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Benefits available for retired veterans with combat-related injuries
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Veterans, this week’s column is for my retired veterans who were injured during the past conflicts and are receiving compensation for those injuries. The program is called Combat-Related Special Compensation. CRSC provides tax-free monthly payments to eligible retired veterans with combat-related injuries. With CRSC, veterans can receive both their full military retirement pay and their VA disability compensation if the injury is combat-related. Retired veterans with combat-related injuries must meet all of the following criteria to apply for CRSC: • Active or Reserve component with 20 years of creditable service or medically retired. • Receiving military retired pay. • Have a 10 percent or greater VA-rated injury. In addition, veterans must be able to provide documentary evidence that their injuries were a result of one of the following: • Training that simulates war (e.g., exercises, field training) • Hazardous duty (e.g., flight, diving, parachute duty) • An instrumentality of war (e.g. combat vehicles, weapons, Agent Orange) • Armed conflict (e.g., gunshot wounds, Purple Heart). For those of you who just glanced at the above, look again. If you are retired and are being compensated for an Agent Orange illness, you qualify. For those of you who may qualify you will need the following supporting documentation: • All DD214s and DD215s (especially if for retirement or showing combat ribbons). • Retirement orders and supporting documents • Reserve Retirement point computation including any 15-year or 20-year letter (if applicable). • Copies of ALL VA Rating Decisions, letters, and code sheets (current and prior). • All VA documents discussing changes in benefits including Special Monthly Compensation (SCM) and/or Individual Unemployability (IU). • Medical records or notes that verify how the injury/disability occurred. • Physical Evaluation Board (MEB-PEB) results and/or summaries. Remember, warriors, you earned this, let’s talk. The above are simplified guidelines; call me at 541-962-8802 for additional information or to set up an appointment. I am located at the Center for Human Development (CHD), 2301 Cove Ave., La Grande.
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