1. Do all retirees with a combat-related disability qualify?

Answer: No, 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. Retirees who combine their military and civil service retirements are not eligible for CRSC.


2. 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?

Answer: 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.


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

Answer: No. In order to qualify, you must have a VA-rated disability of at least 10 percent directly related to a combat/operations-related disability as approved by your branch of service.


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

Answer: Yes. The law extended eligibility from 60 percent down to a minimum 10 percent combat-related disability and the Purple Heart decoration is no longer a criteria.


5. Where can I receive an application and help in completing it?

Answer: You can obtain an application form by clicking here. Additional guidance for filling the form out is provided on 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:
Department of the Army
U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency
Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)
200 Stovall Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22332-0470
Toll-free: (866) 281-3254
Hours: 8am - 8pm EST
E-mail your questions to CRSC.info@us.army.mil

Navy and Marine Corps:
Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards
Attn: Combat-Related Special Compensation Branch
720 Kennon Street SE, Suite 309
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5023
(Toll Free 1-877-366-2772)

Air Force:
United States Air Force Personnel Center - Click Here to visit the Website
Disability Division (CRSC)
550 C Street West, Suite 6
Randolph AFB TX 78150-4708
Toll-free: 1-800-616-3775
Visit the Air Force CRSC Webpage


6. What documentation will I need?

Answer: 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.

7. How will I be notified of the decision?

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


8. How will I be paid?

Answer: 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.


9. Will the pay be retroactive?

Answer: 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.


10. Is the compensation taxable?

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



11. I am a "gray area" reservist; am I eligible to receive CRSC?

Answer: A reserve or guard retiree must be 60 years old and in receipt of retired pay in order to be eligible to receive CRSC.