Are Reservists Being Left Behind in the VA Disability Process?

Reservists–those who served in the Reserves or National Guard–who are partly or completely disabled due to a service-connected medical condition are entitled to VA disability benefits, just like any other military veteran. Unfortunately, an in-depth study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that reservists aren’t treated exactly like other veterans for VA disability purposes.

What GAO-24-105400 Reveals about Benefits for Reservists

Overall, the GAO found that the approval rate for initial VA disability claims from reservists was 11-20% lower than that for full-time, active-duty members of the military.

Some Reservists Have Lower Approval Rates Than Others

While reservists across the board were less likely to be approved for VA disability benefits than active duty military, some groups were more seriously impacted than others. For example, minority reservists were approved at a lower rate than white reservists.

Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native reservists all received initial approvals at lower rates than white reservists. However, the disparity was not as dramatic as it was for black reservists.

	*Initial Approval Rate*
Race	Reservists	Active Duty Military
White	71%	84%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	69%	86%
Hispanic	67%	84%
Asian	67%	84%
American Indian/Native Alaskan	63%	82%
Black	48%	73%

Junior enlisted reservists were approved at a rate of 56%, while 78% of reserve component officers were approved. However, reservist officers were still approved at a much lower rate than active duty officers. 92% of active duty officers received a positive initial determination.

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Why are Reservists Approved at Lower Rates?

There are several challenges relating to reservist claims for VA disability. For example:

Reservists may be less likely to immediately document medical issues in a way that allows them to demonstrate a service connection later
Reservists working in small blocks makes it more difficult to show that a condition arose during service
Establishing specific dates of services can be more difficult, and forms are not always appropriate to elicit the right information from reservists

GAO Recommendations to Address the Gap in Approval Rates

To ensure that reservists who are entitled to VA disability benefits receive those benefits and increase the likelihood that they will secure benefits without having to go through a time-consuming appeal process and the accompanying delay in benefits, the GAO made 14 recommendations. Because the recommendations are made to distinct departments or personnel and one recommendation is directed to each, the actual number of substantive recommendations is less than 14.

The VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits should develop a mechanism for better communicating the limitations of its incomplete data and unreliable variables for records before 1985. (Recommendation 1)
The Secretary of Defense should work with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop educational materials making reservists aware of their potential eligibility and how prompt reporting and documentation can affect that eligibility. (Recommendations 2 and 3)
The Secretary of Defense and the VA Under Secretary for Benefits should ensure that reserve components make guidance on reporting and documentation readily available to their members. (Recommendations 4 and 5)
The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Director of ODEI clarifies policies for military service assessments of reserve component Military Equal Opportunity programs, to reduce medical bias and improve access to disability benefits. (Recommendation 6)
The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Director of ODEI conducts oversight reviews of Military Equal Opportunity Programs to further the aims set forth in Recommendation 6. (Recommendation 7)
The Secretaries of the Army, AIr Force and Navy should plan for a new DD Form 214-1, to be implemented by February of 2025, and the Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commandant of the Marine Corps does the same.. (Recommendations 8, 9, 10 and 11)
The VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits should work with DOD to ensure VA claims processors have ready access to a reliable source of data verifying reserve component members’ dates of service and duty status. (Recommendation 12)
The VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits should monitor differences in initial disability compensation claim approval rates between active and reserve component members. (Recommendation 13)
The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness should–in consultation with the VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits–use the information collected under REcommendation 13 to determine what is needed to address continuing challenges. (Recommendation 14)

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Challenges Facing Reservists Have Been Partially Addressed

In July of 2024, the GAO published a follow-up to the 2023 report, finding that most but not all of the recommendations had been addressed and some areas were lacking clear plans for implementation. There are also some issues that have been addressed moving forward, but not for those who separated from the service earlier. For example, the new DD 214-1 form has been implemented across all branches of the military, but is generally not issued to reservists who separated before implementation.

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What Can Reservists Do To Improve their Chances of Securing VA Disability Benefits

One way reservists can mitigate the obstacles they face in pursuing VA disability benefits is to seek help from an experienced VA disability benefits advocate from the outset. At Disabled Vets, our advocates understand the types of gaps created by reservist service records and the difficulty in tying a disability to military service, and will work with you to secure the documentation necessary to fill in those blanks.

If you’ve already submitted a VA disability claim and been denied or received a request for additional information, we can help with that too. That includes helping you determine which of the three possible appeal paths makes the most sense in your specific situation.

To learn more about how Disabled Vets can help you secure the benefits you earned, call us today at 888-373-4722 or fill out our contact form HERE. We offer free case reviews to help you understand your rights and options, whether you’re just embarking on the VA disability claim process or have already received a negative determination.