PART IV CHAPTER 3 RETIREMENT PAY 403.1 Retirement Pay.-(a) All officers and enlisted men of the Army of the United States, the United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, and United States Coast Guard Reserves who were on active duty for more than 30 days, and who are disabled from disease or injury received in line of duty, are entitled to receive the same retirement pay, if any, as is now or may hereafter be provided for officers and enlisted men of corresponding grades and length of service in the Regular Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. Such payments for the Army of the United States are made by the Veterans' Administration. These payments for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are made by the respective branch of the service. (b) The retirement of regular personnel of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps ordinarily is effective upon completion of 30 years of service, or at certain authorized retirement ages, or for physical disability as an incident of the service. While enlisted men in the Regular Army may be retired due to a disability received in line of duty after 20 years of service, retirement of enlisted men of the regular Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard requires completion of 30 years' active service. Retirement pay for regular members of the nd forces is made by the appropriate branch as follows: ARMY: Finance Officer, United States Army, 801 Channing Place NE., Washington, D. C. NAVY Seiai Payments Division, Reserve and Retired Pay Section, Field Branch, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, Cleveland 15, Ohio. MARINE CORPS: Marine Corps Allotment Office, Paymast Department, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington 25. D. C. n COAST GUARD: Commandant, U. S. Coast Guard, (c) Any person receiving retirement pay, who would be eligible to receive a pension under laws administered by the Veterans' Administration if not receiving such retirement pay, may waive the retirement pay and receive the pension. 403.2 Retiring Board Decision, Review of.-Any officer retired or released to inactive service without pay for physical dis ability pursuant to the decision of a retiring board, has the right. within 15 years of the date of his retirement or the effective date of the Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, to request review of the retiring board's decision. The veteran should apply to his own branch of service as follows: ARMY: The Adjutant General, War Department, Wash- NAVY: Chief of Naval Personnel, Navy Department, MARINE CORPS: Commandant of the Marine Corps, COAST GUARD: Commandant, United States Coast PART IV CHAPTER 4 PENSIONS TO VETERANS 404.1 Pensions, Requirement Governing. 404.2 Disability, Non-Service-Connected. 404.3 Appeal by Veteran. 404.4 Claims, Handling of. 404.5 Physical Examination, Failure to Report for. 404.6 Compensation While Undergoing Treatment. 404.7 Pensions Exempt from Tax. 404.8 Final Decision. PART IV CHAPTER 4 PENSIONS TO VETERANS 404.1 Pensions, Requirements Governing.-(a) All applications for pensions should be made to the Veterans' Administration, Washington 25, D. C., or the nearest local office, on VA Form 526. Veterans' organizations and local chapters of the Red Cross usually have this form and will assist in filling it out for the veteran. (b) Discharge or release from service under conditions other than dishonorable is a prerequisite to veterans' benefits. Any veteran having a 10-percent or more disability resulting from disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by war service will, if his application is approved, receive the following amount: (Where certain specific disabilities such as the loss of the use of both hands or blindness in both eyes or where certain combinations of disabilities exist, the amount payable is higher and may be as high as $265.) 404.2 Disability, Non-Service-Connected.—(a) To be eligible for non-service-connected disability pension, a veteran must have a discharge or release from active service under conditions other than dishonorable and have had active wartime service for a period of 90 days or more, or if period of service was less than 90 days, have been discharged for disability incurred in the service in line of duty; if single, annual income must not exceed $1,000; if married or having dependent minor children, annual income must not exceed $2,500; disability or disabilities must be permanently and totally disabling; disability or disabilities must not be due to veteran's own willful misconduct. (b) Pension for permanent and total non-service-connected disability is $50 per month. The pension rate is increased to $60 monthly following 10 years of continuous permanent total disability or on reaching the age of 65 years. Apply the same as for a service-connected disability, except application should be made on Veterans' Administration Form 526B. |