Heads up for retired military (not a debate subject)

[jerry]

Source is Military .com

Army CRSC Division
August 17, 2005

The Army CRSC Division has announced that $1 billion has been awarded to retirees with disabilities across all military uniformed Services through the Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) program. CRSC is a $22 billion program that provides tax-free monthly payments to injured retirees from all uniformed Services. CRSC payments are retroactive and supplement a retiree's Veteran Affairs (VA) disability pay and Service retired pay.

COL John Sackett, Army CRSC Chief, states “This is a great milestone but we have a long way to go. We hope that all eligible retirees will submit a claim. Retirees with disabilities have more than earned this compensation.” $21 billion dollars is still available to approved retirees, so if you are eligible submit your claim today!

Disability Pay Programs- CRSC and CRDP

CRSC is an application-claim based program versus the Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP) program, which is an automatic entitlement from DFAS for any Retiree with a combined 50% or higher VA disability rating. Some Retirees believe they are already receiving CRSC when they are actually receiving CRDP and thus do not submit their claim for CRSC. If you are not certain what you are receiving, please check your DFAS pay stub and consider submitting your claim for CRSC.

It is important to note that Retirees cannot receive both CRSC and CRDP and must elect one each year through an annual “program election.” Many retirees are confused about which is better for them. When making this decision, please note the following characteristics of CRSC and CRDP:



Are you eligible?

Eligible claimants are/ have:

• Retired with 20 yrs Active or Reserve Duty;

• Receiving retired pay;

• Retired pay must be offset by VA payments;

• A 10%+ disability rating; and

• At least one combat-related disability.

Combat-related criteria include those VA rated disabilities that occurred under the following situations:

• In the performance of duty under conditions simulating war (e.g., named exercises, routine field training exervises/F0000000000000000000TX)

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

• Through an instrumentality of war (e.g. combat vehicles, weapons)

• As a direct result of armed conflict (e.g. Purple Heart)

OR

• Presumptive cases (e.g. Agent Orange, radiation exposure, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Eligible retirees should submit their claim today!

For more information or to receive a claim form, call CRSC toll free at 1-866-281-3254 Monday through Friday from 0800-1900 hours (EST). Retirees can submit a claim online or download our CRSC claim form or www.crsc.army.mil.