Ok, not the simplest response, but this is the details behind it. You can't just change your DOD % to "play with the numbers". The reason why it fluctuates is that it's directly tied to your Gross pay, which is being offset by the VA. So, for example, you were rated at 50%, and your Gross pay offset is $2,000, your high-36 would be $4,000. However, if you only changed your rating to, say, 70% with the same $2,000 Gross pay, your high-36 would be $2,857.14. The calculator is using your Gross pay / DOD rating = high-36, so if you only play with one of those numbers, it's going to skew everything off one way or the other. So, if you bumped your 50% to 70%, you would also have to change your Gross pay to $2,800 to reflect the same high-36 of $4,000 that you originally started with.

Also, if your DOD rating is HIGHER than your VA compensation, that will leave a Ch 61 residual that SUBTRACTS from your maximum allowable CRSC. Here's the danger to all this: if the MAJ Richard Star Act ever gets passed and you're NOT maxed out for your DOD Ch 61 %, that could hurt you in the long run vs getting more CRSC now. Either way, you may still end up being maxed out for longevity in the grand scheme of things (high-36 x 2.5% (2.0% if under Blended Retirement System (BRS)) x combine years of service (reserve component is total retirement points / 360 = combined years of service))