VA BENEFITS BASED ON NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE SERVICE

Individuals who served in the National Guard or Reserves face many challenges when attempting to obtain VA benefits. To begin with, they must establish that they had qualifying “active” service; otherwise, the VA will not consider them to be a “veteran.” Additionally, some VA rules that make it easier for veterans to obtain benefits based on active duty service don’t apply to periods of active duty for training or inactive duty training. Making matters worse, records related to National Guard and Reserve service are often lost or incomplete. This webinar will help advocates understand the special rules that apply to VA benefits based on National Guard and Reserve service. It will also provide tips for helping former members of the National Guard and Reserves obtain VA benefits.

This 90-minute webinar will cover the following and more:

• The types of service performed by members of the National Guard and Reserves that are considered “active” and will qualify the member as a “veteran”
• Other VA rules that often impact former members of the National Guard and Reserves, including length of active service requirements and the applicability of the presumptions of soundness and aggravation
• How various presumptions of service connection apply to periods of active duty for training and inactive duty training
• Eligibility for VA home loan programs based on National Guard and Reserve service
• Military records that are important for VA claims of former National Guard members and Reservists, and how to attempt to obtain them