Chapter 61 Updates - What you need to know!
Last Update: June 9, 2008
The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law on January 28, 2008 and expands CRSC eligability to include Chapter 61, TERA, and TDRL retirees, new components for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC). This legislation is effective January 1, 2008.
As of June 9, 2008 CRSC has received the implementation guidance from DoD and is currently processing Chapter 61 and TERA claims. Click here to view the implementation guidance.

Questions & Answers
What is a TERA retiree?
TERA retirees include anyone who retired under the Temporary Early Retirement Act. This retirement authority was used from 1993 - 2001 to offer early retirement to service-members with at least 15 to 19 years of service.
How much money will I receive?
CRSC determines the combat relatedness of a claim. All payment amounts are determined by DFAS. Payments are unique for each service member based on years of service, retirement pay, and more. If you have any questions regarding the amount payment, contact DFAS directly.
Contact DFAS: 1-800-321-1080 or www.dfas.mil

What is a Chapter 61 retiree?
A Chapter 61 retiree is anyone who was medically retired from military service with a 30% or greater rated disability. This includes those on Temporary Disabled Retirement List, which falls under Chapter 61.
The term “Chapter 61” comes from the corresponding chapter in Title 10 US Code defining the different categories medical separation and retirement. For example; if you were retired under 10 USC Sec. 1201, that means Title 10, US Code, Chapter 61, Section 1201.

How will the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) affect my CRSC eligibility?
The NDAA expands eligibility to Chapter 61 and TERA retirees with less than 20 years of service.
Current eligibility requirements state that you must be in receipt of retirement pay and have that retirement pay reduced by a VA waiver to be eligible. These requirements are and will still be in place for Chapter 61 claimants.

When can I apply as a Chapter 61 retiree?
As of June 9, 2008 CRSC has received the implementation guidance from DoD and is currently processing Chapter 61 and TERA claims. Click here to view the implementation guidance.

I submitted my claim before the law was passed and received an ineligible letter. What should I do?
If you are a Chapter 61 retiree that had previously submitted a claim form and received an ineligible letter, you will need to reapply once the DoD guidance comes out. Download the new claim form here!

What other legislation is in Congress that could affect CRSC?
View the entire list of pending legislation by visiting the legislation page.

Helpful Facts
Overview:
o CRSC is designed to offset the VA disability compensation subtracted from retired pay due to the law against concurrent receipt.
o The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law on January 28, 2008.
o The NDAA expanded Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) eligibility to include those who were medically retired under Chapter 61 and TERA retirees with less than 20 years of service, effective January 1, 2008.
o A Chapter 61 retiree is anyone who was medically retired from military service under Chapter 61, Title 10 US Code. This includes TDRL retirees.
o Medically retired Veterans must still provide official documentation that shows a causal link between a current VA disability and a combat-related (5 May '08) condition.
o Eligibility:
 AC, RC, NG with 20 credible years of service or permanent medical retirement or TERA retiree
 10% or greater VA rated injury, which meets the criteria for combat-related per program guidance
 Receiving military retired pay
 Military retired pay is reduced by VA disability payments (VA Waiver)
o Combat Related includes:
 Simulating War (SW) – i.e. tactical road march
 Hazardous Service (HS) – i.e. parachute or Airborne operations
 Instrumentality of War (IN) – i.e. military vehicles
 Armed Conflict (AC) – i.e. enemy fire
o If you would like more information to determine if your injury is combat related, please view the combat related vs service related PDF (5 May '08). Examples given are not all-inclusive.
o The Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) handles all CRSC payments. They review your retirement pay (both length of service and disability if applicable), disability percentage, VA Waiver amounts, and more before any dollar amounts are decided. If you have a question about your CRSC payment, you should contact DFAS at 1-800-321-1080 or visit www.dfas.mil and click retirement pay for more information. Information and expamples of CRSC payments for service members with less than 20 years (medical Chapter 61 and TERA retirees) can be found here.

Additional Requirements
Chapter 61 claimants that opt for a severance package are not eligible since they are not receiving retired pay, therefore there is nothing to offset.

Submitting a Claim:
o As of May 16, 2008, CRSC is awaiting final program implementation guidance from DoD. Once that is received we will begin to process all Chapter 61 and TERA CRSC claims.
o Required documentation includes:
 A signed claim form
 Copy of Chapter 61 Board results (Chapter 61 claimants only)
 Copies of ALL VA rating decisions which include the letter and the narrative summaries
 Copies of ALL DD214’s
 Medical records that support “HOW” the specific disability being claimed meets the criteria for combat-related
Do not submit:
o Medical records that do not pertain to a combat-related disability
o Electronic media, EKGs, lab slips, or dental records
o Our website will be kept updated with program guidance and claim information.
Use our website at www.crsc.army.mil and to email use the following address: crsc.info@us.army.mil. Our call center number is 1-866-281-3254.

If you still have questions, please contact the CRSC Service Center!
Toll Free: 1-866-281-3254 E-mail: crsc.info@us.army.mil.

Edit note: the only change was the topic title to show a better subject description.
DaveBarker

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DaveBarker,

MY FRIEND

You'll be able to collect both CSRC and your disability compensation. HOWEVER, the CRSC amount must be directly attributable to "Combat Related"

Just a thought: If you have some time, there are numerous posts on the subject, perhaps you'd like to scan over a few. Also, you have the Army CRSC website, also linked many times in prior post.
Wishing you the best and Godspeed.
Eres Tu!
Freddy

Tips to Preparing a CRSC Claim

Preparing your CRSC claim is easy to do when you provide sufficient documentary evidence detailing how you sustained your injury.

Did you know the most common reason CRSC claims are not approved is a lack of documentation? Providing specific evidence linking your injuries to a combat-related situation will streamline the claim process. It is not necessary to send your entire medical record with your claim, but rather any portion pertaining to your injury.

Documents you MUST send with your claim*:
 All DD 214’s/215’s
 All VA decisions (especially showing narratives or disability codes)
 All VA letters that mention increases in benefits
 All VA Code sheets
 Medical documents
 Any other evidence which tells us “HOW ” your injury occurred

*Please do not send originals.

Helpful Statements to support your Claim:
Until recently, military doctors did not ask “how” you were injured. With that being taken into consideration, CRSC still must have something showing how your injury occurred. When preparing your military documents to verify your claim, look for phrases that tell “how”.
For example:
“….Doctor states injury is more likely then not caused by airborne duty, FTX, IED explosion, or specific instrument of war while training”
“… hurt knee or shoulder during an airborne jump, with bad landing”
“….hearing loss caused by acoustic trauma”
“… hatch cover hit head during training”
“… shot in the leg by enemy in Iraq… “

Insufficient Statements:
Statements should be written objectively rather than subjectively. When Veterans Administration (VA) or Military Treatment Facility (MTF) doctors use phrases like the ones below, it can be detrimental to your claim:
*“Soldier states he hurt his leg while exiting a M1 tank at a FTX or fell off a deuce and half”
*“Veteran says that he was shot at a training exercise”
*“Veteran claims that he fell from helicopter”
*“Service connection for… (does not reference event that caused injury or illness)

*Note: These are subjective statements that must be conceded or verified by a VA or a MTF doctor to use as evidence to support your CRSC claim. In several cases, the VA does concede by using the statement “it is more likely than not caused by…..”


Statements NOT Accepted to Support your Claim:
Per DoD guidelines, CRSC can not accept “personal” or “buddy” statements as evidence to support a CRSC claim.

What is a buddy statement?
A “buddy” statement is any statement from a fellow veteran that confirms or acts as a witness to what occurred at a specific time but is not in a supervisory or medical capacity to validate the claim.

If a statement is dated at the time of the injury and is on official unit letterhead then this is considered sufficient documentary evidence.

Where to find Supporting Evidence for your Claim:
Review your VA or Medical Records, Awards, NCOERs, OERs, accident reports, LOD investigations, newspaper/magazine articles (written by a creditable source, i.e. Time Magazine) or other documents that show “How” your injury or illness was caused.

If you cannot locate your medical records, you may be able to obtain assistance from your doctor at the VA or MTF. Bring the enclosed “Healthcare Provider” letter to your visit so they may assist you in documenting HOW you were injured. Click here for a copy of this letter.

For information on how to retrieve missing medical or personnel documents, click here.

How to Obtain Assistance for your Claim:
Several agencies and veterans service organizations (VSO’s) have counselors on staff to assist with CRSC claim preparation. In particular, the following agencies are very helpful:
• County VA Offices www.nasdva.com
• Veterans of Foreign War Organization www.vfw.org
• American Legion www.legion.org
• Non Commissioned Officers Association www.ncoausa.org
• Disabled American Veterans www.dav.org
• Military Order of the Purple Heart www.purpleheart.org
• Local Retirement Services Office www.armyg1.mil/rso.rso.ap


Do you need additional assistance? Call the Army Service Center at 1-866-281-3254.

Not listed above but doing it as well is AMVETS http://www.amvets.org/service/national_service_officers.html

Would you consider documentation for evidence of a CRSC claim as LES's with hazardous duty indicated on them? I had a few LES's with "Hazardous Duty" or "Combat Zone" typed on them.

crsc and crdp are going to change .. new laws are in the pipe-line so everyone that has a combat mos or was in war zone for a period of time will qualify for crsc or crdp... buy this act of the quality of life issue in the congress and senate... this is what all combat vets were waiting for .... it's great news soldier's can now die with dignity not broke..... a brother of the band

No...

It won't get past the front door of DFAS. I wish I could say something more hopeful, but I can't.

Now, after you've read the CRSC guidelines, and looked over the Army website on CRSC, download the "Physicians Letter" make an appointment with your VA OR MTF PCP...""""only"""""" must be 1 of the 2, NO ONE else.

Give them the letter which should detail everything they need to do, but in case..tell them this " I need you to state on official letterhead that you have reviewed my military and medical files and verify and prove that :::::""""disability was COMBAT RELATED.

It must contain that phrase, exactly like I wrote it.

Believe me, these little seemingly unimportant things were after tons of denials from DOD..Now I know that many will say..It doesn't go to DOD it goes to my Branch of Service...TRUE..But...DOD decides,,it is faxed a copy of your application to see if it meets the guidelines "verbatim" and they look for perfection..when DOD says "Combat Related" believe me, they will look for something that says exactly that.

Send in any LES, I have seen and done that before, but I did it to prove an assignment to a unit, not for "combat pay" but again, they key, is the "Statement letter" on their legal letterhead.
Wishing you the best.
Eres Tu!
Freddy

B Young, the LES may help, but just being in a combat zone is not enough. I was in Vietnam in 72 when I took an air conditioner out of a window over my head. I crushed a disk in my back. I was in the Chaplain's Office when I did this, so no combat relationship.

Do you have copies of your orders or anything saying what your job was. There has to be an exact time and date that caused your disability, an activity that is combat related. This can be a training event for combat.

May God richly bless and keep you.

In His Service,

Grover

Nice to see you Freddy, a very good post. Thank you.

Grover

quote:

Originally posted by Grover1945:
Nice to see you Freddy, a very good post. Thank you.

Grover

Always a "Blessing" to see you as well Grover, thank YOU!
btw..an Air conditioner? in Vietnam? wow !!
Eres Tu!
Freddy

quote:

Originally posted by 15781731:
No...

It won't get past the front door of DFAS. I wish I could say something more hopeful, but I can't.

Now, after you've read the CRSC guidelines, and looked over the Army website on CRSC, download the "Physicians Letter" make an appointment with your VA OR MTF PCP...""""only"""""" must be 1 of the 2, NO ONE else.

Give them the letter which should detail everything they need to do, but in case..tell them this " I need you to state on official letterhead that you have reviewed my military and medical files and verify and prove that :::::""""disability was COMBAT RELATED.

It must contain that phrase, exactly like I wrote it.

Believe me, these little seemingly unimportant things were after tons of denials from DOD..Now I know that many will say..It doesn't go to DOD it goes to my Branch of Service...TRUE..But...DOD decides,,it is faxed a copy of your application to see if it meets the guidelines "verbatim" and they look for perfection..when DOD says "Combat Related" believe me, they will look for something that says exactly that.

Send in any LES, I have seen and done that before, but I did it to prove an assignment to a unit, not for "combat pay" but again, they key, is the "Statement letter" on their legal letterhead.
Wishing you the best.
Eres Tu!
Freddy

Do you have copies of your orders or anything saying what your job was. There has to be an exact time and date that caused your disability, an activity that is combat related. This can be a training event for combat.

May God richly bless and keep you.

In His Service,

Grover
________________________________________________


I will try both of these suggestions--maybe one of the two will work. Thanks again.

quote:

Originally posted by 15781731:

quote:

Originally posted by Grover1945:
Nice to see you Freddy, a very good post. Thank you.

Grover

Always a "Blessing" to see you as well Grover, thank YOU!
btw..an Air conditioner? in Vietnam? wow !!
Eres Tu!
Freddy

Freddy,

Good to see ya ,, Yeah I guess some of the guys got the easy job,,, hey Grover but to tell you the truth when I was in Saudi Arabia,, I was so glad we had the Priest and chaplain.

Rake care and God Bless
Ron
SSgt65

Maybe, also to order out some KFC!

Say guys, I give all the credit for the easy jobs to Jesus Christ. I had a call of God on my life, so God took great care of me, I was a SGM before I went to the field at Fort Hood, TX. God also took great care of the promotions, He gave me 7, 8 and 9 in the secondary zone, which was in the top 4%. God is still taking great care of us.

In Vietnam, we had air condition in the Chapel and our office. The theater had been used as a Chapel, so it was air conditioned also. This was down in Can Tho at Eaken Compound which was built by the French. I was at Long Bin Post my last 2 months, all the new buildings there were air conditioned. This was in 72.

I trust you all still like me. The people below me called me a slave driver, but the Chaplains loved me, because I got the work done.

One Chaplain in Germany gave me a nick name. Eagle Eyes, since I found several errors in their Chaplain's Fund and made them pay some money back.

May God richly bless and keep you all.

In His Service,

Grover

quote:

In Vietnam, we had air condition in the Chapel and our office. The theater had been used as a Chapel, so it was air conditioned also. This was down in Can Tho at Eaken Compound which was built by the French. I was at Long Bin Post my last 2 months, all the new buildings there were air conditioned. This was in 72.

I trust you all still like me.

Naaa...GROVER.

After reading this post '''AIR CONDITIONING"""

Oh my !!

Now, I don't like you.

SMILE GROVER.
Your Friend
Eres Tu!
Freddy

quote:

Originally posted by 15781731:

quote:

In Vietnam, we had air condition in the Chapel and our office. The theater had been used as a Chapel, so it was air conditioned also. This was down in Can Tho at Eaken Compound which was built by the French. I was at Long Bin Post my last 2 months, all the new buildings there were air conditioned. This was in 72.

I trust you all still like me.

Naaa...GROVER.

After reading this post '''AIR CONDITIONING"""

Oh my !!

Now, I don't like you.

SMILE GROVER.
Your Friend
Eres Tu!
Freddy

Nice to see ya my friend Freddy, ,,I have to say this for grovers side,,, with the exception of the first 4 years , which was spent on carswell AFB Ft worth TX flight lne either driving the JP4 trucks back and forth filling B-52s ,, and F-4s.. very Hot in the summer and frezzing my #$$ in the winter siting on the flightling all night on the pump carts.

then I went to work with computers and communications which put me inside with air.

it was nice..

But...."Its all Good"

Ron
SSgt65