CRSC-Can't quite confirm eligibility, please help!

B

Blunderbuss

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I know every situation is different, and I've been trudging through all the forums I can find for clarification, and this one seems the most knowledgeable, so here it goes!

1. I retired from active duty Air Force with 20+ years in service as an E-7 in July 2011. Regular retirement, not med-board.
2. I filed for VA comp at time of retirement and was rated at 80% in Feb 2012.
3. I never had my retirement pay reduced...I was always concurrent receipt.
4. In April of 2023 my rating was increased to 100% (so I'm within the 6 year window to apply, at least as far as I understand it).
5. Among my ratings are enough to account for around 70% being combat related (I was a convoy commander in Iraq, and have PTSD/Tinnitus/back, hip and shoulder damage/PACT act related IBS, etc. etc.)

I've read and reread the requirements for CRSC and my sticking point is the "currently have your DoD retirement payments reduced by the amount of your VA disability payments". That seems pretty clear as a disqualifier for me, since I've always been concurrent receipt, but I see a lot of forums saying that I may still be eligible. The only way I can see that I would qualify, is if the Air Force is going to make a percentage of my retirement pay tax free. Otherwise I think I would just be filing paperwork for nothing.

Any clarification you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
 
You’re 100% eligible :). a) retired under ANY circumstances b) VA rating of at least 10% or more. You might have to file the VA form to reduce your retirement pay, but it doesn’t affect you since under CRDP at 50% or more the waiver is overridden.

That’s it :)
 
Put in for any PACT Act claims that you are rated for (as long as you were in the required locations). Those PACT Act claims are supposed to be "auto-approved" by CRSC due to instruments of war.
So sinusitis, rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, IBS (gulf war presumptive, not PACT), etc...
 
Good morning all.
Sooooo.... I was retroactively retired through the Torres CARB ( Marine Corps - original MedBoard separation in 6/2017 after 15y11mo - CWO2) and I'm now going through the CRSC process. I was 100% VA, 40% DoD. For CRSC, 40% (injuries that got me retired were bilateral hips and knees) were CR/CZ IOW, but for DD2860, I'm finding a hard time with

1. Box H (unit of assignment)
2. Box I (location/area of assignment when injured)
3. Box J (describe events surrounding the disability and how it meets combat related guidelines)
4. Box G ( combat related Code)

Where I know that the large majority of my injuries could be "simulating war" as I spent count years not only deployed, but also workups and as pre deployment training instructor OR would it be an IOW as my major disabilities (plantar fascitiis 50%, back 40%, cervical spine 30%) were due to "chronic over use under combat load" as stated in my med board paper work and medical record. Also, I've been through the Gensis and Tricare Online and CANT find the first 6 years of my hard records ( i have to check my own stuff this weekend). Is it somewhere like ALTHA that I dont have access to? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
 
SkipG said:
Good morning all.
Sooooo.... I was retroactively retired through the Torres CARB ( Marine Corps - original MedBoard separation in 6/2017 after 15y11mo - CWO2) and I'm now going through the CRSC process. I was 100% VA, 40% DoD. For CRSC, 40% (injuries that got me retired were bilateral hips and knees) were CR/CZ IOW, but for DD2860, I'm finding a hard time with

1. Box H (unit of assignment)
2. Box I (location/area of assignment when injured)
3. Box J (describe events surrounding the disability and how it meets combat related guidelines)
4. Box G ( combat related Code)

Where I know that the large majority of my injuries could be "simulating war" as I spent count years not only deployed, but also workups and as pre deployment training instructor OR would it be an IOW as my major disabilities (plantar fascitiis 50%, back 40%, cervical spine 30%) were due to "chronic over use under combat load" as stated in my med board paper work and medical record. Also, I've been through the Gensis and Tricare Online and CANT find the first 6 years of my hard records ( i have to check my own stuff this weekend). Is it somewhere like ALTHA that I dont have access to? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
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Hey, Skip!

For Box G: sounds like you have a good grip on what code to go with, i.e., either SW or IN for the "chronic over use under combat load" *should* be able to be under either code, I would go with IN for those while deployed

Box H and I: seeing that your injuries were over time, I would go with the last unit of assignment. However, CRSC is NOT awarded for "wear and tear" type injuries, so you might be barking up the wrong tree unless you have conditions that were acute in nature, i.e., for physical conditions, you have clinic notes, ER notes, sick call slips, etc from point of injury stating a) what happened b) activity at time c) the actual injury

Box 13j: an example would be: "Training while under simulating combat, responding to threats, dismounted patrolling, etc. During one of these times, my foot fell into a hole and twisted, causing my tib/fib to break"

As I always do, you don't know until you ask, right? As for older med records, try to see if you can pull any of them down via the VA's Home - My HealtheVet - My HealtheVet and see if any of your old documentation got populated: As per usual, what's supposed to happen and what actually happens are two completely opposite things, I will dig around to see if there's any recourse for you in case you don't find anything in your stuff. Former Patient Admin Officer here, but for the Army. I'm busy until later tonight but will try to see what I can come up with.
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Your hard copy record probably falls into the category that a lot of people fall into… those that didn’t get archived correctly. When AHLTA came into existence hard copy records were supposed to go away. Obviously they didn’t. They were supposed to be uploaded onto AHLTA as well. Most records did not. If you don’t have a copy of you actual record and you have tried to get it from the national archives and/or the VA (depending on when you left service is where your record went) then you may be out of luck in getting those records. Unfortunately we in the bureau of medicine use to joke about the “special” fax machine for records of people that had separated and we were no longer responsible for… I’m sure you know what I mean by special fax machine. I kept my record when I retired. I made a copy and turned the copy in lol

Also all AHLTA records except mental health show up in tricare online and genesis. AHLTA-T maybe the only exception so if you go treatment on a deployment and it was documented there that was self contained and I’m not too sure if those records always made it into regular AHLTA
 
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iamthewalrus016 said:
Your hard copy record probably falls into the category that a lot of people fall into… those that didn’t get archived correctly. When AHLTA came into existence hard copy records were supposed to go away. Obviously they didn’t. They were supposed to be uploaded onto AHLTA as well. Most records did not. If you don’t have a copy of you actual record and you have tried to get it from the national archives and/or the VA (depending on when you left service is where your record went) then you may be out of luck in getting those records. Unfortunately we in the bureau of medicine use to joke about the “special” fax machine for records of people that had separated and we were no longer responsible for… I’m sure you know what I mean by special fax machine. I kept my record when I retired. I made a copy and turned the copy in lol

Also all AHLTA records except mental health show up in tricare online and genesis. AHLTA-T maybe the only exception so if you go treatment on a deployment and it was documented there that was self contained and I’m not too sure if those records always made it into regular AHLTA
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I literally PCS'd to Hawaii and they said " we're moving to electronic records" and they sent it away. I checked tricare online and genesis - no dice. Archives I guess?
 
SkipG said:
I literally PCS'd to Hawaii and they said " we're moving to electronic records" and they sent it away. I checked tricare online and genesis - no dice. Archives I guess?
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Your record should be in the national archives. But if it’s not I’d be willing to put money on it not existing anymore. When we transitioned to electronic records in 2004/5 very few got uploaded into AHLTA. I think you can inquire online if they have your hard copy record.
 
iamthewalrus016 said:
Your record should be in the national archives. But if it’s not I’d be willing to put money on it not existing anymore. When we transitioned to electronic records in 2004/5 very few got uploaded into AHLTA. I think you can inquire online if they have your hard copy record.
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Website request info: Veterans' Medical and Health Records
 
ok, last question as I am still searching for the first 5-6 years of my career medical records ( checking with the archives). Are they going to try and re-adjudicate the CR/CZ IOW injuries that got me retired in the first place (40%)? As stated before, I was retroactively medically retired through the Torres CARB and DID NOT receive seps pay previously and I'm well beyond the 72 month limit for back dating payment. So it should be a pretty penny or 2.

Checked archives- no dice.
 
SkipG said:
ok, last question as I am still searching for the first 5-6 years of my career medical records ( checking with the archives). Are they going to try and re-adjudicate the CR/CZ IOW injuries that got me retired in the first place (40%)? As stated before, I was retroactively medically retired through the Torres CARB and DID NOT receive seps pay previously and I'm well beyond the 72 month limit for back dating payment. So it should be a pretty penny or 2.

Checked archives- no dice.
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What do you mean by re-adjudicate? Do you mean the CORB?

If so… they will look at your PEB paperwork and your VA code sheet and your medical documentation that YOU provide. I say you because they do not have access to your health record. The determination of meeting CRSC criteria and PEB criteria for Combat Zone, Instrument of War, etc are different. Meaning the PEB can say yeah this is cause by this or that but the CRSC CORB can say no it does not meet the burden of proof. Such is the case with PTSD often. They have two separate guidelines and governing rules/laws. I hope that answers your question.
 
iamthewalrus016 said:
What do you mean by re-adjudicate? Do you mean the CORB?

If so… they will look at your PEB paperwork and your VA code sheet and your medical documentation that YOU provide. I say you because they do not have access to your health record. The determination of meeting CRSC criteria and PEB criteria for Combat Zone, Instrument of War, etc are different. Meaning the PEB can say yeah this is cause by this or that but the CRSC CORB can say no it does not meet the burden of proof. Such is the case with PTSD often. They have two separate guidelines and governing rules/laws. I hope that answers your question.
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That’s specifically what I was asking. Was there a different criteria- so thank you for the insight.
I have my med board physical and the medical records pertaining to the injuries that got me retired. Can easily provide them. Same with the PDHA, combat action ribbon write up, MHA post deployment etc so maybe the PTSD should be less difficult as they formally diagnosed me during the PEB process and have the breakdown of criteria in the MHA.
 
SkipG said:
That’s specifically what I was asking. Was there a different criteria- so thank you for the insight.
I have my med board physical and the medical records pertaining to the injuries that got me retired. Can easily provide them. Same with the PDHA, combat action ribbon write up, MHA post deployment etc so maybe the PTSD should be less difficult as they formally diagnosed me during the PEB process and have the breakdown of criteria in the MHA.
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The only thing I would add is that I would send my 1650 form or at least the CAR citation from iaps. My DD214 didn’t cut it my first run through.
 
RetiredColonel-MikeT said:
If it wasn't for the teamwork, I wouldn't know half the shite I do now ;)
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Sir, can you offer some help? Currently trying to plan ahead to see if I will be able to potentially apply for CRSC with a chance of approval. I received my DA 199 and under my unfitting condition it says: (V1 / V3 - No: Not caused by an instrumentality of war during a period of war). and in section v also says: 3. The disability did not result from a combat-related injury under the provisions of 26 USC 104 or 10 USC 10216. Does the DOD have a different criteria than what the Army would look at for CRSC? Given that my injury was a result of simulating war (live fire exercises) i'm just trying to see if I can still apply. Apologies if this was already answered elsewhere and I missed it!
 
ShinobiLegend said:
Sir, can you offer some help? Currently trying to plan ahead to see if I will be able to potentially apply for CRSC with a chance of approval. I received my DA 199 and under my unfitting condition it says: (V1 / V3 - No: Not caused by an instrumentality of war during a period of war). and in section v also says: 3. The disability did not result from a combat-related injury under the provisions of 26 USC 104 or 10 USC 10216. Does the DOD have a different criteria than what the Army would look at for CRSC? Given that my injury was a result of simulating war (live fire exercises) i'm just trying to see if I can still apply. Apologies if this was already answered elsewhere and I missed it!
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CRSC was written under a different set of laws vs PEB/VA findings, so don't worry about what they say
 
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