Coper32

I have just joined this forum to look for some help. I know this is a really old post but there is something I would like to add here. I have recently discovered the difference in benefits for non-combat vs. combat PTSD and it is a pretty specific case. A little background, I was medically retired for ulcerative colitis back in 2012 and have been receiving retirement pay since then. I drug my feet with filing for a disability claim for silly reasons but that is a different story. I have been in depression for many years due to many things and I assumed it was based on the fact that I could no longer do the job I loved because of the colitis and have had trouble finding real job satisfaction like I had while on AD. I decided to go see a therapist and they dug deep and thought I may have PTSD. After many therapist appointments I have been officially diagnosed and was awarded 50% disability for PTSD. Everyone knows that if you get to 50% you receive your retirement pay AND the disability pay as two payments under CRDP. The VA sent me a letter saying I needed to forfeit my retirement pay in order to receive my disability pay which was a surprise to me. After some digging I discovered that if the PTSD is non-combat you are not eligible for CRDP for members who are retired and did not serve 20 years. If the PTSD is combat related you do not need to serve the 20 years to be eligible for CRDP. This is where I ran into this special requirement. Now I need to prove that the PTSD is combat related even though the stressors that were evaluated were combat related and I have a ribbon on my DD-214 stating I was in combat operations (Air Force Expeditionary Ribbon with Gold Border). I find it very discerning that the evidence is there AND multiple therapists validated it with the original claim and during a C&P exam... yet I still need to push to prove things that have already been made obvious. I guess this post is to add a little information for very special cases that someone like me may be going through and to search out some help and support for the best path forward in getting this corrected. I know it's long so thank you all for taking the time to read and any information will be greatly appreciated.