Guardian CRSC · Filed Through AFPC

Space Force CRSC: Filing Through AFPC

If you separated or retired from the U.S. Space Force, your Combat-Related Special Compensation claim is processed by the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) — the same office and the same process as the Air Force. Here is exactly where Guardians file, what to include, and what to do if you're denied.

Short version, Guardian: Space Force CRSC is handled by the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) — specifically HQ AFPC/DPFDC (CRSC) at JBSA-Randolph, Texas. There is no separate Space Force CRSC office, because the U.S. Space Force is part of the Department of the Air Force. You file with AFPC — not the VA — on DD Form 2860, through the myFSS portal or by mail.

Why Space Force CRSC goes through AFPC

This trips up a lot of Guardians, so let's clear it up. The U.S. Space Force was established within the Department of the Air Force — much like the Marine Corps sits within the Department of the Navy. The Department of the Air Force runs one personnel center, AFPC, and that center processes CRSC for both Airmen and Guardians.

So when CRSC instructions say "Air Force," that's not an error and not the wrong branch — that's your office too. The team you'll work with is HQ AFPC/DPFDC (CRSC) at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Randolph, Texas. There is no separate "Space Force CRSC board." AFPC is the office.

Your records may cross two branches. The Space Force was established in December 2019, which means most Guardians filing CRSC today served a large part of their career in the Air Force before transferring. Your service record — and the documents AFPC needs — may span both your Air Force time and your Space Force time. Plan to gather records from both.

How to submit — myFSS or mail

You have two routes to AFPC, and the form is the same for every applicant: DD Form 2860 (JUL 2011). Use the current version — an outdated form slows you down.

You stay in control of submission. Whether you go through myFSS or mail it in, the deciding office is the same: AFPC.

What to include (records may span Air Force + Space Force service)

A CRSC decision is made on the paper in front of the reviewer. Build the packet so AFPC can verify each combat-related condition.

Essential:

Strongly recommended:

You do not need a Purple Heart. A Purple Heart is only one of the qualifying paths to CRSC. Armed conflict, hazardous service, conditions simulating war, and instrumentality of war cover many more retirees. See the categories →

How to check status

There is no self-service online status portal for CRSC — you check by phone. Call the Air Force Total Force Service Center at 1-800-525-0102 to ask where your application stands. After AFPC approves a claim, DFAS handles the payment. Give it time between submission and a status call; CRSC processing is not fast.

If you're denied: reconsideration

A denial is not always the end of the road. If AFPC denies your claim, the decision letter will include a Reconsideration Request Form. Submit that form with new evidence — something the first packet didn't show — to HQ AFPC/DPFDC at JBSA Randolph, TX. New, stronger documentation is what gives reconsideration a real chance; resubmitting the same paper rarely changes the outcome.

Be realistic about timing. Reconsideration timelines are branch-dependent and can run anywhere from several months to over a year, and nothing about the process is guaranteed. Our reconsideration page walks through how to build a stronger second submission, and our denied page covers the most common reasons claims get turned down.

An honest note — and how Standfast helps

CRSC is case-specific, and the decision is AFPC's alone. We can't guarantee approval, a rating percentage, or a backpay amount — no one honestly can, and you should be wary of anyone who promises otherwise. What we do is build the strongest documented case your records support: the causation narrative for each condition, a correctly completed DD Form 2860, and the records that prove the link — assembled the way AFPC reads it. If your service spans both the Air Force and the Space Force, we help you pull the right documents from both eras.

Want us to check a packet you built? That's a packet review. Want it done end to end? That's full packet preparation. Either way, the first 15-minute review is free and we charge a flat fee — never a percentage of your backpay. Not sure where you stand? Take the 30-second quiz or grab the free Quickstart Kit.

Disclaimer. Standfast Veterans Group LLC is a veteran-owned consulting business that prepares Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) application packets. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal, tax, or financial advice. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Defense, DFAS, the Air Force Personnel Center, the U.S. Space Force, or any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. CRSC eligibility and outcomes are case-specific and determined solely by your service branch's CRSC authority; we do not guarantee approval, rating percentage, payment amount, tax results, or backpay. Educational content only.
Sources & references: DFAS, Apply for CRSC; MyAirForceBenefits, Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC); Air Force / Space Force, myFSS portal.
Written by the Standfast team. CRSC experience drawn from Loy O'Kelley, combat-injured Army Infantry retiree and author of The CRSC Playbook. Last reviewed: June 24, 2026.

Two ways to start — both free.

A free 15-minute review gets you a straight, experience-based read on your situation, vet to vet — including how to handle a record that spans your Air Force and Space Force service. Or grab the free Quickstart Kit and work through it yourself first.

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