§ 1414. Members eligible for retired pay who are also eligible for veterans’ disability compensation for disabilities rated 50 percent or higher: concurrent payment of retired pay and

(a) Payment of Both Retired Pay and Compensation.—

(1) In general.— Subject to subsection (b), a member or former member of the uniformed services who is entitled for any month to retired pay and who is also entitled for that month to veterans’ disability compensation for a qualifying service-connected disability (hereinafter in this section referred to as a “qualified retiree”) is entitled to be paid both for that month without regard to sections 5304 and 5305 of title 38. During the period beginning on January 1, 2004, and ending on December 31, 2013, payment of retired pay to such a qualified retiree is subject to subsection (c), except that payment of retired pay is subject to subsection (c) only during the period beginning on January 1, 2004, and ending on December 31, 2004, in the case of the following:

(A) A qualified retiree receiving veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as 100 percent.

(B) A qualified retiree receiving veterans’ disability compensation at the rate payable for a 100 percent disability by reason of a determination of individual unemployability.

(2) Qualifying service-connected disability.— In this section, the term “qualifying service-connected disability” means a service-connected disability or combination of service-connected disabilities that is rated as not less than 50 percent disabling by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

(b) Special Rules for Chapter 61 Disability Retirees.—

(1) Career retirees.— The retired pay of a member retired under chapter 61 of this title with 20 years or more of service otherwise creditable under section 1405 of this title, or at least 20 years of service computed under section 12732 of this title, at the time of the member’s retirement is subject to reduction under sections 5304 and 5305 of title 38, but only to the extent that the amount of the member’s retired pay under chapter 61 of this title exceeds the amount of retired pay to which the member would have been entitled under any other provision of law based upon the member’s service in the uniformed services if the member had not been retired under chapter 61 of this title.

(2) Disability retirees with less than 20 years of service.— Subsection (a) does not apply to a member retired under chapter 61 of this title with less than 20 years of service otherwise creditable under section 1405 of this title, or with less than 20 years of service computed under section 12732 of this title, at the time of the member’s retirement.

(c) Phase-in of Full Concurrent Receipt.— During the period beginning on January 1, 2004, and ending on December 31, 2013, retired pay payable to a qualified retiree that pursuant to the second sentence of subsection (a)(1) is subject to this subsection shall be determined as follows:

(1) Calendar year 2004.— For a month during 2004, the amount of retired pay payable to a qualified retiree is the amount (if any) of retired pay in excess of the current baseline offset plus the following:

(A) For a month for which the retiree receives veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as total, $750.

(B) For a month for which the retiree receives veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as 90 percent, $500.

(C) For a month for which the retiree receives veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as 80 percent, $350.

(D) For a month for which the retiree receives veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as 70 percent, $250.

(E) For a month for which the retiree receives veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as 60 percent, $125.

(F) For a month for which the retiree receives veterans’ disability compensation for a disability rated as 50 percent, $100.

(2) Calendar year 2005.— For a month during 2005, the amount of retired pay payable to a qualified retiree is the sum of—

(A) the amount specified in paragraph (1) for that qualified retiree; and

(B) 10 percent of the difference between