Thanks USAFaviator, I went to the link and sent the email. Thank you guys so much that really keep up with everything. Can you do me a big favor since you seem to be an expert. PTSD is one of my conditions for my PEB, and I have done multiple deployments and it along with other health issues are documented as Combat Related. Can you tell me what the benefits are of DOD vs VA retirement and whether I will qualify for the CRSC or whatever that is that everyone talks about. I would really appreciate it. Going to get an answer soon and I want to be well prepared. I am married and have two children.
No problem at all. Everything I know I learned here on this forum from other members (this particular info about S 344 I picked up from user commosgt), so I can only hope that I can return the favor by keeping the knowledge circle spinning. All sm's going through this system deserve to know as much as possible about it, and this forum (and all the members here) is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal to ensure we all get a fair break from DoD and the VA.
There really is no such thing as a VA retirement, only VA disability compensation. If you get less than 30% rating, you get a one time severance payment, then monthly VA comp according to your rating percentage and dependent status. Outside of your short grace period immediately after separation, you will lose Tricare and will have to find your own insurance, or hopefully your new employer has a good insurance plan. You lose the BX/PX and all other base/post privies. VA compensation is periodically reassessed, and can decrease if your condition improves.
If you are able to get a DoD retirement (30% or greater rating), that is the way 99% of sm's want to go. You keep Tricare (especially with dependents, this will takes
loads of weight off your shoulders as a civilian), get a DoD retirement pension that will never have the opportunity to decrease (unlike VA compensation), keep all your base privies (BX/PX, commissary, outdoor rec, auto hobby/wood shop etc.) just like a regular DoD retiree with 20 years.PTSD usually warrants an automatic 50%, but unless tied in with other conditions that are deemed to be stable, usually gets TDRL at first, then (after the end of the eval process), usually converts to PDRL (from what I have read from other members here).
If you get the DoD retirement, you will also get the VA pay, but there is a dollar for dollar offset (which is what S 344 aims to eliminate). This means that for ever dollar that you receive from the VA, your DoD (or vice versa) retirement amount is reduced one dollar. The
only good thing about this situation at this point is that your whole VA amount is tax free...for example, if your DoD retirement pay is $1500, and your VA pay is $1000, you will receive the higher of the two (DoD in this case), however, $1000 of the $1500 is tax free.
As for CRSC, you have to wait to apply for it until you have retired and receive your DD 214. That will be my next battle. CRSC will net you both the DoD pension and VA compensation, and is typically a considerable chunk of change. Especially with your conditions being documented as combat related, I think you should apply as soon as you can after you are out and fight if you have to. Since I haven't met the CRSC board yet, I have just been compiling all my documentation, studies and jotting down notes of events that I can remember during the time I was injured to try to prepare as strong a case as possible. All this said, if S 344/NDA of 2013 makes it through unscathed, sm's will not need CRSC to get both pays.