Can anyone tell us why my husband ( whom is a 25 Veteran ) whom was injured in Iraq got 30% disability and his retirement then after he got 70% from the VA they took almost his whole pay; well we really don't know what they did for they didn't send a letter nor called! All we know is that he went from drawing $1800.00 or a little more; to drawing $677.00 so can anyone tell us what we can do if anything! It is like he is getting his pay taken away from him for getting injured! He went to three wars and would go again but they made him retire so now he can't be in the Army anymore and he can't work and he could go to sleep and not wake up again at any given time and for what? Help!! It is not right!! I will not give up until I get his money back! I have been told that this has happened to other Veterans as well! They rush you to war and then you make it your life then you get injured and can't work again and for what? Feel free to email us at <<EMAIL REMOVED by MOD>>

Sincerely, the Fletchers

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

A quick couple of questions:

1. 25 year veterans - did he retire from the Army?
2. Was he injured in a war and was he issued a Purple Heart?
3. Was he granted disability by the Army?
4. What was his rating decision from the VA - disabilities percents?
5. Has he applied for CRSC?
6. Have you contacted DFAS?

A few more than a couple, but please answer as asked. Search for the terms CRSC and DFAS if you do not know them. Contact DFAS in AM if you have not. Contact the VA Regional Office after that. Grover and other here can help with the drill on DFAS.

I am not sure how to fully answer your question with the information you provided, but given what I have, I'll try to best answer you and perhaps with a reply from you I can provide you more peace and comfort.
I believe that if I understand it right, your husband was retired from the service and the money you state represents his retirement. Now that his disability rating has changed it appears on first sight that he is now shortchanged. If those two assumptions are correct then perhaps this will help. Either your husband or perhaps someone at the VA may have tried to do your husband a favor. By that I mean that VA disability is a tax free form of compensation and retirement pay is taxable, so you have the disability rating X the retirement pay offset and you come up with the $677.00 that he now receives from the branch of service. You should in short order receive a check or deposit for the disability rating that was offset by his retirement. Ultimately it should exceed what he was receiving prior to this change you're experiencing. So my advice to you is perhaps relax, take a deep breath and make a civilized call to the VA and see it this is exactly the case. I strongly believe in hope, faith and the determination to see those two things through, and though all too often we have issues with the VA or for that matter DOD, I try to keep in focus that the near majority of the people there are caring and fair and good, no matter how broken the system. Again, I truly believe it's a small oversight/problem that self corrects. Wishing you and your husband well, and a personal salute to you from a VN Vet.

Thank you for your letter about the VA check and what may be going on! My husband called this morning and got an appointment with the Veterans Affairs Representative in the morning so we will be praying that he will get the answers to this and hoping that more money will be coming to him soon! After being in the service for 25 years it isn't right to just take it away no matter if we have to pay taxes on it or not still he was drawing more before the 70% disability from the VA. And how could 70% just be $677.20?? Shouldn't it more? Who knows about todays Veterans and what they face! Our grovernment seem to send money overseas and for what? When we have the Veterans that have money due to them for the service they gave to our country and some gave all! So it makes me wonder what those family members are going through or are they getting more than what my husband is getting from the VA? Who knows who is getting what and from who now days? I just know what I hear on the news and what my husband isn't getting anymore! Again thank you for your reply it was a comfort to know someones cares other than me!

Sincerely, C.Fletcher

Here are the answers to your questions as best I know them....
1. Yes, he was asked to retire from the Army after they found him disabled from the Army and he was given 30% disability from the Army and his retirement from the Army all at the same time which came to $1876.54 down to $677.20 as of May 1st.
2. Yes, he was injured in the Vetnam War and the Iraq War and yes he was issued a Purple Heart.
3. Yes, 30% from the Army.
4. Then two weeks before the first of May he was given 70% disability from the VA which dropped his check from the above amount so how is that better? Who can live on that and how is that come to 70%?
5. Not sure what CRSC is and not sure if they sent papers for that; all I know is that they sent papers to Nashville that he hopes to hear about in the morning at his meeting with Veterans Affaires.
6. Again, I am not sure if they contacted DFAS, but will ask him when he wakes up from his nap due to a bad headache that he has 24/7 from his head injuries!

Again, thank you for your reply to my letter! It is nice to know someone cares and may know what is going on here!

Sincerely, C. Fletcher

Hi again.

CRSC is Combat Related Service compensation. You can download the form from the Army Combat Related Service Compensation.com website.
The new DOD Form 2860 is now available online. You must download it, fill it out and send it to the Human Resources Command....complete address on the form when you download it. Although the website states that it is awaiting implementation guidelines from DOD, I recently received an email from DOD stating that they are accepting and beginning to process the new Chapter 61 retirees and Tera applications, Rather than ask here what the qualifications are for either the CRSP or the CRSC compensation and Pay programs, it is detailed on the website itself, and easy enough to navigate. I am glad for you and your husband that you contacted the VA and have that appointment to sort through more than likely an unintended error, and I am sure your blood pressure will return to normal with dispatch.. Wishing you well. Oh.,..just read your last paragraph...VA is not going to contact the DOD for the CRSC or CRSP program, you must either write for the Form 2860 or download it on your p.c If you have the MEB or PEB with you, his last DD214 and while you are at the VA for the retirement pay/disability issue for correction, you might as well ask them for the latest rating sheet listing all disabilities/percentages assigned and effective dates, attach all to the application and with their self imposed 60 day deadline for payment, you might find yourself smiling with the addition of some extra dollars in your pocket...Wishing you well and God bless..

Sorry...forgot..
DO NOT...EVER...SEND ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
Make copies of everything you send to Branch of Service...except of course the application itself.
Complete, sign and date, attach, send "Certified Mail" so you KNOW that it reached its destination and was delivered.

Lady,if you husband is retired from the military, log on to mypay (the only email address required). Look at his retired account summary. If the statement includes the phrase
VA Waiver,the amount shown will be the amount withheld from retirement pay. but which is paid, tax free, by seperate transfer to his bank account by the VA. If the veteran is 50% or more service connected the VA wavier amount will be reduced under the terms of concurrent receipt. that will also be shown on the statement in the remarks section.

Best regards.

quote:

Lady,if you husband is retired from the military, log on to mypay (the only email address required). Look at his retired account summary. If the statement includes the phrase
VA Waiver,the amount shown will be the amount withheld from retirement pay. but which is paid, tax free, by seperate transfer to his bank account by the VA. If the veteran is 50% or more service connected the VA wavier amount will be reduced under the terms of concurrent receipt. that will also be shown on the statement in the remarks section.

CMsgtMac Would be absolutely correct if it wasn't for the program implementation of the provisions of the 2008 NDAA Act in reference to the CRSC and CRSP program in which DOD admits that the payment will more than likely be ahead of the written decision and thus "posting" on MYPay by between 60 to 120 days.....I am not challenging him or anyone else. If its to the veterans benefit, then I prefer to always be wrong....Sincerely

A big thank you for your reply and info. My husband and I went for his meeting and took the needed paper work we were to take with us and got it off to the right place and then we came home and he was told to call the DFAS office and talked to them and they told him what he could gotten this month and he did get part of what he was told he would be getting then he was told by them to call up to the VA to see where and why they haven't sent in what they are to pay him which is lot's more than what went in the bank! Also found out that by the year 2014 that all Veterans would be getting there whole pay; retirement; disability and that means a lot more money so yes we are happy with the out come of todays meeting and phone calls so far! It just really put a hurt on us this month with them not paying him what they should have and who's to know that they still won't get it in there on time to pay our bills and by food and gas! What a Veteran has to go through once he or she is not able to serve their country any more! I still say isn't right! May God Bless Our Veterans and Our Troops and the families of those that Gave Their All!

Sincerely, Cynthia Fletcher

""""""""""EXTREMELY HAPPY FOR YOU""""""""""