DD Form 2860 help: completing the CRSC claim form

DD Form 2860 is the single federal form used to claim Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) across every branch of the U.S. military. The current edition is dated JUL 2011. The form itself is short — most of it is identifying information. The part that decides your claim is Block 13, the combat-related narrative, and the records you attach to back it up.

What DD Form 2860 is

There is only one CRSC application form, and every branch uses it: DD Form 2860, "Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)." Download the current JUL 2011 edition from the official DoD forms site rather than a random third-party copy, so you know you have the right version.

Block by block (the parts that matter)

You do not need a walkthrough of every line — most blocks are straightforward identifying data. These are the parts that actually shape the claim:

• Identifying information. Your name, Social Security number, contact information, and how the board should reach you. Accuracy matters because this is how your records get matched.
• Retirement type. The form asks how you retired — for example, a 20-year (length-of-service) retirement, a Chapter 61 medical retirement, TERA, or a Reserve retirement. This drives how your CRSC is figured.
• VA-rated conditions you are claiming. List the conditions you want considered for CRSC. These must be conditions the VA has already rated. Claiming a condition the VA has not rated as combat-related gives the board an easy reason to set it aside.
• Block 13 — the combat-related narrative. This is the heart of the form. For each condition, you connect it to a qualifying combat-related event or exposure. This is where most CRSC claims are won or lost — a strong, documented Block 13 is the difference between an approval and a denial.

How to write Block 13

Block 13 is a causation argument, not a story. For each condition, build one clean chain. Keep one condition per chain so the board can follow it:

1. Name the specific event or exposure — with a date. "On or about [date], during [operation/location]…" A dated, specific event is far stronger than a general statement that you "served in combat."
2. State the mechanism of injury. What physically happened to cause the condition — the blast, the fall, the vehicle rollover, the repetitive load, the exposure. Be concrete.
3. Cite the medical evidence and the VA-rated condition. Tie the event to the documented diagnosis and to the specific VA-rated condition, so the board can verify the link in your records.
4. Name the combat-related category. State which qualifying category the event falls under: armed conflict, hazardous service, conditions simulating war, instrumentality of war, or a Purple Heart event. Naming the category tells the board exactly which rule applies.

Signature rules

Important: the Army (HRC) requires a hand-written ink signature on DD Form 2860 and rejects electronic or typed signatures — a digital signature can get your packet bounced before anyone reads it. Other branches have their own signature rules. The safe move is simple: sign per your branch's current instructions, and when in doubt, use wet ink.

What to attach

The form is only the cover sheet for your evidence. A complete packet generally includes:

• DD214 / DD215(s) — your discharge and any corrections.
• VA rating decision(s) and VA code sheet — proof of the conditions and percentages the VA assigned.
• Service treatment records from the time of injury — the contemporaneous medical record that ties the condition to the event.
• PEB paperwork if you are a Chapter 61 medical retiree — your Physical Evaluation Board findings.
• Orders and award documents that prove the event — deployment orders, hazardous-duty orders, line-of-duty determinations, and any award citations that corroborate what happened.

Not sure whether you even qualify before you gather all of this? Start with CRSC eligibility.

Where to submit (by branch)

CRSC claims are adjudicated by your branch, not by the VA or DFAS. Each branch has its own board and its own submission method:

Exact current mailing addresses and portal links change over time and are listed on each branch's official CRSC page — confirm the address or portal there before you submit, and do not rely on the outdated addresses printed inside the form PDF.

Don't want to fill it out alone?

DD Form 2860 looks simple, but Block 13 is unforgiving — and a missing record or a wrong signature can cost you months. Two ways we help, vet to vet:

Frequently asked questions

What is the current edition of DD Form 2860?

The current edition is dated JUL 2011. It is the single federal form used to claim CRSC across every branch. Download it from the official DoD forms site to be sure you have the right version.

What goes in Block 13?

Block 13 is the combat-related causation narrative. For each VA-rated condition, you name the specific event with a date, state the mechanism of injury, cite the medical evidence and the rated condition, and name the combat-related category. It is where most claims are won or lost.

Can I sign DD Form 2860 electronically?

It depends on your branch. The Army (HRC) requires a hand-written wet-ink signature and rejects electronic or typed signatures. Other branches set their own rules, so check your branch's current instructions and, when in doubt, sign in ink.