quote:

Originally posted by Nobodyaskedmebut:
You have to love the VA...in April I applied for Paragraph 30 benefits (temporary 100%). I August they approved it, then immediately off-set it with retired pay. Imagine that - Reagan Defense Authorization Act of 2005 the off-set for 100% disabled vets was repealed. I should have gotten a cash award...still fighting with the VA to correct it - they've even blown off the Congresswoman who represents my district!

I don's understand. Last August I put in for a disability increase. This year in May, they upped it to 70%, and completed the claim in June and upped me to 80%. I got and adjusted offset of the difference since Sept 1 2006, for each in crease a around $1500, give or take. I can send you a copy of the page that has the computations. I don't understand them ... but it seems like I got my 'retro' backpay.

This was action taken by the VA. My next CG LES indicated the USCG portion of my pay went down $30 or $40 each of the two times (but the VA $ went up a lot more).

--Jim
Life is good!

Today I received an email from Tom Philpott at www.military update.com stating that he has asked the VA for a status report on USCG involvement in the VA retro program. Look forward to his publishing that response.

Tim, are you getting CRDP or CRSC?

And if CRDP, is the 100% due to IU? If not you are supposed to get it immediately. If it is due to IU I think it is effective in Oct 2009.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 92guru,

Jim,
I got your e-mail, and thought I would reply here so it may help others as well....

As I understand it, the retroactive pay is the money held by the VA at the start up of concurrent receipt. Sound right Larry?

As stated above, Alton has written to Tom Philpott. Hopefully Tom will be able to get something out of Topeka, and it will be passed along here. As of yet I have not gotten a reply from the e-mails I sent to Topeka.

I will look for some articles that go into detail on the subject, but I think that is the short version of things...

Larry, got anything to add?

Wray....

Thanks Wray,

It will be interesting to hear what Tom Philpott has to say about it.

--Jim
Life is good!

Jim,
Yes it will.. I told the Captain at PSC people were going to start writing their Congressman & The Navy Times.. we have been kept in the dark too long. A little honesty goes a long ways....

Wray.....

quote:

As I understand it, the retroactive pay is the money held by the VA at the start up of concurrent receipt. Sound right Larry?

Basically, but you have to meet the other criteria, and your disability % will determine how much is returned to you.

Let's use my case I was rated 40%, so I was paying the dollar for dollar exchange for the money I got from the VA. When CRDP started in Jan 2004 I did not qualify since I was not rated 50% or higher. In late 2005 I received a new rating from the VA of 70%, it was back dated to Oct 2002. It was raised a second time, but to make things easier we will ignore that.

What the increase means is that I qualify for CRDP. Since it was retro-active to before the program started. I am due all the money I would have received as if I was at 70% in Jan 2004 and started collecting CRDP when the program began. Which in my case is at least $250 for every month from Jan 2004 to Oct 2005, the actual amount will be higher.

Here is a good link explaining who qualifies.

http://www.dfas.mil/retiredpay/concurrentretirementanddisabilitypay.html

Here is the one that explains the amount.

http://www.dfas.mil/retiredpay/concurrentretirementandd...rdppaymentrates.html

All this would be much more simple if everyone got both retired pay and VA comp at the full earned amount. PSC has not been very stellar thoughout this process. The way they have handled things makes them appear at best they are incompetent and at worst they are a bunch of liars. Makes you real comfortable and confident that we will get our money next year.

quote:

Originally posted by 92guru:
Tim, are you getting CRDP or CRSC?

And if CRDP, is the 100% due to IU? If not you are supposed to get it immediately. If it is due to IU I think it is effective in Oct 2009.

92guru: my designation letter said 100% disabled from 1 May to 1 September. The letter didn't say IR; since I can get, and maintain a job, except for the 12 days then I agree there shouldn't be any offset. Explaining and getting the VA to correct it is a struggle. One customer service rep actually hung up on me the other day when I asked to speak to someone in the director's office! Bad error on his part; afraid it will hurt him...

What really sucks though is that when I was in Columbus the DAV helped me very much to get 80% so I joined the DAV (life membership) but the DAV is Detroit is less then enthusiastic - rather lakadasical - don't return calls, etc.

I got Congresswoman Candace Miller involved; they even blew her off...Monday, I am off so I will call Sen. Levin and Stabenow involved. I also spelled it all out for the Regional Director in a letter that is well rather terse. I don't like being hung up on.

EMC_ thansk for your post, that makes things a little clearer.

Basically, if you were eligible on the day it started, you aren't owed any 'back pay'. However, as in your case, you initially were not eligible. After your upgrade claim was finished in 2004, the decision was 'retroactive' to 2002, thus making you eligible. The backpay you are owed is the $ from FEb '03 to Jan '04.

In my case, I've been in from the start. I got an upgrade, which was retroactive to Sep 06 and got that money in a lump sum, and appear to be owed nothing. Sound about right?

--Jim
Life is good!

quote:

Basically, if you were eligible on the day it started, you aren't owed any 'back pay'. However, as in your case, you initially were not eligible. After your upgrade claim was finished in 20042005, the decision was 'retroactive' to 2002, thus making you eligible. The backpay you are owed is the $ from FEb '0304 to Jan '04Oct 05.

Although the years above are not accurate you are correct. I've changed the true time in red.

CRSC is being back paid to Jul 03(not totally sure on the month) with CRDP going from Jan 04.

You may still be owed back pay, but I can't say without knowing all your info on the % change and number of months it was back dated,etc.

********** Hot off the Press............. **********


Subject: CONCURRENT RECEIPT BACK PAY

Greetings all - please pass on to your network as appropriate.

I communicated with Ms Deb Farley, the Chief, Retiree Section at Personnel Support Center (PSD) Topeka regarding the matter on the concurrent receipt back pay matter.

PSC is working with VA and HQ on Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). They expect to get the necessary data needed to VA for payments next spring. The lengthy delay in providing the data is because each file has to be reviewed manually on a month by month basis, and the information provided to the VA for payment. This requires the need for additional personnel resources to make this happen, which PSC has dedicated staff hours to initiate this action. There's just no faster way to make this matter happen.

After the MOU is signed, CGHQ (CG-1222) will implement the calculations of any monies due.

PSC Topeka will be publishing articles on their web page and in Retiree 'Evening Colors' Newsletter as soon as MOU signed.

If any additional information is provided, either myself or RADM Ames will pass it on.

Thanks,

Vince

Thanks for your efforts Wray ... it looks like the term 'retired' to you and to Vince just means a change in venue ... because you both still act as advocates, and keep your "6 degrees of separation" fresh and current.

Now that we have this timeline, we can stand by to stand by.

fyi ... here is the link to the html version of Evening Colors and here is the link to PSC Retiree and Annuitant Services Branch

Thanks Wray and Vince.

Now, here's to 'them' owing us all a lot of $$.

--Jim
Life is good!

Wray,
Thanks for the update. It sounds just like a conversation I had with Ms. Farley back in April. We discussed putting some thing in the Evening Colors so that people would know things were in the works. I told her it would help to repairs the image that many have concerning PSC. If it takes as long to write the article as it has to get things rolling on the back pay it will be in the Spring 2009 issue, hopefully in the past projects/history section.

This is a continuation of the excuses, denial and finger pointing by PSC and Coast Guard HQ. The issue that has alienated myself and the other Coast Guard Retirees is: Why we are and have been left behind DOD retirees. This article http://www.dfas.mil/rna-news/august2007/varetro.html states "As of August 2007, over 98,000 cases have been processed or about 75 percent of the original 133,000 cases. To date, the DVA has paid $133 million and DFAS has paid $28 million with the average payment being $1,638" to DOD retirees. It continues to state that DFAS has completed payments to approximately 75% of eligible retirees.

Now, let's see, that's $161 million paid to DOD retirees and $0 paid to Coast Guard retirees because theres no still no MOU between the Coast Guard and VA. I take extreme exception to the statement by Vince Patton that "The retirees are unfairly beating up on PSC - where they should be taking aim on getting VA to move quickly (same old story with them really). If DOD not only has an MOU, but has already completed payments to 75% of eligible retirees, then it's not VA who has failed to support Coast Guard retirees, it's PPC and Coast Guard headquarters staff.

Im going to have to agree with altonw4 on this topic...CGHQ and/or PSC appear to have let down eligible CG retirees on this important pay issue.

If DOD has already paid approx 75% of eligilble retirees, its hard to explain why the CG still hasnt a process with the VA in place to begin payment to eligible CG retirees. Further, even the latest statement attributed to an offical at PSC indicates that its a resource issue and payment is hoped to begin by next spring. Folks, this is only early fall. If it was important enough to the organization, im betting pay could beging much sooner than next spring.

If i were due any additional pay (which im not), you can bet id be contacting CG officials until i got satisfactory resolve of the issue.

quote:

I take extreme exception to the statement by Vince Patton that "The retirees are unfairly beating up on PSC

I didn't see that in my post.. it must have been somewhere else.. and I would agree with you... PSC deserves a beating up on this issue... they have sat on their A$$ way too long with this one.

Wray...

quote:

Originally posted by Wray:

quote:

I take extreme exception to the statement by Vince Patton that "The retirees are unfairly beating up on PSC

I didn't see that in my post.. it must have been somewhere else.. and I would agree with you... PSC deserves a beating up on this issue... they have sat on their A$$ way too long with this one.

Wray...

I am curious to know where Vince said this as well. I do agree with Wray though PSC and HQ do deserve a serious reprimand for this issue. Both have indeed sat on their collective A$$E$ entirely too long on this issue. The fact that they didn't even have a clue as to what DOD and the VA were doing and failed to so much as pick up a dam phone and ask is simply inexcusable. It really gives me a great feeling that these people who mostly are civilians and are in their jobs for a long time don’t know what the current events are. At least the CG didn’t farm this one out to Integrated Deep Water Systems to figure out and take care of since it is obviously beyond PSC’s and HQ’s capabilities.
I would at the very least expect an appology from them for lying to us for so long.
Just my 2cents.

I emailed all the CG Retiree Councils inviting them to join this conversation. Wray, I emailed you a copy of their response. For all others, on Sept 11 2007, Vince sent the following email to all the CG Retiree councils on this issue: Quote "Subject: RE: CONCURRENT RECEIPT BACK PAY This is a very complicated matter, that quite honestly doesn't really rest
with the Coast Guard. The important part here is VA getting MOUs done
with
each of the service, then establishing a process on how to pay the
recipients. This is money that comes from VA, not the Coast Guard
retirement system. The retirees are unfairly beating up on PSC - where
they should be taking aim on getting VA to move quickly (same old story with
them really). The MOUs provide the mechanics for the process of
identifying the individuals to be paid, as well as change authorization for
how the payments are to be done.

All the Coast Guard's responsibility really is getting the data to VA.
As
noted in the email, that's not as easy as it sounds, requiring individual
reviews of each retiree account which involves disability payment, then
ascertaining who qualifies for concurrent receipt. And of course,
there's
no added resources to make this happen.

Need everyone's help to do what you can to keep the anxious informed.

SEMPER PARATUS!

Vince"


I do not feel that statement represents any retiree or the truth regarding this issue.

The VA is holding everything up not PSC. That must be why for 2 years we have been told by PSC that we did not qualify for any back pay, not that they were waiting on a MOU from the VA. The Coast Guard PSC and HQ look to be the culprits in this disaster. They attended the same meetings as DOD, yet the Coast Guard is way behind them in acting on the issue. Oh yeah that's cause of the VA.

Same old garbage, different day...