CRSC packet preparation, done with you — vet to vet.

CRSC packet preparation is the work of assembling and writing your Combat-Related Special Compensation claim so the board can verify it — not just read it. That means a complete DD Form 2860, a causation narrative connecting each VA-rated condition to a qualifying combat-related event, and the supporting records that prove the link. Standfast builds that packet with you and hands you a submission-ready file for your branch.

What a CRSC packet actually has to prove

A board approves what the paper proves. Every condition you claim needs an unbroken chain: a specific, documented event or exposure → the mechanism of injury → the medical evidence → the combat-related category it falls under. When any link is asserted instead of documented, the board has an easy reason to say no. Our entire job is to make every link verifiable.

What full packet preparation includes

• Eligibility & case read. We confirm you meet the preliminary CRSC requirements and identify which of your rated conditions are realistically combat-related.
• Records strategy. We map the exact records that prove each condition and tell you how to request what's missing (personnel file, service treatment records, LODs, deployment and hazardous-duty orders, VA rating decisions and code sheets).
• Causation narrative. A written, board-ready narrative per condition — event, mechanism, medical evidence, category — in the order the board reads it.
• DD Form 2860, completed. The current JUL 2011 federal form, filled correctly, including the Block 13 narrative most retirees get wrong. How the form works →
• Branch-specific assembly. Each branch board has its own address, format, and expectations. We assemble and order the packet for your board.
• Preservation language. We include language that protects your effective-date position in case the rules shift again (the backpay rules changed three times between 2025 and 2026 — see below).

The process

1. Free 15-minute review. We look at your retirement type, rating, and conditions and tell you straight whether a packet is worth your money. No cost, no obligation.
2. Intake & records roadmap. If there's a fit, we send a clear list of exactly which records to pull and how.
3. We build the packet. Narratives, DD Form 2860, and assembly — with you reviewing the draft.
4. Submission-ready handoff. You get a finished packet plus exactly where and how to submit it to your branch. You stay in control of filing.

Who this is for

Retirees of every branch — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard — including Chapter 61 medical retirees, 20-year retirees currently receiving CRDP, TERA, and qualifying Reserve retirees. If you have at least one VA-rated condition that traces to a combat-related event, you may have a case.

What it costs

We charge a flat fee on purpose. Some companies take a percentage of your retroactive CRSC — which can mean thousands of dollars off the top of money you earned. You'll always know our price up front, and it never scales with your backpay.

Honest expectations

CRSC is case-specific and decided solely by your branch's board. We don't guarantee approval, a rating, or a backpay amount — no one honestly can. What we do is build the strongest documented case your records support, and if we don't think a packet is worth your money, we'll tell you that on the free call.