VA Benefits for National Guard and Reserve Members

What it is

Guard and Reserve members serve in different ways, and VA treats each kind of duty differently. That's why this gets confusing. Here's the plain version.

Types of duty

• Federal active duty (Title 10). You were called up by the President, like for a deployment. If you served the full call-up and didn't get a dishonorable discharge, you generally count as a veteran for most VA benefits.
• Active duty for training (ACDUTRA). Things like annual training. This counts toward VA disability if you were disabled or died from an injury or disease that started or got worse during that training (including travel to and from).
• Inactive duty training (INACDUTRA). Usually weekend drill. This counts if you were disabled or died from an injury during drill, or from a heart attack or stroke during drill. Illnesses usually don't count.
• State duty (Title 32). Guard duty under the governor usually doesn't create veteran status on its own, except for training injuries as above and some full-time duty for certain benefits.

Benefits and how you qualify

• Disability compensation: For conditions tied to active duty, or for training injuries as above. Save your orders and line of duty reports.
• VA health care: If you were activated and served in a combat zone, you can get free care for five years after leaving active duty for conditions that may be tied to that service. Others may qualify based on service-connected conditions or income.
• Home loans: You qualify with six years in the Guard or Reserve, or 90 days of qualifying active duty (including some full-time Title 32 duty).
• Post-9/11 GI Bill: Based on time on active duty orders. The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve is another option for drilling members, run by the Department of Defense.
• Life insurance: You can convert SGLI to VGLI after leaving the Guard or Reserve.
• Burial: Members who are entitled to retired pay (or would be, except for their age) can generally be buried in a VA national cemetery.
• Vet Centers: Free counseling for many Guard and Reserve members, including those who served in combat or responded to disasters.

"Am I a veteran?"

Since 2016, Guard and Reserve members with 20 or more years who never served on federal active duty can call themselves veterans. That's an honor, but on its own it doesn't add new VA benefits.

How to apply, step by step

1. Gather your records. DD214 for each activation, NGB-22 or retirement points statements, orders, and line of duty (LOD) reports for any injury.
2. Report injuries right away during drill or training, and get an LOD finding. This is the key evidence later.
3. File for health care after each deployment.
4. File a disability claim for conditions tied to active duty or training injuries. You can file within 180 to 90 days before your active duty ends using BDD.
5. Check your home loan COE on VA.gov.
6. Talk to your unit's transition team or a VSO.

Mistakes to avoid

• Not getting a DD214 after each activation. Each one matters.
• Skipping the LOD report. Without it, training injuries are hard to prove.
• Assuming Guard service doesn't count. Many benefits are open to you.
• Getting paid twice. You generally can't get VA disability pay and drill pay for the same days. You'll need to waive one.

Related benefits

See our guides on filing your claim and BDD, disability compensation, VA health care, the VA home loan, the GI Bill, and Vet Centers.