ptsd Crsc Questions-please Help

[iraqx2]

I hope someone on this site can help me figure out if I would possibly qualify for the Army's CRSC program in addition to my VA benefits. There is a bill out in congress that is sure to pass on reducing the qualification of being 20 year retiree to a 15 year retiree for CRSC. Here is my situation-

1- I am 36 yrs old

2- I have 15 good years ( retirement points, no letter) in both active and reserve Army

3- I am currently out (ETS) of the reserve component

4- I am currently rated by the VA @ 40% disability for combat related PTSD and back.

Will I qualify for the CRSC program? If so, are payments now or when I would have retired anyway at age 60?

This is very confusing and hopefully someone can help. Thank you.

[Berta]

Here is the criteria:

http://www.military.com/benefits/military-...aring-crsc-crdp

Hopefully that bill will pass- on the 15 year retired-then I would sure think you would be eligible for the CRSC-right away-

(or maybe the CRDP too-if your SC gets to 50 or higher- I get confused also)

As I understand it there is an annual election for which program you want to elect to be paid under.

Also Military.com under Discussion boards, then under the vets and retiree forum also has more info-

Question -the 40% is that a proper rating in your opinion?

do you feel it should be higher?

Did you file a Notice of Disagreement on the decision?

Has your PTSD or back disability gotten worse since you got that Award from VA?

[john999]

A forty percent rating for PTSD is unusual. It usually goes 10-30-50-70-100%. I would get an independent medical opinion or a good write up from your private shrink to document more severe symptoms. The ratings for PTSD are so subjective there is room for much interpretation. If you are not working the rating should be higher.

[jimmy]

I don't think you would qualify even under the proposed bill. Both CRSC and CRDP require you to be retired. The bill is designed to help 2 groups who aren't eligible now. One is the medically retired with less than 20 years. The second are those who retired with at least 15 but less than 20 years under the Temporary Early Retirement Act which has experied. It looks like you have 15 years but are not retired.

[Berta]

I thought he was retired due to combat disability-?

I am glad you raised the point here-

this is for mil retirees who-DUE to combat related service injury-had to cut short their potential 20 years or more of service-

By the way -COngress said they would try to pass this new special disability pay bill before they adjorn on Dec 21- not too far off.

[iraqx2]

OOOUCHHH. I hope this is not true and that I will qualify. I am not officially retired, just 15 good years in. When I got ETS, it was between my VA claims and a decision was not made yet. Now I might be one of those few that is stuck and will be left behind.

I look at it as what is the difference between putting 15 good years in versus retiring from 15 good years in?

[Berta]

I do see your point- but these gains in CRDP and CRSC legislation came after many many long years of fighting by retired veterans, and vet orgs.

As a civilian I even filed an Amicus Curie Brief with some lawyers for legislation for full concurrent receipt many years ago-

You can contact your Senators and Congressman or woman to attempt to see if they would continue to propose legislation that would cover those without the 15 year SC requirement-

but this was hard work for these retiress to come this far-

At SVR tonight:

http://www.stardustent.com/ 6:30 EST-

I might have to fill in before or after Congressman Filner and if needed to do that-am going to run by the listeners the whole 9 yards on CRDP and CRSC as to the legal criteria and the latest info on the provision in the 2008 defense authorization bill.

I believe many CRDP retiree vets might not know they also are eligible for CRSC- and could elect that as the most favorable benefit of the 2 programs.(and pay no taxes on it)

Edited December 12, 2007 by Berta