A few days ago, I was speaking at an assisted living care facility regarding Title 38 benefits (Department of Veterans Affairs). These discussions usually involve the adult children of World War II and Korean War veterans so they can have a basic understanding of what benefits their mother/father may be entitled to through the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). The elderly spouse of a retired World War II officer was there and was under the incorrect understanding that a retired veteran cannot receive both compensation under Title 38 and military retirement pay.
While this was the existing rule until 2004, two separate statutory amendments may — and in many cases do — entitle a veteran to both military retirement pay and DVA disability compensation in full. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) has a good breakdown of the two separate programs: (1) Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP); and (2) Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC).
A link to the DFAS breakdown can be found at DFAS CRDP/CRSC.