Can I Serve In The Reserves?

[TankerMedic]

Hold on here a sec, are you guys saying that I can have my VA Rating and be medically retired AND be in the reserves? even with prorated pay to adjust for my 1weekend/month and 2wk/year?

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

I was 70% va and in the reserves, I don't know how deployments will work, but your va and drill pay will be I little different than someone that doesn't get both. I don't know about being medically retired though. I have no experience with that aspect in the reserves.

 

[spc_ralph]

Hold on here a sec, are you guys saying that I can have my VA Rating and be medically retired AND be in the reserves? even with prorated pay to adjust for my 1weekend/month and 2wk/year?

No, medically retired means you're out. In my case, since I got put on PDRL (permanent disability retirement list) I can never rejoin, not even the reserves or guard. If however, you get put on the TDRL, you got 5 years for your conditions to improve and get back in. In that case, the army (or whatever branch you were retired from) will call you every so often and tell you to report for an exam, to see if you've gotten better to the point of being able to serve again. If so, they'll talk you through getting back in. If not enough improvement in 5 years, they move you to the PDRL. I hope that all makes sense, I kinda confused myself there a little.
Oh, and deployments while receiving VA disability, from what I understand, if you get activated, you get a copy of the orders to the VA, and they basically "pause" your payments until you come off of your orders. Then the VA will continue paying again.

 

[Grizzly]

I would keep this post in mind still Link Removed

But MEB/PEB is a little different I think. But I would be willing to bet. Especially since more money is being cut from the VA by congress that they'll be looking at these circumstances on people and trying to cut percentage ratings in order to save money.

I'm at 90%. 70% for PTSD. I'm almost expecting them (VA) to lower my rating on the next re-evaluation in 2 years. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Spock]

You'll have to have your medical ratings improve next assessment to come off med retirement to rejoin. You can't be retired and serving at the same time. If there is a war and they call people in off retirement than they are activated and no longer retired. You can have ratings and serve. You will likely have a medical profile but if you fill a need they will use you.