VA Form 21-8951-2
Annual Drill Pay Waiver (Short Form)
VA sent you this annual short form to renew your drill pay waiver election from the prior year.
- Who fills it
- reservist
- Journey phase
- Keeping Your Award Current
- Estimated time
- 10-15 minutes.
- When to file
- By the deadline printed on the form VA sends (typically January-March of each year).
Official VA form page: https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-21-8951-2/
Gather before you start
- ▸Form VA mailed you (pre-printed with your information)
- ▸Any changes to drill schedule or pay from prior year
Attach with the form
Section I - Identification (pre-printed)
Blocks 1-4Name, SSN, VA File Number (pre-printed)PII
Pre-printed by VA. Verify accuracy. If anything has changed (address, unit), note it and file the full 21-8951 instead.
(pre-printed; verify)
Common mistakes
- ×Not verifying pre-printed information - a wrong VA File Number means the waiver goes to the wrong file.
Section II - Annual Waiver Election
Block 5Confirm or change your waiver election for this year
Check the appropriate box: (A) Same election as last year (most common), OR (B) Changed election - waiving VA comp instead of drill pay (rare; usually only when military activation generates higher pay than VA comp). If changing, file the full 21-8951 instead.
e.g., Same election as prior year - waiving drill pay, retaining VA compensation.
Common mistakes
- ×Not returning the form - VA may treat non-response as an election to receive military pay (waiving VA comp).
- ×Returning same election when situation changed significantly (e.g., major ADOS activation) - use full 21-8951 for changes.
Authority
- 38 CFR 3.700 - Election between VA compensation and military drill/training pay.
Section III - Certification
Blocks 6-7Veteran signature and datePII
Sign and return by the deadline.
(signature/date)
Common mistakes
- ×Missing the deadline - VA may process an unwanted waiver of VA compensation.
Statutory and regulatory authority
- 38 CFR 3.700 - Election between VA compensation and military drill/training pay.
- 38 USC 5304 - VA compensation and military drill/training pay for the same period cannot both be received; one must be waived.