Answers to your Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) questions

Q: Do all retirees with a combat-related disability qualify?

A: The law stipulates that retirees must have 20 or more years of active duty (20 years of service for the purposes of computing retired pay) to qualify. Unfortunately, this means that Guard and Reserve retirees with fewer than 7200 points, retirees under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) and disability retirees with less than 20 years' service, are not eligible to receive the new compensation.

Q: I have a disability retirement from my Military Service, but I have not applied for a VA disability rating. Would I qualify for the new compensation?

A: You may be eligible for the new compensation because you have a combat-related disability, but in order to be paid the compensation you must have an offset to your retired pay for VA disability compensation. Therefore, you must have a VA rating and be receiving disability compensation in order to qualify, and you must have completed 20 years of service.

Q: I have a Purple Heart for a combat wound but I have a VA disability that is not combat-related. Do I qualify?

A: In order to qualify, you must have a disability of at least 10% directly related to the award of the Purple Heart decoration; or, a combat/operations-related disability (or disabilities) rated at 60% or higher.

Q: I don't have a Purple Heart but I have a VA disability rating of 60 percent. However, only 30 percent is combat-related. Do I qualify?

A: No. If you do not have a Purple Heart decoration, the combat-related portions of your disabilities must equal at least 60%.

Q: Where can I receive an application and help in completing it?

A: You can obtain an application form on the DoD Web site at www.dmdc.osd.mil/crsc/. DoD has provided additional guidance for help in filling out the application. You can also call or request an application by contact the following services. Applications must be mailed in - they cannot be submitted electronically.

Army

U.S. Total Army Personnel Command

U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency (CRSC)

c/o The Adjutant General Directorate

2461 Eisenhower Avenue

Alexandria, VA 22331-0470

(Toll free 1-866-281-3254)

Navy and Marine Corps

Department of Navy

Naval Council of Personnel Boards

Combat-Related Special Compensation Branch

720 Kennon Street S.E., Suite 309

Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5023

(Toll free 1-877-366-2772)

for forms only contact Dennis Mills, RAG (901) 874-4308

Air Force

United States Air Force Personnel Center

Disability Division (CRSC)

550 C Street West, Suite 6

Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4708

(Toll Free 1-866-229-7074)

Q: What documentation will I need?

A: Include any documentation that you feel is relevant including your DD 214, relevant pages in your VA or service medical record, final VA ratings determinations, and Purple Heart decoration award citations. DoD guidance does not provide an exhaustive list of relevant documentation, but instead states that decisions will be made on the preponderance of available documentary information and that quality of information is more important than quantity. Be sure to send copies - not original documents. Original documents will not be returned. Documents do not need to be notarized.

Q: What if I don't have the required documentation?

A: Complete the application form as best you can and send it to your military service. DoD has made arrangements with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) to obtain the necessary information. For this reason, applicants are strongly urged not to make their own requests to VA and NPRC. These direct requests will not expedite your claim, and will only slow down the decision process.

Q: How will I be notified of the decision?

A: Your military service will notify you of approvals or denials of application in writing.

Q: How will I be paid?

A: CRSC will be deposited to the same account where you receive your retired pay.  In the event your VA disability compensation offset exceeds your retired pay, it will be deposited to the account where you receive VA payment.

Q: Will the pay be retroactive?

A: The pay will be retroactive to the date you became eligible for CRSC (either June 1, 2003, or the date of award of your qualifying VA disability determination, whichever is later). For example, if you apply in June, but your application does not get approved until September, your first payment will include a lump sum for June, July, August, and September.

A: Is the compensation taxable?

Q: Based on current law regarding taxability of disability income (26 U.S.C. 104), CRSC is not taxable.