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Dual Compensation Is Paid When Military Reservists Do Not Waive VA Disability Benefits

HRD-84-13 Published: Nov 18, 1983. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 1983.
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Highlights

GAO reviewed Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Administration (VA) efforts to prevent dual compensation from being paid to reservists who receive VA disability benefits.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct DOD to provide the results of the tape matches to VA.
Closed – Implemented
An annual reconciliation match between DOD and VA will take care of this problem.
Veterans Administration The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that VA, for the next match, review its records for all paid reservists identified as receiving compensation to identify missing, improperly processed, and unprocessed waivers.
Closed – Implemented
VA established a reservist indicator to identify if a serviceman is a reservist.
Veterans Administration The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that VA establish an annual reservist waiver indicator in its automated records when waiver actions are processed so that missing waivers can be identified in subsequent tape matches.
Closed – Implemented
VA established a waiver indicator.
Veterans Administration The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that VA solicit waivers from reservists who have not already submitted them and advise DOD when reservists do not submit waivers.
Closed – Implemented
A reconciliation match occurred in September 1986. If waivers are not submitted, an indicator will be set up and appropriate action will be taken.
Veterans Administration The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies develop a uniform waiver form.
Closed – Implemented
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies develop a uniform waiver form.
Closed – Implemented
The Secretary completed the waiver form.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies make arrangements to identify the extent to which waivers were not submitted, not processed, or improperly processed for prior years and take appropriate corrective action.
Closed – Implemented
An annual matching mechanism is in place and was rerun in September 1986. This will isolate inappropriate or missing areas so that appropriate action can be taken.
Veterans Administration The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies make arrangements to identify the extent to which waivers were not submitted, not processed, or improperly processed for prior years and take appropriate corrective action.
Closed – Implemented
The current matching operation should identify any missing waivers.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct DOD to continue to make an annual tape match to identify reservists who should submit waivers. The data that are matched should include all reservists who could be subject to waiver, and the results of the match should be edited to reduce inaccurate data.
Closed – Implemented
An annual matching mechanism is in place and was rerun in Spetember 1986. This will isolate inappropriate or missing areas so that appropriate action can be taken.

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Topics

Armed forces reservesVeterans benefitsVeterans disability compensationWaiversMilitary reserve personnelCompensationMilitary forcesDual compensationData errorsVeterans