CRSC frequently asked questions

CRSC is a monthly, tax-free payment that restores the retired pay a military retiree waives to receive VA disability compensation — for the portion of disability that is combat-related. Below are clear answers to the questions retirees ask us most, organized by topic. None of this is legal or tax advice, and your branch's CRSC board makes the final call. When you want a straight read on your own case, the free 15-minute review is the fastest way to get one, or take the 2-minute eligibility quiz first.

Eligibility

What is CRSC?

CRSC stands for Combat-Related Special Compensation. It is a monthly, tax-free payment from DFAS that restores retired pay a military retiree had to waive to receive VA disability compensation, for the portion of disability that is combat-related. It is not a VA benefit and it is not added on top of VA pay — it replaces the waived retired pay.

Who qualifies for CRSC?

To qualify you generally must be a military retiree entitled to retired pay, be receiving VA disability compensation that caused a waiver of retired pay, and have one or more disabilities the VA has rated that your branch board finds combat-related. Your service branch's CRSC board makes the eligibility determination. You can review the requirements on our CRSC eligibility page.

Is CRSC only for combat injuries?

Not in the narrow sense of being wounded in a firefight. CRSC covers conditions that are combat-related across several categories: armed conflict, hazardous service, conditions caused by an instrumentality of war, and conditions incurred through activities simulating war (training). A Purple Heart is only one of the qualifying paths, not a requirement. Our eligibility page walks through each category.

Do I need a Purple Heart for CRSC?

No. A Purple Heart is one qualifying path, but it is not required. Many retirees qualify under armed conflict, hazardous service, instrumentality of war, or conditions simulating war (such as a documented training injury). What matters is that your records establish a combat-related cause for each rated condition. See our CRSC eligibility page for the categories.

Do Chapter 61 / medical retirees qualify for CRSC?

Yes. Chapter 61 disability retirees can qualify for CRSC, including those with fewer than 20 years of service. The combat-related portion of the disability must still be documented and approved by the branch board, and certain effective-date and offset rules apply to Chapter 61 retirees. See our Chapter 61 CRSC page for the specifics.

Do Reserve and National Guard retirees qualify for CRSC?

Generally yes, once you are eligible for and receiving retired pay — for non-regular (Reserve and Guard) retirees that is usually at age 60, unless you were medically retired earlier. The disability must still be rated by the VA and found combat-related by your branch board. Review the requirements on our CRSC eligibility page.

Money & taxes

Is CRSC taxable?

No. CRSC is paid tax-free. That is one of the key differences from CRDP, which is taxable as retired pay. Standfast does not provide tax advice, so confirm your specific situation with a tax professional.

What is the difference between CRSC and CRDP?

CRDP (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay) restores waived retired pay for retirees with 20 or more years and a VA rating of 50 percent or higher, and it is taxable. CRSC (Combat-Related Special Compensation) restores waived retired pay only for the combat-related portion of your disability, can apply to retirees with fewer than 20 years (Chapter 61), and is tax-free. See our CRSC vs CRDP comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.

Can I receive both CRSC and CRDP?

No. You cannot draw both at the same time. If you qualify for both, DFAS pays whichever is greater, based on a gross-amount comparison, and there is an annual open season each year when you can switch. Because CRSC is tax-free, the smaller-looking gross amount is sometimes the better net choice. Our CRSC vs CRDP page explains how the comparison works.

How is CRSC calculated?

CRSC is based on the VA compensation rate tables for the combat-related disability percentage your branch board approves, using the dependent-adjusted rate. The payment is then capped so it does not exceed the amount of retired pay you actually waived to receive VA compensation. For reference, the 2026 VA rate for a 100 percent rating (veteran alone) is $3,938.58 per month.

Backpay (after Soto)

Is there still a six-year cap on CRSC backpay?

No. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the six-year limit in Soto v. United States, decided June 12, 2025. CRSC backpay is no longer capped at six years. See our explainer on the Soto decision for what the ruling held.

What did the May 14, 2026 DoD guidance change?

On May 14, 2026, the Department of Defense rescinded its earlier interim limits on CRSC backpay and restored statutory, entitlement-based effective dates for all CRSC claims. In practice that means backpay is tied to when you first met the requirements rather than to an arbitrary cap, and prior capped decisions are subject to review. Implementation across the branch boards is still ongoing. Our 2026 backpay update covers what changed.

How far back can CRSC backpay go?

Backpay generally runs to the date you first met all CRSC requirements, subject to statutory floors set by law. Those floors are June 1, 2003 for 20-year and Reserve retirees, January 1, 2004 for certain non-regular retirees, and January 1, 2008 for Chapter 61 (disability) retirees. Your individual effective date depends on your retirement type and rating history. See our 2026 backpay update for details.

How much CRSC backpay will I get?

It is case-specific and depends on your effective date, the combat-related percentage approved, and your rating history. No one can honestly promise you a backpay amount, and you should be cautious of anyone who does. We build the strongest documented case your records support and explain the factors that drive the figure.

Applying

What form do I use to apply for CRSC?

You apply using DD Form 2860, the federal Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation form. Use the current JUL 2011 edition. Our DD Form 2860 help page walks through the form section by section.

What goes in Block 13 of DD Form 2860?

Block 13 is where you make your case: it is the narrative explaining how each claimed condition is combat-related, tying the rated disability to a qualifying event or exposure and the category it falls under. This is the part most retirees get wrong by being too brief or asserting causation instead of documenting it. Our DD Form 2860 help page shows how to write it.

Where do I submit my CRSC claim?

You submit to your own service branch's CRSC board, not to the VA. The Army uses HRC; the Navy and Marine Corps use the Department of the Navy CRSC Board; the Air Force and Space Force use AFPC; and the Coast Guard uses the Personnel Service Center (PSC). Each board has its own address and submission format, which is why we assemble each packet to the right board.

How do I check my CRSC status?

While your claim is pending, contact your branch's CRSC board directly by phone or email to check status. After a claim is approved, DFAS handles payment, so DFAS is who you contact about payment timing and amounts. There is no single nationwide status portal across all branches.

How long does CRSC take?

Processing time is branch-dependent and varies widely — commonly several months and sometimes more than a year. There is no guaranteed timeline, and current post-Soto reviews may affect queues. Submitting a complete, well-documented packet helps avoid back-and-forth that adds delay.

Denials

Why do CRSC claims get denied?

The most common reason is that the combat-related link is asserted rather than documented — the records do not clearly connect a rated condition to a qualifying event, mechanism, and category. Other denials stem from missing records, claiming conditions the VA has not rated, or a weak or incomplete Block 13 narrative. Our CRSC denied page explains the patterns.

Can a CRSC denial be reconsidered?

Yes. A denial is not the end. You can generally request reconsideration, often within about one year, though the window and process vary by branch. The strongest reconsiderations add the documentation the original packet was missing. See our CRSC reconsideration page.

About Standfast

Are you a law firm or affiliated with the VA or DoD?

No to both. Standfast Veterans Group is a veteran-owned consulting business that prepares CRSC application packets. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal, tax, or financial advice, and we are not affiliated with the VA, DoD, DFAS, or any branch of the Armed Forces.

Do you guarantee CRSC approval?

No. CRSC eligibility and outcomes are decided solely by your branch's CRSC board, and no one can honestly guarantee approval, a rating, a payment amount, or a backpay figure. What we guarantee is the strongest documented case your records support — and an honest read on the free call if a packet is not worth your money.

What does Standfast charge for CRSC help?

We charge flat fees, never a percentage of your backpay: $500 for a packet review, $2,500 for full done-for-you packet preparation, and $1,500 for a reconsideration. The first 15-minute review is free. You always know the price before you commit.

Do you work with all branches?

Yes. We prepare CRSC packets for retirees of every branch — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard — and we assemble each packet to that branch board's specific address and format.