VA Claim Support

VA Disability Claim Support

This page helps both active duty separating/retiring service members and Reserve/National Guard members file a VA disability compensation claim. The process is similar but the evidence requirements differ — Reserve claims live or die on duty status documentation.

The honest truth: this is overwhelming

Almost every veteran feels lost on their first claim. The forms are dense, the rules are weird (“VA math”), and the system is built for adjudicators, not applicants. You don’t have to do it all in one sitting. This page breaks the work into 30-minute chunks — pick one and stop. Do another tomorrow. The only thing that needs to happen today is submitting the Intent to File (Step 1, ~10 minutes).

The numbers that should reassure you

• ~35% of initial claims are denied — denial is not a verdict on whether you deserve compensation, it’s usually a documentation gap.
• 70%+ of veterans who appeal win their appeal.
• Average decision time: 77–130 days for a standard claim (≈3–4 months).
• PACT Act effect: Burn pit / toxic exposure approval rates went from ~25% to ~78% — if you served post-9/11 in CENTCOM or post-1990 in Southwest Asia, presumptive coverage is broader than you think.

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Today / This Week / This Month

If overwhelmed, just do these in order:

Timeframe	Task	Time needed
Today	Submit Intent to File (Form 21-0966) on VA.gov	10–15 min
Today	Start a notes doc with every condition you can think of	15 min
This week	Request DD-214(s), STRs, points statement	30 min
This week	Contact a free accredited VSO	1 phone call
This week	Write down the story of each condition (when, where, how)	1 hour
This month	Get civilian medical records	varies
This month	Schedule any needed civilian doctor visits to document current symptoms	varies
This month	File VA Form 21-526EZ as a Fully Developed Claim	1–2 hours with VSO

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First-Week Checklist

1. Submit Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) — protects effective date.
2. Request your records: DD-214(s), Service Treatment Records (STRs), orders, retirement points statement.
3. Write your condition list (template below).
4. Contact a free accredited VSO (DAV, VFW, American Legion, county VSO).
5. Gather civilian medical records — anything diagnosing or treating the conditions.
6. File VA Form 21-526EZ online at VA.gov when your claim list is ready.

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Step 1 — Intent to File

The Intent to File (ITF) reserves your effective date so any back pay is calculated from the day you filed the ITF, not the day your full claim is decided.

• Form: VA Form 21-0966
• Validity: 1 year — your full claim must be submitted within that window
• Channels: VA.gov online, 800-827-1000, in person at a Regional Office, or by mail
• Cost: Free

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Step 2 — Understand Your Service-Connection Path

Every claimed condition needs three elements:

1. A current diagnosis (or persistent symptoms documented by a clinician)
2. An in-service event, injury, or exposure
3. A nexus — medical opinion linking #1 to #2

For Active Duty

Service connection is generally straightforward — any qualifying period of active service counts. Use the BDD program (file 90–180 days before separation) for the fastest decision. Pre-discharge claims are processed before you take off the uniform.

For Reservists & National Guard

Reserve claims hinge on duty status at the time of injury or aggravation. VA recognizes:

Duty Status	Covers
Active Duty (Title 10) — mobilization, deployment	Injury or disease that occurred or was aggravated
Active Duty for Training (ADT) — annual training, schools	Injury or disease that occurred or was aggravated
Inactive Duty Training (IDT) — drill weekends	Injuries, plus heart attacks/strokes (disease generally not covered)

For each condition, identify which duty status applied when it started or worsened — that’s the question every adjudicator will ask.

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Step 3 — Build Your Claim List

Before filing, draft a table like this. Keep it as a working document — add to it as memory or records refresh.

Condition	When it started	Service event / duty status	Current symptoms / treatment	Records I have
Tinnitus	2021 deployment	Active duty — weapons range, no hearing pro	Constant ringing, sleep disruption	STR audiogram, current PCM note
Lumbar strain	2023 AT	ADT — lifting injury, sick call	Pain with sitting >1hr, PT 2024	LOD, AT orders, civilian PT records
Knee pain (right)	2022 drill	IDT — fall during PT	Stairs, kneeling, popping	Buddy statement pending
Sleep apnea	2024 (post-svc)	Possibly secondary to PTSD	CPAP study scheduled	Sleep study results

Tips:

• File for every condition you reasonably believe is service-connected. Don’t omit “minor” issues — VA rates each separately and they compound.
• Note secondary conditions (e.g., sleep apnea secondary to PTSD; knee pain causing back compensation).
• Don’t exaggerate. Be specific about functional impact: what you can’t do, how often, how bad.

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Step 4 — Gather Documents

For All Veterans

• DD-214(s) — every period of active duty
• Service Treatment Records (STRs) — sick call, profiles, dental, audiograms
• Civilian medical records — anything post-service related to claimed conditions
• Personal statement (VA Form 21-4138) — what happened, when, how it affects you now
• Buddy statements — written by people who saw the injury or symptoms (also Form 21-4138)

Reservists & Guard — Additional Critical Documents

• Mobilization / deployment orders (Title 10)
• Annual Training (AT) and ADT orders
• Drill calendars and retirement points statement (NGB Form 23 / ARPC 249)
• Line of Duty (LOD) determinations — the single most important Reserve document
• Profiles (DA Form 3349 / equivalent) issued during duty
• Sick call slips from drill weekends
• Accident / incident reports

Line of Duty determinations

If you were injured during drill or AT and there’s no LOD on file, request one now — even retroactively. Without an LOD, a Reserve claim for that injury is much harder to win.

How to request records

• STRs / personnel records: eVetRecs / NPRC or via your VSO
• DD-214s: Same — or milConnect for recent separations
• Reserve points / orders: Your component’s HR system (HRC for Army, ARPC for Air Force, etc.) and your unit S-1

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Step 5 — Get a Free Accredited Representative

Strongly recommended, especially for Reserve claims where duty status is contested.

• VSOs (free): DAV, VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, MOAA, Vietnam Veterans of America
• County / State VSOs: Often the most underrated resource — search “[your state] veterans service officer”
• Accredited claims agents and attorneys: Paid only on appeals (capped by law)

Find one at VA.gov — Find a Representative or use VA Form 21-22 (VSO) / 21-22a (attorney/agent).

Avoid “claim sharks”

Unaccredited consultants who charge upfront fees for initial claims are operating illegally. If someone wants money before you have a rating decision, walk away.

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Step 6 — File the Full Claim

• Form: VA Form 21-526EZ
• Online: VA.gov disability filing — fastest, has built-in upload
• Fully Developed Claim (FDC): Submit all evidence with the claim → faster decision
• Standard claim: VA assists in gathering evidence → slower but lower upfront effort

Active Duty: Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD)

• Eligibility: 90–180 days before separation, with 180+ days remaining at filing
• Required: separation orders/retirement orders, ability to attend C&P exams pre-separation
• Decision arrives within ~30 days after discharge

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Step 7 — Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exams

VA contractors (LHI, VES, QTC, MSLA) will schedule exams for each claimed condition.

Show up. Always. Missed exams are a top reason claims are denied.

How to prepare

• Bring your condition list and a one-page symptom log
• Describe your worst day, not your best — flare-ups, frequency, duration
• Be specific about functional limits: distance you can walk, weight you can lift, hours you can sit, sleep disruption, missed work
• Don’t minimize. Veterans habitually downplay; the examiner only sees what you describe.
• Bring civilian medical records the examiner may not have

After the exam

• DBQs (Disability Benefits Questionnaires) are uploaded to your file
• You can request a copy via FOIA or your VSO

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Step 8 — After the Decision

• Granted: Verify the rating percentage and effective date are correct
• Denied or low-balled: You have 1 year to file a Supplemental Claim (with new evidence), Higher-Level Review (no new evidence, senior reviewer), or Board Appeal
• Combined ratings use VA math (not simple addition) — see VA’s combined ratings table

Reserve-specific: Drill pay offset

If you receive VA disability and continue drilling, you must waive drill pay days equal to your VA compensation days annually (VA Form 21-8951). This is a paperwork exercise, not a benefit reduction — you choose whichever is higher.

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Common Reserve/Guard Pitfalls

• No LOD on file → request retroactive LOD before claiming
• Confusing AT with IDT → pull orders to confirm; matters because IDT excludes most disease claims
• Missing points statement → blocks proof of qualifying service periods
• Didn’t go to sick call → buddy statements + contemporaneous unit records help
• Pre-existing condition aggravated by service → claim aggravation, not initial onset; needs comparison evidence

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Common Active Duty Pitfalls

• Skipping BDD → file pre-separation; you lose nothing and gain ~6 months of back pay timing
• “I don’t want to be labeled disabled” → VA disability is compensation for service-connected harm, not a label. It also unlocks state benefits, healthcare, education, and tax exemptions.
• Filing without STRs reviewed → ask your VSO to walk through every page; STR entries you forgot are often the strongest nexus evidence

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Presumptive Conditions (Skip the Nexus Battle)

A presumptive condition is one VA already accepts as service-connected if you served in the right place at the right time. You still need a current diagnosis — but you do not need to prove the link. Always check the presumptive list before claiming. It can turn a 6-month evidence fight into a 30-day approval.

PACT Act (2022, expanded through 2026)

The PACT Act added 23+ presumptive conditions for burn pit and airborne hazard exposure (12 respiratory illnesses + 11 cancers). Approval rates for burn pit claims went from ~25% pre-PACT to ~78% post-PACT.

Who qualifies (location + dates):

• Post-9/11: Served on the ground or in the airspace above Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, or Yemen on or after September 11, 2001.
• Gulf War era: Served in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, UAE, the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, or the Red Sea on or after August 2, 1990.

Conditions (partial list): asthma diagnosed after service, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic rhinitis/sinusitis, constrictive bronchiolitis, emphysema, granulomatous disease, interstitial lung disease, pleuritis, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis; brain cancer, GI cancer, glioblastoma, head/neck cancers, kidney cancer, lymphatic cancer, lymphoma, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, reproductive cancers, respiratory cancers (any type), and more.

Other Major Presumptive Categories

• Agent Orange — Vietnam, Korean DMZ (specific dates), Thailand bases, C-123 crews, plus newer locations under PACT Act
• Camp Lejeune (1953–1987) — 8 presumptive conditions, plus VA healthcare for many more
• Gulf War Illness / Chronic Multisymptom Illness — undiagnosed/medically unexplained symptoms in Gulf War vets
• Radiation exposure — atomic veterans, certain cleanup operations
• Former POWs — extensive presumptive list
• Within 1 year of discharge — chronic diseases (arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, hearing loss, etc.) that manifest to a compensable degree

Always check the presumptive tool first

Before writing a single nexus letter, check VA’s presumptive eligibility tool for each of your conditions. If it’s covered, you skip the hardest part of the claim.

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”VA Math” — Why 50% + 30% Doesn’t Equal 80%

The single most confusing thing about VA ratings: disability percentages don’t add. They combine using the “whole person” model.

The VA assumes you start at 100% healthy. Each disability removes a percentage of what’s left, not a percentage of the original 100%.

Worked Example: 50% + 30%

1. Start at 100% efficiency.
2. Apply 50% disability → you have 50% efficiency remaining.
3. Apply 30% to the remaining 50% → 30% × 50% = 15% additional disability.
4. Total: 50% + 15% = 65% disabled → rounds to 70%.

Each subsequent rating chips off a smaller piece because there’s less “whole person” left. This is why veterans with five 30% ratings can end up at 80%, not 150%.

What this means practically

• High ratings first. Pursue your highest-impact conditions before piling on small ones.
• The jump from 90% to 100% is huge ($2,400+/month difference and unlocks dependent benefits, healthcare priority group 1, etc.). If you’re at 90%, talk to a VSO about whether any unclaimed condition or TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) could push you over.
• “Bilateral factor” adds extra credit when you have ratings on both arms or both legs — easily missed.
• Use the Hill & Ponton calculator or VA’s combined ratings table to model what-ifs.

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Top 5 Reasons Claims Get Denied (And How to Avoid Each)

#	Denial Reason	What Beats It
1	No nexus (medical link between service and current condition)	Get a nexus letter from a treating provider using “at least as likely as not” language (see template below). For presumptive conditions, skip this — the nexus is automatic.
2	Insufficient medical evidence (diagnosis exists but no impact documented)	Document functional impact: missed work, sleep loss, range of motion, frequency of flare-ups. The diagnosis alone won’t get you a high rating.
3	No current diagnosis — claiming symptoms without seeing a doctor	See a civilian or VA provider before filing. “I’ve had ringing in my ears for 5 years” is not a diagnosis; an audiologist’s report is.
4	Bad C&P exam (rushed examiner, wrong history, low opinion)	Bring records to the exam. Describe your worst day. Request a copy of the DBQ after. If clearly inaccurate, file a Higher-Level Review.
5	Incomplete forms / missed deadlines	Use a VSO. They literally do this for free. File Fully Developed Claims (FDC) with all evidence upfront.

Roughly 35% of initial claims are denied — but 70%+ of appeals succeed. A denial is rarely the end. It usually means one element was missing.

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Nexus Letter — The Element Most Veterans Miss

A nexus letter is a written medical opinion from a licensed provider that ties three things together:

1. Current diagnosis
2. In-service event/exposure/injury
3. The link between them — using specific legal language

The Magic Phrase

The provider must use a probability standard. Strongest acceptable language:

“It is at least as likely as not (50% or greater probability) that the veteran’s [condition] is caused by [or aggravated by] [in-service event/exposure].”

“Possibly,” “may be,” and “could be” are too weak. “Definitely caused by” is fine but rarely justifiable.

What a Strong Nexus Letter Contains

1. Provider’s credentials and statement that they reviewed the veteran’s records
2. Current diagnosis with date
3. Description of in-service event/exposure (pulled from STRs)
4. Probability statement with the magic phrase
5. Rationale — why the provider believes this (medical literature, clinical experience, timeline)
6. Signature, date, license number

Where to Get One

• Your treating physician — cheapest, often best if they know your history
• VA provider — sometimes willing, sometimes not; ask
• Independent Medical Opinion (IMO) specialists — paid services that produce nexus letters; useful for complex/contested claims
• Civilian specialist in the relevant field — often more credible than a generalist

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Buddy Statement Template (VA Form 21-10210)

Buddy statements are signed lay statements from people who saw your service, your symptoms, or both. They fill gaps where official records are silent (and they often are — soldiers don’t go to sick call for everything).

Who Should Write One

• Service buddy — confirms what happened, where, when
• Spouse / family — confirms how it changed you, ongoing symptoms, sleep, mood
• Coworker / supervisor — confirms work limitations, missed days, performance impact

Required Elements

1. Writer’s full name, contact info, relationship to veteran
2. How they know the facts (eyewitness, lived together, served in same unit)
3. Specific facts: dates, locations, what they personally observed
4. Sign + date (notarization not required, but doesn’t hurt)

Mini Template

Statement in Support of Claim — [Veteran Name], [SSN/File #]

I, [Writer Name], am the [relationship] of the veteran. I served with him in
[unit] from [dates] / I have lived with him since [date]. I am submitting this
statement based on my personal knowledge.

[Specific paragraph: what you saw, when, where. Use dates where possible.
Example: "On approximately 14 July 2022 during AT at Fort Pickett, I witnessed
[Veteran] fall from a 5-ton truck while loading equipment. He landed on his
right knee and was unable to bear weight. Medics evaluated him on site. He
limped for the remainder of the AT period and complained of knee pain daily."]

[Optional second paragraph: ongoing observations of symptoms.]

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

[Signature]    [Printed name]    [Date]
[Phone / email]

Submit on VA Form 21-10210 (statement in support) or VA Form 21-4138 (general).

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Secondary Service Connection — The Multiplier

A secondary condition is one caused or aggravated by an already service-connected condition. These are some of the highest-leverage claims because:

• You already won the hard battle (proving service connection of the primary)
• Each secondary adds to your combined rating

Common Secondary Chains

Primary (already SC)	Common Secondaries
PTSD / depression / anxiety	Sleep apnea, hypertension, GERD, IBS, erectile dysfunction, migraines, substance use
Tinnitus	Sleep apnea, migraines, anxiety, depression
Knee / ankle / foot	Lower back, hip, opposite-side knee (compensation gait)
Lower back	Radiculopathy (sciatica), bilateral knee, depression
Diabetes (often Agent Orange presumptive)	Peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney disease, ED, hypertension
Sleep apnea	Hypertension, depression, GERD
Medications (any SC condition)	Weight gain → sleep apnea; GI issues → GERD; sexual side effects → ED

Each of these requires a nexus letter linking the secondary to the primary using “at least as likely as not.” But because the primary is already established, the bar is lower than initial service connection.

Don’t sleep on sleep apnea

Sleep apnea secondary to PTSD or tinnitus is one of the most-granted secondary connections. If you have a CPAP and any service-connected mental health or hearing condition, file the claim. Current rating: 50% if you require a CPAP.

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Timeline — What to Expect After You File

Stage	Typical Duration
Intent to File acknowledged	Same day (online)
Standard claim → decision (FDC)	77–130 days average (2026)
C&P exam scheduled	30–60 days after VA receives claim
Decision letter delivered	1–3 weeks after rating
First payment	1 month after rating (back pay calculated to ITF date)

If Denied — Three Appeal Lanes

Lane	Use When	Avg. Time
Supplemental Claim	You have new evidence	~60 days
Higher-Level Review	You think the rater made a mistake (no new evidence)	90–125 days
Board Appeal	Complex case, want a Veterans Law Judge	~700+ days (with new evidence)

You have 1 year from the decision date to choose a lane.

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2026 Compensation Rates (Quick Reference)

Effective December 1, 2025 (2.8% COLA increase). Veteran with no dependents:

Rating	Monthly	Annual
10%	$180.42	$2,165
20%	$356.66	$4,280
30%	$552.47	$6,630
40%	$795.84	$9,550
50%	$1,132.90	$13,595
60%	$1,435.02	$17,220
70%	$1,808.79	$21,705
80%	$2,102.52	$25,230
90%	$2,361.95	$28,343
100%	$3,938.58	$47,263

At 30% or higher, additional amounts apply for spouse, children, and dependent parents. See the official VA rate table for your specific match.

Tax-free + state benefits compound

VA disability compensation is federal tax-free and state tax-free in every state. A 100% rating also unlocks property tax exemptions in many states (TX, FL, VA, IL, OK, MI, and more) — sometimes worth more than the federal compensation itself.

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State Benefits for Rated Veterans

Disability ratings unlock substantial state-level benefits — property tax exemptions, tuition waivers for dependents, hunting/fishing licenses, vehicle registration, and more. See the Leaving Service page for state highlights, or check your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Creators & Community Content

Social media has become one of the fastest ways to learn the VA system from veterans who’ve actually navigated it. Treat creators as starting points — verify everything against VA.gov or a free accredited VSO before acting. The community is a mix of accredited VSOs sharing free education, attorneys, and for-profit “claim consultants” (some legitimate, some predatory).

Spotting “claim sharks”

A 2025 Washington Post investigation flagged a growing industry of for-profit consultants charging veterans 20–40% of back pay or $5,000–$20,000 flat fees. By federal law, only VA-accredited VSOs, attorneys, and claims agents can represent you in a claim — and accredited VSOs are free. Use creators for education; use a free VSO to actually file.

TikTok

Creator	Handle	Focus
Lali Marie Hall	@lalimariehall	Veteran claims commentary, women veteran perspective
VetClaims.ai	@vetclaims.ai	AI-assisted claim prep walkthroughs (paid service: ~$1,250 flat — see vetclaims.ai)
The CivDiv (Clayton Simms)	@thecivdiv / @thecivdiv_update	Accredited VSO (Dale K. Graham Veteran Foundation) — free education, debunks myths, calls out scams
Rated Eventually	@ratedeventually	Claim journey, ratings strategy
VA Claims Insider	@vaclaimsinsider	Brian Reese — large following, paid coaching offers; useful free content but verify pitches

YouTube

Channel	Focus
Combat Craig	Desert Storm vet, 100% rated — strategies, denials, BDD; sells paid “boot camp” — free videos are the value
Hill & Ponton, P.A.	Accredited law firm — VA Math, secondary conditions, appeals (legal-grade explanations)
Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick (CCK Law)	Accredited firm — appeals, Board decisions, court wins
VA Claims Insider	Same brand as TikTok — extensive condition-specific videos
TheCivDiv	Long-form versions of the TikTok content

Instagram

Account	Handle	Focus
Department of Veterans Affairs (official)	@deptvetaffairs	Authoritative — benefits announcements, PACT Act updates
VA Claims Insider	@vaclaimsinsider	Tips and rate-update posts
Hill & Ponton	@hillandpontonpa	Legal explainer reels

How to use these accounts well

1. Cross-reference every claim against VA.gov or your VSO before acting on it.
2. Free first. A county/state VSO, DAV, VFW, or American Legion rep does everything a paid consultant does, accredited and at no cost.
3. Skip “guaranteed 100% rating” pitches — no one can guarantee a rating; it’s against accreditation rules to even imply it.
4. Don’t post your evidence or ratings publicly. Identifying details + medical info on TikTok have been used to harass veterans and contest claims.

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Resources

Official VA

• VA.gov — Disability Compensation — file claims, check status, upload evidence
• VA.gov — Intent to File (Form 21-0966)
• VA.gov — Disability Claim (Form 21-526EZ)
• VA.gov — Statement in Support of Claim (21-4138) — personal statements
• VA.gov — Lay/Witness Statement (21-10210) — buddy statements
• VA.gov — Find an Accredited Representative
• Guard & Reserve disability eligibility
• eBenefits / VA.gov claim status
• BDD Program
• PACT Act overview — burn pit and toxic exposure
• Hazardous materials exposure tool — check presumptive eligibility
• Airborne Hazards & Burn Pit Registry — VA Public Health
• 2026 compensation rates — official monthly tables
• About disability ratings (combined ratings table) — VA Math reference
• VA appeal options — Supplemental, HLR, Board Appeal
• Decision review timelines — current processing times

Calculators & Reference

• Hill & Ponton VA Disability Calculator — model combined ratings
• Veterans Guide Disability Calculator

Reserve / Guard Specific

• VA Guard & Reserve benefits summary (PDF)
• GAO report — challenges Reserve members face accessing compensation — useful context for why Reserve claims are harder
• Drill pay vs VA comp waiver (Form 21-8951)

Records

• eVetRecs (NPRC) — STRs, personnel records
• milConnect — DD-214, recent records

Community

• Leaving Service / MedBoarding section — transition context
• County or State VSO offices — find via your state Department of Veterans Affairs

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Related Pages

• Leaving Service — full transition guide
• Certification Funding Guide — VR&E, GI Bill, state programs
• Credentialing Assistance

Contribute

If you’ve been through the claim process and learned something the hard way — Reserve LOD tricks, BDD timing, C&P exam tips, state benefit gotchas — share it in the community chat or open a PR against this page.