Combat-Related Special Compensation

The Department of Defense, working together with the Department of Veteran
Affairs, announces the start of a new compensation program for many
disabled military retirees, Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC).
The new special compensation became effective May 31, 2003, for qualified
combat-related disabled retirees. Payments for qualified retirees began
accruing June 1, 2003, with first payments possible on July 1st.

You may be eligible for the new compensation if you have a combat-related
disability, but in order to be paid the compensation, you must have an
offset to your retired pay for VA disability compensation. Therefore, you
must have a VA rating and be receiving disability compensation in order to
qualify, and you must have completed 20 years of service. To file an
application for a VA disability rating, contact the Department of Veterans
Affairs either by phone at (800) 827-1000 or their web site at www.va.gov.

Members must apply to their own branch of service using DD form 2860,
Application for Combat- Related Special Compensation (CRSC). The form is
available on line at: http://www.dior.whs.mil/forms/DD2860.pdf

Each Uniformed Service will review the applications of their own retirees,
with the Department of the Navy reviewing applications for both the Navy
and Marine Corps. Payments will be retroactive to June 1, 2003, for all
approved applications, no matter when received, to the extent otherwise
allowed in law, providing the applicant is otherwise qualified. Services
may be contacted at the following toll-free numbers:

Army 1-866-281-3254
Navy and USMC 1-877-366-2772
USAF 1-866-229-7074

For more information, go to: http://www.defenselink.mil/prhome/crsc.html