disability payments while on active duty or performing drill... but can I join at ALL with such a high rating? Is it worth it?

If anyone has any personal recommendations or guidance they could share with me, people who might be serving in the reserves now with a VA disability rating... please PM me. Feel free to make recommendations below, if you can... but anyone who has some serious knowledge and doesn't mind giving me the gouge in a more private manner please PM it.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

For DCO, like those coming right off the streets or from enlisted to officer the rule of thumb has been 30%. You should contact a local NAVET/CTO to see what options you have, but my guess that it's slim pickings with a 100% disability.

 

[Flash]

?..My VA disability package came back, and I was expecting a 60%ish rating but due to my collective issues was granted a 100% disability rating.

Can I serve in the reserves with any rating? I've seen in google searches on other forums people who serve in the Army Reserve with up to 60% or so... but there isn't any info on Navy Reserves....

We just had a guy retire this last weekend after 5 or so years in the VTU and he went through this whole rigmarole. I believe he was ~50% and when the NOSC found out he was processed out of the SELRES and put into the IRR. But about a year ago he was offered the chance to come back as a SELRES (lots of empty reserve billets in Norfolk they can't fill), we also had a Chief in the unit for a while who was 80% and the NOSC let her stay as a SELRES until she was able to retire. So as far as we could figure out there is no standard across the Navy Reserve for what % disability is the cutoff for being SELRES, it seems to be NOSC dependent and I have never seen anything official to suggest otherwise.

All that said though Rufio is right about 30%, below that and there seems to be few if any issues but above that then it seems to start to be an pissue in the reserves. A 100% rating will cause a lot of questions from multiple folks and I very seriously doubt you will be able to fly, much less even get to be a SELRES but at least it is worth asking your local NOSC. @Gatordev will have a better idea about reserve hardware units and their particulars though.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I wish I could get my disability up to 100%!!

 

[Gatordev]

Like Rufio said, I'd touch base with your CTO and start there. I was never really clear on how the Reserves found out about your actual rating, but they certainly know about receiving disability as you'll have to decline the money while serving as a SELRES (there's a form you fill out every year).

I don't know of a diffinitive number, but I know one of my SELRES had some larger number than 0% and was still able to drill and fly. I'm ignorant as to why your disability rating affects your flight physical and ability to fly, since it wouldn't seem the two talk to one another and if you can pass a flight physical, you're medically qualified to fly.

Maybe @Jim123 knows more. He LOVES this admin minutia.

 

[Flash]

...I was never really clear on how the Reserves found out about your actual rating, but they certainly know about receiving disability as you'll have to decline the money while serving as a SELRES (there's a form you fill out every year)...

It asks if you are receiving disability on the PHA form.

 

[Gatordev]

Well that will do it, I guess. I don't think I've filled out a PHA form in at least 10 years, so hadn't seen that it was on there.

 

[Flash]

Well that will do it, I guess. I don't think I've filled out a PHA form in at least 10 years, so hadn't seen that it was on there.

The standard physical questionnaires all have it, the flight physical form has it too.

 

[Gatordev]

The standard physical questionnaires all have it, the flight physical form has it too.

Technically, I don't fill that out either. I just put my name in the blanks and let doc delete whatever block I may have checked....ironically enough, for documenting disability.

 

[Flash]

Technically, I don't fill that out either. I just put my name in the blanks and let doc delete whatever block I may have checked....ironically enough, for documenting disability.

I guess your local medical folks have moved beyond the 'photocopy the same form 5000 times' stage then.

 

[Jim123]

Maybe @Jim123 knows more. He LOVES this admin minutia.

Off the top of my head, I can't remember what the VA disability number is (or if there even is one) for being a reservist.

If you have medical problems, that keep you from doing your job in the reserves (could include going on active duty orders overseas and/or CONUS, getting waived from parts of the PRT for something that isn't temporary), then your ability to continue in the reserves basically goes to a medical board... so it depends. That's putting it in layman's terms.

 

[a_dub]

I finally got cleared to go back into reserves with 30%, took 3 trips to MEPS over 2 years and a lot of follow-up...If selected for commission I have to turn down the monthly payments. I was drilling with 30% and once a year would get a letter saying I owed some of it back, it was a trade off of days drilled vs payments, as you cannot get both. But, I went IRR and ultimately got out about 18 months ago. But, people told me I couldn't get back in with 30%, worth following the advice above and contact people.

 

[snake020]

...But about a year ago he was offered the chance to come back as a SELRES (lots of empty reserve billets in Norfolk they can't fill)...

Must be different designator demands. I've been unable to get into SELRES for a few years now due to overmanning.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Must be different designator demands. I've been unable to get into SELRES for a few years now due to overmanning.

I saw several who were at 30% or greater get denied to come back in, never saw anyone successfully do it.

 

[RHINOWSO]

You can serve with a VA rating, you just can't get paid both VA rating and Military pay on the same day.

Usually you waive the VA rating pay on the day you drilled at the end of the year... then it takes the VA about 6-12 months to actually dock you that pay (they just widthhold future payments). So for a typical Selres doing 60 drills (2 weeks plus 48), you lose about 2 months of rating (if it's beneficial to do so).

If your VA rating is so high that you waive drill pay, then you shouldn't be in the Selres, just hanging in the IRR to get points (since you aren't getting paid anyway). That is simply a math equation to figure out, but for most Os it's worth it to drill.

Glad I'm done with that crap, completely.