So, picture this: you’re chilling on your couch, the VA check hitting the account, a 90% disability rating in your pocket, and then—boom—the news breaks that the U.S. just hit Iran. Suddenly, you start sweating a little… not from your back pain (well, okay, maybe that too), but because that little voice in your head whispers, “Wait… can they still call me back?”
Well, my friend, you’re not the only one asking. One war vet tossed out the big question on Reddit, and it lit up like a Christmas tree in a barracks room.
“Can I still be recalled from IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) if I’m rated 90% disabled by the VA?”
Let’s break this down like we’re chatting at the smoke pit.
“You aren’t dying for Israel, huh?”
That’s what the original poster joked. And look, he was dead serious but also very much joking. He laid out his VA ratings like a military resume:
- Depression – 50%
- IBS, Migraines, and TMJ – 30%
- Back and Neck Pain – 10%
- Plantar Fasciitis – 10%
That adds up to a combined 90% VA disability rating. Not exactly combat-ready, right? But does that stop Uncle Sam from calling?
Here’s the blunt truth: It depends.
You see, just having a high disability rating doesn’t make you immune to IRR recall. The Department of Defense doesn’t care what the VA says if they believe you’re still deployable.
Crazy, right? You could be one migraine away from throwing up your MREs, but unless DoD officially says you’re non-deployable, they can call you up.
Read this later:
What’s the loophole?
One salty vet dropped a spicy truth bomb: “If stop-loss kicks in, start packing your ‘hell-no-I-ain’t-going’ bag.”
Yeah, before IRR call-ups begin, they usually trigger stop-loss first. That means they stop people who are already in from getting out. If IRR gets tapped, that’s your cue to jump into a Reserve unit. Oddly enough, being in a Reserve unit can protect you from IRR activation.
Yup, makes no sense. But it’s military logic. You’ve seen worse.
Can you pull the “too broken” card?
One vet asked what counts as non-deployable. Another answered: “It’s not the rating, it’s the actual condition. If your issues stop you from worldwide service, you’re likely safe.”
But some people still ended up getting called even after medical retirement. One guy said, “We’re group 3 under recall law.” Translation: if the need gets bad, you might be tapped for stateside work.
Final verdict?
If you’re sitting at 90% VA and on IRR, there’s a chance you could be recalled — but it’s unlikely unless things go full “Red Dawn.” Still, best to keep that phone on silent and your paperwork in order.
And to the vet who started this all?
Thank you for your service, your memes, and that million-dollar question that had the whole internet laughing, crying, and checking their IRR status like it was their DD-214.
Stay safe. Stay sarcastic. And maybe, just maybe, keep your boots by the door—just in case Uncle Sam knocks.
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