Eligible retirees could just sit back and wait for the checks. Recently, however, VA said it was mistaken. While officials can verify an individual's eligibility, they can't give the Defense Department an automated list. Defense officials now are scrambling to prepare an application form, decide how to distribute it and what documentation to require. This could take a couple of months.
Officials urge patience by retirees.
They will be notified when and where forms are available. All payments, when they begin, will be retroactive to Oct. 1. For years, NAUS and other military and veterans associations have fought for concurrent receipt of retired military pay and VA compensation. The main objection to eliminating the offset has been money. HR 303 would permit retired members with over 30 years of service with service-connected disabilities to receive compensation from the VA concurrently with retired pay without any offset.