ptsd PTSD rating difference combat/non combat

[Hellraiser7]

Greetings. Got good help here before, back for more!

Got my rating for ptsd last year at 50%. Wasnt happy with it for a wide variety of reasons. Anyways, left it alone for a while until i logged onto my ebenefits, and found they listed my ptsd as "noncombat" related. Problem is everything stemmed from my involvement with the iraqi invasion (oif1). I told docs this through c&p process, had outside evidence and support. After this discovery, i met with my VSO and explaind my discontent and confusion why i was rated noncombat. She tells me that i need to have a CIB or CAB on my record. I told her that i was Artillery, and you dont get a CIB unless you are infantry. As for the CAB, it came out in 2005, and i ETSd in 2004, after serving in iraq in 2003. Thataward didnt even exist. She tells me its a grey area and that being rated noncombat vs combat doesnt effect anything.

Is this true? Why does it bother me so much? I would assume that benefits vary for combat to noncombat. How do i go about correcting this? 

[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.

 

[Guest L]

@Coper32 I would copy and repaste this question by creating your own thread so as not to get lost under the original post here.... I am retired Navy PTSD/MST and get concurrent ( so both VA & Retirement) pay... https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/crdp.html

[Berta]

Coper 32, based on what you stated here- you m,ight well be entitled to CRSC instead of CRDP:

https://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/special-pay/comparing-crsc-and-crdp.html

CRDP is an automatic potential benefit but CRSC has to be appied for and the application is in  this link above .

MOAA explains the waiver stuff- 

We have some CRSCers here as well as CRDPers-

The CRSC application takes the VA control away from the VA, but that is why they will need proof of your PTSD rating and the fact that it is combat related.

Mil.com has more info on both CRSC and CRDP.

Did the VA give you any info as to applying for CRSC? Probably not----

 

[Berta]

to add MOAA makes this point as to the forfeit stuff:

"CRSC Payment Process

If you receive CRSC, most members receive three separate payments; your Service retired pay with a VA Waiver amount, your CRSC payment, and your VA compensation. The VA Waiver remains on the retiree pay stub and the CRSC pay restores the combat-related portion of the money deducted by the VA Waiver. "

This site also has a pop up if you want to chat with someone about this:

http://www.moaa.org/Content/Benefits-and-Discounts/Pay-and-Benefits/Military-Pay-Issues/Combat-Related-Special-Compensation-(CRSC).aspx