As a reservist or National Guard member, you know that points are almost as good as gold. They matter for military pay purposes, and they determine whether you have had a “good” or qualifying year of service for retention in and retirement from the reserves or National Guard. Which is why it is essential for all National Guardsmen and reservists to monitor their points and move quickly to correct discrepancies.
How Points Work
The National Guard and reserve branches of the Armed Forces use points to track and calculate their members’ individual and cumulative duty. Points accrue each day members serve on official military orders. For example, Guard and reserve personnel will earn one point per day of active duty or period of inactive duty for training.
The Department of Defense does not have a single database or website for members to check their points. Rather, the Services use their own systems for summarizing the type of duty performed and the points earned. Guardsmen and reservists should check their points summary regularly, and especially after they’ve performed duty. While the personnel systems generally work as intended, mistakes can and do happen.
How to Fix Problems with Points
For part-time reservists and National Guardsmen, missing points may mean loss of pay and retirement credit. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t wait to raise a concern or assume that an error will get fixed in time.
Citizen Warriors often juggle multiple responsibilities—family, civilian employment, community involvement, and military duty. The last thing they want to deal with is fixing a military personnel problem that they didn’t create. Under ideal circumstances, though, the solution should be painless.
If you discover that you’re missing points for duty you performed, you should first gather your source documents. Source documents can be your military orders, a DD-214 from longer tours, performance or fitness reports, or emails should suffice for showing your chain of command and personnel office. Provide this information to your chain of command and personnel office and be sure to get an acknowledgment. And even if you’re advised that the issue is fixed, you should still check your points system to ensure it has been updated correctly.
What to Do When Doing it Yourself Doesn’t Work
There are instances, however, when Citizen Warriors can’t remedy a points discrepancy themselves or through their chain of command. They may be told that their duty didn’t “count” or that their documentation is insufficient. Perhaps they performed duty based on a verbal order from a superior but never received official military orders.
If you’ve hit a wall trying to fix a points discrepancy, you may have another option for staying in the fight. The Army, Navy, and Air Force have administrative boards that correct errors and injustices in military service records. These Boards for Correction of Military or Naval Records review petitions from veterans and service members (active duty, National Guard, and reserves) who are seeking relief from any number of issues related to their military service. A points discrepancy that cannot get resolved at the lower levels may be something for a correction board to resolve.
Your Service, and Your Points, Matter
While claimants can apply to their Service’s board for corrections themselves and without an attorney, they may benefit from the assistance of experienced counsel. Experienced counsel can request relevant records, identify necessary source documents, and craft persuasive written legal arguments that gives the veteran or service member the best opportunity for a favorable outcome.
Active duty troops don’t have to worry about points. And, generally, they can address records discrepancies during their duty days.
Citizen Warriors, though, mostly serve part-time and are not at their unit or installation daily. This reality can make it more challenging for them to keep up with their personnel records and points history.
Still, if you’re a reservist or National Guard member, set a reminder every few months or so to check your service records, including your points history. Your service matters, and so do your points when it comes to tapping into the benefits and entitlements you’ve earned from your dedicated service to our Nation.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Readers are encouraged to speak with counsel of their choice for advice concerning their specific circumstances.
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