CRSC Eligibility Correction:

In the January 2006 edition of the Retired Pay Newsletter we inadvertently provided some answers in the CRSC Eligibility Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section that were based on the initial legislation effective June 1, 2003.  Legislative changes became effective January 1, 2004, that are addressed in the corrected FAQs below:

• Question #1 – Do all retirees with a combat-related disability qualify?

Answer:  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.  Guard and Reserve retirees must have 20 or more years of qualifying service.  Retirees under Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) and disability retirees with less than 20 years of service are not eligible to receive Combat-Related Special Compensation.

• Question #2 – I have a Purple Heart for a combat wound but I have a VA disability that is not combat-related.  Do I qualify?

Answer:  In order to qualify, you must have a VA rated disability of at least 10 percent directly related to at least ONE of the following combat/operations-related disabilities with documented proof, as approved by your branch of service:

-          As a direct result of armed conflict (e.g. purple heart)

-          While engaged in hazardous service (e.g. flight, diving, parachute duty)

-          In the performance of duty under conditions simulating war (e.g. exercises, field training)

-          Through an instrumentality of war (e.g. combat vehicles, weapons, Agent Orange)

So in summary, the answer to the question is No; however, DFAS strongly encourages customers to apply whether they think they are eligible or not!

• Question #3 – 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?

Answer:  Yes.  The law, effective January 1, 2004, expanded eligibility from 60 percent down to 10 percent combat-related with the Purple Heart decoration no longer being an eligibility criteria.

Note:  Retirees who earned a Purple Heart with an approved combat-related VA disability rating of 10 percent or greater prior to January 1, 2004 may be qualified for CRSC as early as June 1, 2003.

We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Additional Correction:  The DFAS Military Retired Pay Newsletter 2005 At-a-Glance, mailed in December 2005, contained an incorrect Web site address.  The incorrect address can be found within the article titled, “Survivor Benefit Plan Open Season.” The correct link is http://www.dod.mil/actuary, and this link is available for retirees to do their 2005 SBP Open Season computations for the monthly cost for coverage, as well as the buy-in premium.  This site also provides a link to the election form.  In addition to the mailing of this newsletter, it is available online at http://www.dfas.mil/retiredpay/retiredpaynewsletter.html.