Hello, I have been having amazing trouble finding a recruiter that answers a phone in my area for the air guard, and am dying to even know if i -COULD- join as I really wan't to join to finish up my retirement (already have 5 years AD Marine) AND get the 3D0X3 cyber surety training. The problem is, I got 30% disability for anxiety from the VA when I got out the first time. I have never taken medication or seen a doctor since I got out and it is not on my DD-214 and I have an RE-1 code for reenlistment etc and was petitioned pretty hard to reenlist while I was in. Do I have any options? Give up my disability - will they care if a doctor verifies im totally fine? Can they waive it? I have read they can do up to 30% but I am unsure if anxiety puts a whole different difficult spin on it. Please help? :P
The issue isn't gicving up your disability, but whether you are medically eligible to enlist in the Air Guard. It's not what your personal doctor certifies it is what the MEPS and the Air Force/Air Guard medical elements determine.
You may also want to research Reserve component retirement, in most instances there is no retirement income until age 65 as it is a part-time obligation rather than a full time active duty military obligation.
I believe I can be cleared by them if they examined me etc, and I read something about active duty time lowering the date you receive retirement from 60 all the way down to a possible 50 but I am fine with it being up there. I really wan't the training and would probably try to do full time guard if a slot opened up but the hardest part seems to be getting an Air Guard recruiter in California to pick up their phone.
I'm not sure what the limit is, but I am 20% disabled from my Marine Corps service (10% on each knee) and I have been in the Guard for 7 years.
Here's how it works: For every day you do a drill they subtract that from your VA disability pay. Say, for instance that you get $210 per month from the VA. That works out to $7 per day from the VA. If you drill for 60 days (remember each drill weekend counts as 4 days). Then you will lose two months of VA disability. 60 X $7 = $420 or two months of $210 disability checks.
Every year I get a letter from the VA asking me to verify how many drills I did for the year. They usually have the correct number. I get my CO to sign it then I send it in. Then I don't get my VA check for a couple of months. It's sounds random but it works.
I came on active duty for about a year. When you do extended periods of AD (over 30 days) you send a letter to the VA to stop your payments all together. Then when you come off of active duty you send them your DD-214/Orders and they'll start it again. Usually takes a few months but the process works for me.
30% might be the limit. I do not have a physical profile even though I am over 40. I can still do the PT test (average) so you will be fine. The mental issues may cause some pause. Good luck to you.
Just FYI - I spoke with an ANG recruiter last month and he mentioned that in 2014 a new policy is going into effect that you will no longer be required to forfeit your VA disability pay for your active duty days with the guard. You will get paid for both. Not sure if this info is correct, but it did come straight from the recruiter.
