LANSING, Mich., May 18, 2023 — State Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor Charter Township) introduced a resolution today to allow National Guard members and reservists to receive full or partial active-service pay in tandem with disability compensation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Disabled people who want to serve their nation face a tough choice: keep their disability benefits or opt into active-duty pay,” Conlin said. “The least we could do is offer our veterans the opportunity to serve their country while maintaining the benefits to which they are entitled in view of their disabled status. I can’t think of a population more deserving of such an accommodation.”
Currently, federal statute prohibits individuals from serving in the National Guard or the military reserves from simultaneously receiving VA disability compensation and active-service pay at the same time. As a result, members of the reserves or National Guard must waive either their VA disability compensation or their active-duty pay for full-time training and drills, deterring disabled veterans from serving.