GAO reports on Reserve members and disability benefits access issues


“Members of the National Guard and the Reserves can claim Veterans Affairs disability benefits. But they may struggle to prove that disabilities are service-related when they only serve part-time—making it harder for them to access benefits.” This is according to the GAO.

According to their report, the VA “approved 11 to 20 percent fewer initial disability compensation claims from members of the reserve components—the Reserves and National Guard—than the active components (i.e., full-time active-duty military) each year from 2012 through 2021, the most recent data available.”