CRSC Board

MrBroken26

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Can anyone shed some real insight on how a CRSC board is conducted? I am not looking for the requirements of what material and documents to present, rather how do they actually conduct the board to determine if the submissions are combat related? Do they only go off what is submitted? Can they assist by finding more documents for you during their investigation? Thanks!
 
The Army CRSC board is operated by a contractor. I believe the boards of the other services are made up of active duty personnel and DoD civilian employees.

The only CRSC document that I have seen that outlines board procedures with some degree of specificity is from the CRSC guidance from 2004 which was posted in "Resources" by chaplaincharlie in November 2018.

From 2004:

BASIS FOR DETERMINATIONS: Determinations of whether a disability is combat related will be based on the preponderance of available documentary information where quality of information is more important than quantity. All relevant documentary information is to be weighed in relation to known facts and circumstances, and determinations will be made on the basis of credible, objective documentary information in the records as distinguished from personal opinion, speculation, or conjecture. The burden of proof that a disability is combat-related rests with the applicant and members will be required to provide copies of documents in their possession to the best of their ability.

A record submitted by a member may be used in support of his/her application if that record appears regular on its face and is consistent with Military Service documents and procedures in use at the time, based on the best information available. Military Departments may compile a list of typical documents used in various time periods (with samples, as appropriate). When documentary information provided by the member, in conjunction with automated Service records, is insufficient to support a determination that the disability is combat related, the Military Departments "may" seek such additional documentary information as would likely be useful in making their determinations. Such information may include documents from the National Personnel Records Center and/or the VA.

The VA, has agreed to provide a record extract to support CRSC determinations at the specific request of a Military Department. The Services will file such requests in accordance with procedures established by the VA point of contact for this program. In response to such requests, the VA will provide a record extract containing:
a. A copy of any DD Form 214s on file.
b. A copy of the Service Medical Record
c. A copy of any final ratings prepared by the VA.

DENIAL AND APPEALS: When a Military Department denies a CRSC application, it will provide a letter to the member specifying the reason(s) for the denial. The Military Department will inform the member that he/she may seek reconsideration by submitting additional, clarifying, and/or new documentary information to the Military Department in support of his or her application. The Military Department will review the additional, clarifying, and/or new documentary information and will inform the member of the results of the review. The Military Department will also inform the member that CRSC is subject to the same appeals and correction processes applicable to military pay and allowances generally, including application to the appropriate Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) under the provisions of section 1552 of title 10, United States Code. The Military Department will provide the member a DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Records, and the address of the BCMR, including its website. In considering an application where the issue of whether a disability is combat-related for the purposes of CRSC, the BCMR will seek an advisory opinion from the Director of Compensation, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Personnel Policy), and comply with the requirements of section 1556 of title 10, United States Code. The BCMR will provide the Director of Compensation a copy of any final decision concerning any application involving a determination as to whether a disability is combat-related.

Program Guidance Combat-Related Special Compensation April 15, 2004 - Page 9

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Ron
 
RonG - I appreciate your post regarding the Army CRSC, you seem quite knowledgeable...

Question:

Medically retired (Army) in 2017, filed for CRSC in December '17, denied, and filed again in August '18, denied. I'm legitimately baffled as my 199 clearly states V3-Yes for both injuries, simulating war. How can the formal PEB state that the injuries were combat related under the simulating war category and another office deny the very same fact that has already been established?

I've emailed HRC for some clarification, because the denial only says to provide more documentation, but what more do they need? Everything I gave the PEB is everything I gave the CRSC. I understand the next step is the Army Record Correction (149), but I am not seeking to correct anything in my record, it is all right, I'm trying to correct the CRSC knuckleheads.

Lastly, I emailed a lawyer that I worked with during my MEB/PEB and she told me that the DoD is aware of the issue that servicemembers are being denied CRSC with V3 on their 199 - what needs to change for the Army to get on the same page? Congressman? Donald Duck? Who?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Jen
 
Jen,

You might consider contacting one or all of the following:

The names of the HRC leadership are at HRC Homepage <---Leadership LINK

Address:
1600 Spearhead Division Avenue
Fort. Knox, KY 40122

The telephone numbers for HRC command and staff are at HRC Homepage <---Phone LINK

ASK HRC [email protected] <[email protected]>; <---email LINK

Please note that the Army CRSC board is operated by a civilian contractor. That was the case a few years ago when I was researching a related matter.

Ron
 
RonG - I appreciate your post regarding the Army CRSC, you seem quite knowledgeable...

Question:

Medically retired (Army) in 2017, filed for CRSC in December '17, denied, and filed again in August '18, denied. I'm legitimately baffled as my 199 clearly states V3-Yes for both injuries, simulating war. How can the formal PEB state that the injuries were combat related under the simulating war category and another office deny the very same fact that has already been established?

I've emailed HRC for some clarification, because the denial only says to provide more documentation, but what more do they need? Everything I gave the PEB is everything I gave the CRSC. I understand the next step is the Army Record Correction (149), but I am not seeking to correct anything in my record, it is all right, I'm trying to correct the CRSC knuckleheads.

Lastly, I emailed a lawyer that I worked with during my MEB/PEB and she told me that the DoD is aware of the issue that servicemembers are being denied CRSC with V3 on their 199 - what needs to change for the Army to get on the same page? Congressman? Donald Duck? Who?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Jen
Jen, unfortunately, the regulations that governor the approval of CRSC are different than the regulations that governor the med board process. You would think that since DOD and the CRSC operate under the same umbrella and are governed by the same DOD, that the qualifications for receiving a certain rating and classification from the Med board would be the same qualifications for receiving a crsc rating. They are not and the CRSC board will tell you that on their web site. Much like the VA and how they continually fail to apply the VASRD legally to veterans actual verified service related disabilities by way of low ratings versus the severity or out right denial in the face of concrete evidence, the crsc board will be fail to recognize the plain sight evidence unless you draw a Nexus between a qualifying event such as training for war and being injured as a result and how your injuries and disabilities incurred would not have happened had you not been conducting the training that is unique to war preparation. An example is one of the he hardest crsc cases to get approved such as PTSD for personnel with no combat awards, decorations or eval reports that state combat action. In an MEB / PEB narrative, it will state the cause of someone's ptsd and in the narrative justification for why that personnel should be approved for crsc, the applicant would have to highlight the portions of the narrative that sight direct fire contact and than match it to the VA ratings narrative that site direct fire contact. I have even had to assist personnel in getting SIR reports that confirm that a service personnel was present on a installation or post overseas in a combat zone for a specific IDF attack and than match it up with the unit 100% accountability roster submitted after the attack to prove that there was a combat engagement that occurred between their unit and an enemy combat force that led to a person's PTSD. You have to be very specific and detailed and you have to walk the board onto the evidence barney style and remember that the DOD is not trying to make it easy to give away more money. It's unfair and unfortunate especially when the US illegally gave over 100 billion dollars to the mullahs in Iran that sent their home grown terrorist into Iraq to fight us in their own proxy war. I lost two good soldiers from an RPG attack that was carried out by a dirt team of Iranians that we killed with return fire and we gave the Iranians over 100 billion dollars and our veterans get screwed out of they are legally entitled to. The NVLSP (type in the acronym in goole search) does an exceptional job at building solid crsc cases pro bono. Do alot of research on crsc on this site. I do advocacy work for veterans and this site has and still does provide alot of info that assists me when I run into something requiring research.
 
I agree with the comments about the NVLSP.

The website for the National Veterans Legal Services Program
is NVLSP <—-NVLSP CRSC LINK

Ron
 
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