VA Disability pay + TDRL Whats the truth?

kn1080

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Im entering the MEB and will be separated for PTSD. What is the truth? Can you collect both Military Disability and VA disability?
 
You should be retired vice separated and I guess that is the case given the TDRL nature of your question. You should receive all your VA and CRSC, once you apply and are approved for CRSC (assuming the PTSD is combat related). The CRSC amount is limited to the amount of retirement based on your length of service. There remains a CRSC calculation problem that DoD/Congress have yet to fix that could prevent you from receiving less than the correct amount.

Mike
 
I dont know what the CSRC is. Can you collect a retirement check and a VA disability check at the same time?
 
my PTSD is combat related if that was one of your questions. As is my back, SI joint, Knee and TBI.
 
Im trying to do some math with my wife, figuring out what the budget will look like when they finally retire me. I have 10 years service and will be placed PDRL. I just wonder if Ill be able to collect that retirement check and collect a disability from the VA. I am currently 60% (30 PTSD/40 Back/ 10 knee) with the VA and am about to go through the process with the army. Now that the shrinks say I cannot deploy again and now they have discovered this TBI. Will I be able to collect both? someone told me you have to choose military disability pension or VA disability pension.

Thank you for all the links!!
 
No, you cannot receive both, it has to be either or but not both. The only way you can receive both is if you have 20+yrs of service. Then you would be eligible to receive CRDP, which means you would receive both a DOD check and VA check. Like the priors posts were stating, you might be able to receive part of your DOD check through CRSC, but it will only be a percentage not the whole amount.
 
How much CRSC you will receive will depend many variables.

First, that you will be medically retired. You may end up being found unfit with a DoD rating of less than 30%. In that cases all bets are off as you would not be in receipt of retirement pay. If the PEB doesn’t want to give you a disability retirement they will merely find your knee unfitting, your PTSD and back fitting and out you go with only a 10% DoD rating. You may end up in a long fight to get it right.
Is your PEB covering all your conditions especially the ones already rated by the VA?

How much active duty credit do you have?

What would be your military disability retirement amount be? Can’t figure that out until the PEB assigns a disability rating.

Your focus now is to make sure you are properly rated and adjudicated by the DES. Else, no concurrent receipt.

Mike
 
I have too much documentation for my PTSD, my TBI and my back... there is no way they could justify screwing me. My shrink sees me getting 100% for PTSD alone.
 
there is no way they could justify screwing me

You'd be surprised! Ensure you are vigilant throughout DES processing and always be prepared for the 'long fight to get it right' that maparker described. Hopefully they get it right the first time, but you never know! Good luck.
 
DES = Disability Evaluation System
 
Pebforum.com is in exisitence because they screw people left and right regardless of the documentation. I was found fit despite being awarded 80% by the VA. Not a big deal as I had 20 + active years but if you are looking for rational, fact based PEB decisions, you could be in for a surprise. The PEB is a component of the DES.

Mike
 
Thank you everybody for all of your imput. It's clear that I have alot to learn!
 
i have a simular question.

i have just been rated by the va, 80%, with unemployability, which = 100%.....im in the national guard, i served 4 years active, and 13 years national guard, with two deployments. im eligable for a medical retirement at 15 years i believe. im getting a medboard, to be put out of the guard, and the big army doctor, told me they will evaluate all my medical problems, and then offer whatever disability they think is approp........ can i receive BOTH va disability, AND us army disability? i know i cant get a normal pension AND va disability...... i seem to remember a friend being awarded about 70% va, and 60% army, at the same time, but that was 1988 and my memory is fuzzy... any help would be appreciated.
 
Federal law prohibits you from receiveing two disability payments concurrently. (i.e. you can't get medical retirement and VA compensation at the same time). If your disabilities we received from combat action of simulated combat you may receive CRSC. Every individual is different and has specific guidlines that cover it. CRSC goes of your years in service, combat disabilities, high three base pay and medical retirement disability. All of these taken into consideration will give you your CRSC.

Example:
Method A
High three ($3000.00) X Med Retirement (60%) = $1800.00 (Chapter 61 amount)

Method B
Years of Service Years - 13 Months - 0 = Credible Service (13.00) (multiply the number of months by .8333 to get the number after the decimal) X .25 = 32.50% Retirement (This is the amount you would recieve if you retired at 13 years of service.)

13.00 X .25 = 32.50%

Now to do the calculating:

You need to figure out you years of service offset amount. Do that by taking your 60% ($1800.00) X YOS (32.50%) = $975.00. Now you have what is known as the YOS offset.

$1800.00 X 32.50% = $975.00 (YOS Offset)

Chapter 61 amount: $1800.00
Subtract YOS Offset: $975.00
Method A Offset: $825.00

You should have a letter from CRSC stating what percentage they have awarded as combat related disabilities. For this example I am using 70% combat related with spuse and one child ($1409.00)

CRSC entitlement: 70% $1409.00
Method A Offset $825.00
CRSC Compensation $584.00

As you can see you won't get the full amount of you VA and medical retirement, but at least it is not $0.00. Use your numbers and fill in the spaces and if you have problems send this information to me and I will input it into a worksheet that I have and send you what you CRSC will be.

High Three Base Pay (last 36 months base pay divided by 36)
Medical retirement %
Number of years, months and days in service (points for Guard/Reserve)
Combat related disabilities
Family size (wife, kids, ect.)

i have a simular question.

i have just been rated by the va, 80%, with unemployability, which = 100%.....im in the national guard, i served 4 years active, and 13 years national guard, with two deployments. im eligable for a medical retirement at 15 years i believe. im getting a medboard, to be put out of the guard, and the big army doctor, told me they will evaluate all my medical problems, and then offer whatever disability they think is approp........ can i receive BOTH va disability, AND us army disability? i know i cant get a normal pension AND va disability...... i seem to remember a friend being awarded about 70% va, and 60% army, at the same time, but that was 1988 and my memory is fuzzy... any help would be appreciated.
 
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