Summary

Allows members and former members entitled to retired pay under chapter 61 who also receive VA combat-related disability compensation to get both payments at the same time without the usual VA offset reductions. It amends titles in U.S. law to remove the application of 38 U.S.C. §§ 5304 and 5305 to these chapter 61 disability retirees and makes technical conforming changes. Changes take effect on the first day of the first month after enactment and apply to payments for months beginning on or after that date. The law also updates cross-references and the table of sections to reflect the new concurrent-payment rule.

Key Points

• Permits concurrent receipt of chapter 61 retired pay and VA combat-related disability compensation without application of 38 U.S.C. §§ 5304 and 5305.
• Explicitly amends provisions in title 10 of the U.S. Code to establish the concurrent-payment entitlement for chapter 61 disability retirees.
• Replaces earlier phased-in or conditional rules with a clear, express entitlement to concurrent payments.
• Makes technical edits: removes obsolete phased provisions, redesignates subsections, and fixes an internal cross-reference.
• Takes effect the first day of the first month after enactment and applies to payments for months beginning on or after that date.
• Creates increased federal benefit outlays (a cost to the federal government) though it does not itself appropriate funds.
• Requires administrative coordination between DoD and VA to implement payment and eligibility changes.
• Targets a specific group (chapter 61 disability retirees with combat-related VA compensation); it does not change other veterans’ benefit offsets broadly.

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