Vets and crsc....

[5.7 hemi]

I belong in that Chpt. 61 retiree crap and I'm so friggin' frustrated that I'm not gonna get squat even though I have a 40% combat related permanent disability. Anyone else got this problem?? Congress needs to get off their asses fix the Chpt. 61 "glitch".

 

[69a100]

What's Chapter 61 crap? Never heard of it, what's it deal with?

 

[Cranky]

Have you read this? My BIL was in Nam and it took him years to get what he had coming to him. Don't give up man. My hearing is pretty screwed up but I didn't do anything about it not that it was enough anyways.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Chapter 61 retiree's are personnel medically retired for a permanent disability with less than 20 years of service. This does not have to be combat related, but in my case, it was combat related.

I guess I've waited 20 years the laws to change for us vets to get concurrent pay, so whats' another 20???

 

[cr8crshr]

Hate to say this...

But in order to get Concurrent Receipt of your Military Retirement and your disability payment you must have a 50% disability rating or greater from the VA. You do not have this and therefore are not receiving both but rather the difference between your retirement and disability. It is known as VA offset. If you are Combat related and discharged as such then you still need that 50% gate. The key here is were you "Retired" from the Military or "Medically Discharge"? Retired will get you both but Medical Discharge even though Combat related will not. Best bet is to go see your VA coordinator at your County Building and have them re-open your case to see about an increase in your rating. Or find a Mentor that has worked through the maze of navigation with the VA that can help walk you through. Just ask me how I know all this? I am greater than 50% VA Disabled...

 

[snakeyes]

it`s a very long road ,stay with it good !:grin:

 

[5.7 hemi]

cr8crshr, I have a 50% VA rating, medically retired due to permanent disability. I'm not complaining about what little crsc is gonna pay, rather the glitch on how it's computed. Imo, every combat disabled vet should get VA disability and whatever amount they have earned for retirement times their disability rating. In other words, say an E5 with 8 yrs has earned 500 a month for retirement and has 60% combat disability rating then he or she should get $300 a month, period, which is also tax free. Non combat medically retiree's should get the same, but this would be taxable...and both examples are for those with less than 20 years of service. The way chpt. 61 retiree's are screwed is that there is an offset that is taken out and that leaves jack didily for those with a very small amount of time in service. So basically a member that does 20 or more years gets full benefits, but the young kid that got his legs blown off gets little to nothing for crsc as he/she does not have alot of time in service. It's not their fault they had their time in service cut short, thats what I'm getting at.

 

[5.7 hemi]

One other thing, you now only need to be 10% rated to get concurrent receipt, but that damn offset kicks ya square in the giblets.

 

[cr8crshr]

OK...Gotcha. Yes it does suck especially when you get retired or discharged short of a 20 year retirement. Hope you can get things worked out....