COAR $$$ QUESTIONS - SSDI - M-DAY - GI BILL

nwlivewire

nwlivewire

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
I understand a Servicemember has the option of requesting COAR.

I am a traditional M-Day, mobilized for OIF and still on AD orders in AW2 - CB-WTU.

QUESTIONS:

1. At what stage in the process does the Soldiers request for COAR come into play - MEB or PEB?

2. I have 17 good years in - got three more to go.
If approved, what impact is there in the financial landscape for receiving drill pay?

A. With SSDI dollars? (Will SS even let you drill?)

B. With VA dollars?

In other words, what do I stand to financially gain and/or lose during that three year period where I am trying to get to a 20-year letter? Partial paybacks to SSDI/VA?

I will only be doing the minimum time (whatever that is these days) that would be required to get to a "good" year.

3. What about the new GI Bill stipend money? Do those stipend dollars count against me with either of these agencies?

I'm trying to plan a financial budget to see if I can afford to make it to twenty. Sure would like to.

Thank-you for your time on these questions.
 
Any takers on these questions?

Are there any COAR M-Day Servicemembers out there receiving this combination of benefits? (M-Day drill pay, VA Compensation, SSDI, and GI Bill Stipend?)

If so, how do all these different income streams work together? Or do they?

Are there off-sets? If so, what are they? And to which agenices?
 
I can't speak for the Army processes, but it appears as if you are confusing terms. For those who don't know what COAR is (I just had to look it up) it stands for continuation of active reserve. There is MUCH recent discussion on this site regarding continuation of active duty orders for injuries/illnesses. Read those discussions. Drill pay is typically inactive duty training pay, and should not be confused with active duty pay. If you do inactive duty training (which requires you to be fit for duty) you are demonstrating your fitness ability to work and may not qualify for SSDI.

What are your injuries/illnesses? Are you going before an MEB? Where are you in the DES process? Were you injured on active duty? If so, you should probably still be on orders and you should not be doing ANY drills.
 
Dear VAJumper:

I am currently in the Army CB-WTU program. I am on AD orders - been on continuous orders since OCT 2006 - tour in Iraq.

Mobilized for AD from the NG. Was a traditional M-Day Soldier prior to mobilization (OCT 06 - JUL 07).

Currently undergoing med/behavorial treament for combat-related injuries. I am located at my Home of Record (Portland, Oregon). My immediate Command, the CB-WTU is located in Sacramento, CA., and they fall under the WTU, Ft. Lewis, as per the Armys Task and Organizational structure. WTU is my higher HQs (Ft. Lewis).

I have not as yet been sent to PDES process - still undergoing treatment - not ready yet. However, the questions I have raised have to do with future options outside of fit, TDRL/PDRL findings.

Wanting to know if there are any other options to get to a twenty year letter. Assuming the Boards can allow this and I'm able to finish. Would participate in National Guard service as a traditional M-Day Soldier for those final 18-24 months - if this is possible.

As a former, tradtional M-Day Guard Soldier, Is COAR an option to me at all? Or, is this COAR only given to prior full-time AGR?

1. At what stage in the process does the Soldiers request for COAR come into play - MEB or PEB?

2. I have 17 good years in - got three more to go.
If approved, what impact is there in the financial landscape for receiving drill pay?

A. With SSDI dollars? (Will SS even let you drill?)

B. With VA dollars?

In other words, what do I stand to financially gain and/or lose during that three year period where I am trying to get to a 20-year letter? Partial paybacks to SSDI/VA?

I will only be doing the minimum time (whatever that is these days) that would be required to get to a "good" year.

3. What about the new GI Bill stipend money? Do those stipend dollars count against me with either of these agencies?

I'm trying to plan a financial budget to see if I can afford to make it to twenty. Sure would like to.

Thank-you for your time on these questions.
 
I just Googled Continuation On Active Duty (COAD) and came up with this...hope it helps:

http://www.allmilitary.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=24236
Continuation On Active Reserve (COAR)

(AR 635-40)
Medical Policy Officer, HQDAG-1
(As of20090409)


Purpose

• The primary objective of COAD/COAR programs are to conserve manpower by effective use of needed skills or experience. A Soldier who is physically unqualified for further military service has no inherent or vested right to continuation
• The Secretary of the Army (SA), or their designee, may involuntarily continue Soldiers determined unfit by the PDES in consideration of their service obligation or special skill and experience
• COAD/COAR is an Exception to Policy program


Eligibility

To be considered for COAD/COAR

• A Soldier must be determined unfit by the Physical Disability Evaluation System (PDES) for a disability that is not due to misconduct, willful negligence, or incurred during an unauthorized absence
• The disability must be basically stable or of a slow progression
• The Soldier must be able to work in a military environment without adversely affecting their health, posing a risk to other Soldiers, or requiring undue loss of time from duty for medical treatment


• IAW AR635-40, the Soldier should meet one of the criteria below
• The Soldier has15 but less then 20 years of active or Reserve Component qualifying service, as applicable
• The Soldier is qualified in a critical skill or shortage MOS
• The Soldier’s unfitting disability resulted from combat or an act of terrorism
• Current practice: No Soldier will be told he/she cannot submit request for COAD/COAR(Policy Pending RAR)
• Mobilized TPU/IRR RC are limited to applying for COARonly


Application Process
• The Soldier is counseled on COAD/COAR during the PDES process beforefitness determination is made If the Soldier receives an unfit finding, the application is submitted to Physical Disability Agency (PDA)
• Each Soldier’s packet is distributed by PDA to the respective Army component approval authority once the PEB is completed
• Disability adjudication must be completed before packet is forwarded because “Rating�� must be a part of the Soldier’s decision making process



Board Considerations

• COAD/COAR Board reviews requests will consider the following:
• Current physical limitations
• Ability to function within the Army
• Ability to function within current MOS
• Army requirements
• Combat Wounded and Combat Related Soldier (AW2) applications are approved for COAD/COAR if they meet the medical requirements
• Non-Combat Related applications are considered on the basis of individual merit and criteria outlined above

Length of Continuation

• Soldiers approved for COAD may remain on active duty (provided otherwise qualified) until their retention control point, MRD or retirement date, age 62 (AC) or age 60
(AGR) whichever comes first
• Soldiers approved for COAR may serve up to their maximum years of service, MRD or age 60, whichever comes first
Re-Enlistment
General staff army military insignias
• Enlisted Soldiers are required to reenlist if their approved continuation period extends beyond their contractual enlistment
• Soldiers are not required to meet medical retention standards for the disabilities for which they were approved for continuation Soldier may be denied re-enlistment if their disabilities have deteriorated or they have new medical impairments
• Physical required no less than every 2 years

Final Disability Evaluation

• Soldiers can choose to „opt out. of the program with in the first6 months of enrollment and will not be required to undergo disability re-evaluation (assumes no change health)
• Soldier’s approved for continuation of greater than 6 months are referred for disability evaluation
• Final rating may increase or decrease depending upon progression or improvement of the disability
• Soldier may be found fit (The rule, “Presumption of Fitness�� is not applied.)


Rapid Action Revision
• All Soldiers found unfit (other than due to misconduct)
by PDES may request COAD/COAR
• Those not meeting one of the 3 “or�� criteria must fully justify request
• AGRs cannot request COAR directly to TPU, they must COAR to IRR
• Guidance added for Soldier-request for revocation of
COAD/COAR

Continuation On Active Duty(COAD)
Continuation On Active Reserve (COAR)

(AR 635-40)
Medical Policy Officer, HQDAG-1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moderator

I Was A Soldier
 
Dear VAJumper:

Thank-you for your efforts on these questions that are rolling around in my mind.

I could be wrong on this, but by what I'm reading from your research, it appears that COAR only applies to those Reserve Soldiers who were mobilized to AD and were holding a full-time position with the Reserves at time of mobilization.

So I'm assuming if that parameter is correct, then I cannot apply for COAR because I was not a full-time Army Guard Soldier at time of mobilization. I was a traditional M-Day Soldier at time of mobilization.

Any other options for me to get to a twenty year letter out there?
 
Thank-you VAJumper!

I've read till my eyes are swimming and my mind is numb. lol

I understand there may be exceptions to SSDI and small earnings. Just don't know what those exceptions are and if I would qualify for them with military drill status.

I will have to contact them and see if I can still drill (part-time) and receive their benefit or partial benefit (assuming I will be in receipt of SSDI at that time).

Thanks again.
 
I just got off the 1-800 line to Social Security.

The SS agent I spoke with told me that I can have a maximum earning under SSDI of slightly under 15,000 per year and still collect SSDI (14,000 something) without penalty.

She said they do not penalize or off-set military retirement.

She said that if I do the traditional Reserve time, the once-a-month, 15 days a year thing, that they will also recalculate my SSDI every year as SS taxes are taken out of those earned M-Day dollars.

I wonder if the GI Bill stipend qualifies as non-taxable, non-income for SSDI purposes. That would sure help me get back on my feet and get be more productive again.
 
I called again to the Social Security 1-800 number and got a different SS agent.

She told me the same thing about being an M-Day Soldier again. SSDI has a ceiling, or a maximum you are allowed to have for an annual EARNED income level (14,000 and something). So I could, in theory, keep going on with the National Guard as a traditional M-Day Soldier. As long as I do my one week-end per month and my Annuak Training time, AND my EARNED income from that will not be enough to exceed the maximum allowable EARNED income for that year, she said I could keep the SSDI.

I then asked her about the GI Bill Stipend. She said that the stipend is NOT considered EARNED income, and as such, has no bearing on SSDI whatsoever. She even said students who get college grants while on SSDI are a non-issue as those grants are NOT considered EARNED income, either.

WOW! There is hope.

Now, all I'm wondering about is how the drill pay would impact any VA award I might receive. Sure would be great to make it to twenty years.
 
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