Is sleep apnea secondary to PTSD and COPD from burn pits considered combat related for CRSC purposes?

[Holden Caulfield]

Hello everyone, I served in OIF at the onset of the war from 3/2003 - 4/2004 as a front line medic.I also did a tour in 2008. I am currently 70% PTSD/Major Depression, 20% Cervical Radiculopathy and receiving 100% IU P & T as of  5/2013 but have been receiving 100% IU for my PTSD since 2/2010 . I also receive 80% CRSC for both of those conditions since 2013.  I was denied service connection for asthma/COPD and Sleep Apnea. Since 2013 new information, and I assume evidence, has come out to establish burn pits as a cause for COPD and that sleep apnea can be a secondary condition to PTSD. My question is 1. Should I attempt to get these two conditions service connected with the goal of a 100% scheduler rating rather than IU or will that most likely adversely effect what I have now? 2. Is sleep apnea secondary to PTSD and COPD linked to burn pits, combat related? So I can keep my CRSC or possibly get it increased?

[Gastone]

You certainly won't get the SA SC'd if you don't file the Secondary Claim.

Is your BMI North of 28%, Neck 171/2+; Large tongue; age North of 40; and are you a White or Black Male? These are a few of the OSA "Usual Suspects" that could be used against an SA SC. Do you currently have a COPD DX that is SC'd?         Semper Fi

[Holden Caulfield]

Thank you Berta, 

I'll answer these questions as well as I can and I don't know what is generally known about the National Guard as compared to regular active duty so please excuse me if I state things that are well known.

1. I can't find my CRSC document. I have it, but I just haven't found it yet. It could be 100% but from the CRSC statement on MyPay it says 80%

2.Although I did 2 years active in the 80's I enlisted after 911 in 12/2001 and I was in the National Guard. In the guard you actually get a DD214 after each deployment. I started having severe issues in 2010 and a medical retirement process started. Due to, IMO, a "reluctant" and inept CO & admin NCO as well as changing from the old process system to the new IDES/MEB it took over three years to be medically discharged. So I was still in the guard while receiving 100% IU in 2010. In order to go through the medical discharge process I still had to show up every month and go to annual training. I finally medically retired out in 2013. 

3. After a few years I applied for CRSC and received it. I of course was entitled to back pay from the date of my retirement, not the date of the VA disability. However for the first year they sent me retirement and disability at the same time. I didn't stay on top of that and then after a year they said we can't do that and only gave me VA disability. I asked if I owed them and continued to inquire and the most that DFAS said was that at this time you do not have a debt. So when I inquired about the backpay this was brought up and in all actuality i faired for the better.

4. I did have a VOS in 2010. MOPH, but nothing was known about being medically retired. I had done some googling and felt that a medical retirement would be good. She said it didn't matter and wasn't aware of the National Guard process.

5. I have 70% PTSD and 20% cervical radiculopathy and they are both combat related. The 20% came from a spinal injury during special forces training with the 20th group and is considered simulated war and is therefore covered under CRSC as a combat related injury.

6. My purple Heart is from an IED and was superficial and isn't a contributing factor to my CRSC on a physical level. However both my PH and my CMB attest to combat stressers. 

 

 

[Berta]

You said MOPH, and then "she"- was this a VSO at the Syracuse NY VAMC ?

Just a long shot question.

Mailing Address	Telephone, Email and Internet
Department of the Army U.S. Army Human Resources Command ATTN: CRSC Division 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue Fort Knox, KY 40122	Telephone: 866-281-3254 (Toll Free) E-mail: crsc.info@us.army.mil Internet: www.hrc.army.mil/tagd/crsc

estion.

If I were you I would look into the link I gave you for DFAS or better yet,contact the Army---

I couldn't use a safe link to the Army- you know how that goes---

except this contact info above  came up in google.

Geez, you have a PH and the CMB-------------they both indicate major stressors....

Can others chime in here on this CRSC situation? 

."I did have a VOS in 2010. MOPH, but nothing was known about being medically retired. I had done some googling and felt that a medical retirement would be good. She said it didn't matter and wasn't aware of the National Guard process." Sounds just like the MOPH vet rep I knew....a real winner..

We have CRSCers here....I hope they chime in...

 

 

 

[Berta]

MOPH knows plenty about CRSC and also the NG factor:

http://www.purpleheart.org/ServiceProgram/Training2014/CRSCCRDP.pdf

I cannot imagine what your VSO was thinking.....then again many of us have had incompetent Vet reps from all the major vet orgs.

Do you have your complete SMrs ( Service Medical Records,) and your inservice personnel file? from USA and NG too?

" Due to, IMO, a "reluctant" and inept CO & admin NCO as well as changing from the old process system to the new IDES/MEB it took over three years to be medically discharged. So I was still in the guard while receiving 100% IU in 2010. In order to go through the medical discharge process I still had to show up every month and go to annual training. I finally medically retired out in 2013. "

That is outrageous........you were IU but had to still maintain NG status.....and  you already had the PH and the CMB! 

Do you have any paperwork from the MEB?

Do you have a copy of your C file at the VA?

Folks, we need more input here. CRSC and CRDP was snafued from the git go--- I remember many vets, - on the older hadit board were having problems.

And it sure does not help when a VSO doesn't have a clue either.

Please read over the thread here and the links carefully.....and add some input.......

 

[Berta]

forgot to ask--- have you applied for SSDI?

https://www.ssa.gov/disability/

It depends on work credits ( to inlclude all those earned by military service and I believe you must apply within 5 years of becoming disabled.

" finally medically retired out in 2013",...that does not give you much time to apply in.

Others here will correct me if the 5 year deadline is wrong.

But would SSA consider that fact that you were still required to be in NG , as 'work' yet it was for training and monthly stuff...?????

I would sure apply for SSDI if I were you.

 

 

[Berta]

bump-

Is anyone willing to read the CRSC info/links and opine on my take of all this??

 

There is more info here:

https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/applyforcrsc.html

A vet eligible for CRSC on one VA rating might find in time they are rated SC on other SCs and as the link states:

Applying for CRSC

Military retirees who receive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pay and think they are eligible for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) must apply to their branch of service.

When to Apply

"You should submit a CRSC application if:

• you think you are eligible for CRSC and have never applied.
• you have been approved for CRSC, but you have more disabilities that you think might qualify.
• the VA has recently added more disabilities to your rating that you think might qualify.

The VA recently expanded coverage to those suffering from the following medical conditions associated with Agent Orange.

• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Parkinson's Disease
• Hairy Cell Leukemia
• other Chronic B-cell Leukemia

If you have received a VA rating that includes one of these conditions, you should consider applying or reapplying for CRSC."

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Berta