CRSC Contradiction

Moonbear said:
Well, I would obviously argue that point? Cumulative or not, it's still PTSD.

Specific documented events? I can specifically talk about absolutely horrifying stuff, I won't here given it's pretty dark.

But because it happened over the course of my service rather than one quick action it's harder to get approved for? I find that completely hog wash and contradictory.

Drones and operations around such is just how modern combat is. And it is time that is accepted and time for folks to get what they deserve, especially how many people I know personally that have mental health issues from serving within the DCGS enterprise. FMV and High Alt both.
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I don’t doubt you or your experience. I’m saying the people that approve/disapprove CRSC, will not challenge your drone experience as an instrument of war. But they will challenge cumulative stress. So focus your claim on the worst experience that you can document.
 
Moonbear said:
Hey team, I know this is a super dated thread, but as someone who is potentially facing a MEB in the not so near future I needed to mention something relating to drones and ptsd related to them, as that's what I have.

So, I'm not sure about other branches besides the AF, but, anyone who is medically retired for MH for being within the AFDCGS enterprise should probably be qualifying for CRSC by all definitions.

Why? The AFDCGS is less commonly known by its true name... AN/GSQ-272 SENTINEL. Which is classified as a weapon system... Straight from the Air Force site even.

I know it's potentially a long shot still, but anyone working within the AFDCGS which developed any MH issues from within and was medically retired should qualify for CRSC, since it's a weapon system it 100% meets the criteria for "instrumentality of war".

"A determination that a disability is the result of an instrumentality of war may be made if the disability was incurred in any period of service as a result of such diverse causes as wounds caused by a military weapon..."

I know, it's probably still an uphill battle, but reading through it all it is pretty black and white that if you suffer from MH issues working within the AFDCGS and were medically retired, you qualify for CRSC.
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Moon,

It's been a few years since my CRSC award. I would term my PTSD as "cumulative", although I'm not sure the AF viewed it that way. I had multiple distinctive events, each one was documented and each could've diagnosed me w/PTSD and awarded CRSC alone. Of course, I was both remotely located doing combat ops (CONUS) AND then physically went down range and experienced the same and additional different forms of trauma, both physical and mental. I was sure to get everything documented....and THAT is KEY. Bottom line is the award criteria for CRSC is written broadly, but each service has their own ways of doing business/awarding it. I'm sure one branch is stricter than others. Also, I'm sure they're well aware of the potential flood gates it opens if everyone that technically qualified for CRSC was awarded it and that would lead to a financial emergency for each service. I'm sure Congress will address the criteria at some point to adapt to changing warfare. My thoughts are that the services will generally only award the most documented, most rock-solid cases, so ensure you have your ducks in a row when applying---give them no room to question it---make it clear. And having worked with DGS for many combat hours myself, I know a bit of what you've had to endure. Good luck.
 
@Wally3430 @chaplaincharlie

I appreciate your guys help and suggestions - looks like for me my biggest problem will be the documentation piece. Although I've seen plenty and what not, I don't think anything is probably documented to that level - DGS was very from one strike to the next from the analysts POV - but I'm still in and being seen by mental health, so I can definitely call out specific strikes I've seen or been trained on, one way or the other.

Especially with you Wally, I'm not sure if they did the same types of trainings for pilots, but for us analysts during our training before being operational at Goodfellow, they would throw us through "desensitization" training, just showing us strike after strike trying to make us numb to the death, I would say it is effective at first, but now being 10 years from that... Well, you know how it can effect your psyche.

But when you've seen kids die, and then have one of your own? That takes the cake man. Again, I appreciate the help, I'll make sure in my coming MH appointments to be more specific and lean on my doctors about the specific things I've seen, I have been very vague up to this point, but maybe it would benefit me not to be - cause even though I do have cumulative/complex PTSD - I can definitely call out the worst specific events from it.

Thanks again, I'll try to make sure to come back here in the future and update for you guys and others that come after.

~ Moon
 
Moonbear said:
@Wally3430 @chaplaincharlie

I appreciate your guys help and suggestions - looks like for me my biggest problem will be the documentation piece. Although I've seen plenty and what not, I don't think anything is probably documented to that level - DGS was very from one strike to the next from the analysts POV - but I'm still in and being seen by mental health, so I can definitely call out specific strikes I've seen or been trained on, one way or the other.

Especially with you Wally, I'm not sure if they did the same types of trainings for pilots, but for us analysts during our training before being operational at Goodfellow, they would throw us through "desensitization" training, just showing us strike after strike trying to make us numb to the death, I would say it is effective at first, but now being 10 years from that... Well, you know how it can effect your psyche.

But when you've seen kids die, and then have one of your own? That takes the cake man. Again, I appreciate the help, I'll make sure in my coming MH appointments to be more specific and lean on my doctors about the specific things I've seen, I have been very vague up to this point, but maybe it would benefit me not to be - cause even though I do have cumulative/complex PTSD - I can definitely call out the worst specific events from it.

Thanks again, I'll try to make sure to come back here in the future and update for you guys and others that come after.

~ Moon
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Just to give you perspective not to invalidate your traumatic experiences: Going now to MH appointments and being specific is unlikely to help your claim. The services want to see documentation from when the incident happened.

My educated guess is this is to keep people from “gaming the system.”
 
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Hello,

I was honorably discharged from the military "with medical characteristics" (yep, it is a thing the military will do to you) in 2016. I was rated 50% for PTSD through the VA in 2015. In 2017 I contacted NVLSP. I should have been medically retired in 2016. It took eight years for me to win that battle and finally be medically retired instead of a honorable discharge in 2016. NVLSP are pro bono lawyers (yeah, if I paid $$$$$ to other lawyers, my case may have went faster but who knows). Of course, because I did not have over 20 years of service, my monthly retired pay is off set by my VA disability pay. I received 8 years of back pay which was chopped to bits because of the calculations of eights years of offsets. The Major Richard Star Act, if passed, will allow us medical retirees who have less than 20 years of service, to be able to receive both our full retired pay and VA disability pay concurrently. I really hope some day soon that will pass. In the meantime, I filed for CRSC and the pro bono lawyers at NVLSP sent my military branch of service my CRSC application along with any relative medical and military documents that would help me get the best CRSC payment I deserve. I am rated 70% through the VA and 60% was found to be combat related by my branch of service. It took approximately one month after my branch of service received my CRSC application from the NVLSP to approve it and then it took DFAS a couple of weeks to set up my CRSC payment. I am still waiting for the CRSC back payment (30 - 60 days from now) but I did receive my first monthly CRSC payment this month.

Here is my question, is there an exception of the 6 year statutory of limitations for CRSC back pay or retroactive pay? The NVLSP is currently working on a letter to send to my branch of service but with all the research I have done, I cannot find an answer to my question. I have called DFAS and my branch of service and they have no clue. I feel since my branch of service messed up my discharge in the first place 8 years now almost 9 years ago, they need to back pay me my CRSC to my original date of discharge which was in Jan of 2016.

Obviously, it is ridiculous and frustrating because I served over 14 years with three combat tours and also lost my marriage because my ex cheated on me during one of those deployments. We all make these sacrifices for our country but those of us that wanted to stay in but was forced out before our normal 20 years was up, we get screwed? Not so thank you for serving and good luck? Very pathetic. Sorry rant over with.

Respectfully,

Joel43
 
Joel43 said:
Hello,

I was honorably discharged from the military "with medical characteristics" (yep, it is a thing the military will do to you) in 2016. I was rated 50% for PTSD through the VA in 2015. In 2017 I contacted NVLSP. I should have been medically retired in 2016. It took eight years for me to win that battle and finally be medically retired instead of a honorable discharge in 2016. NVLSP are pro bono lawyers (yeah, if I paid $$$$$ to other lawyers, my case may have went faster but who knows). Of course, because I did not have over 20 years of service, my monthly retired pay is off set by my VA disability pay. I received 8 years of back pay which was chopped to bits because of the calculations of eights years of offsets. The Major Richard Star Act, if passed, will allow us medical retirees who have less than 20 years of service, to be able to receive both our full retired pay and VA disability pay concurrently. I really hope some day soon that will pass. In the meantime, I filed for CRSC and the pro bono lawyers at NVLSP sent my military branch of service my CRSC application along with any relative medical and military documents that would help me get the best CRSC payment I deserve. I am rated 70% through the VA and 60% was found to be combat related by my branch of service. It took approximately one month after my branch of service received my CRSC application from the NVLSP to approve it and then it took DFAS a couple of weeks to set up my CRSC payment. I am still waiting for the CRSC back payment (30 - 60 days from now) but I did receive my first monthly CRSC payment this month.

Here is my question, is there an exception of the 6 year statutory of limitations for CRSC back pay or retroactive pay? The NVLSP is currently working on a letter to send to my branch of service but with all the research I have done, I cannot find an answer to my question. I have called DFAS and my branch of service and they have no clue. I feel since my branch of service messed up my discharge in the first place 8 years now almost 9 years ago, they need to back pay me my CRSC to my original date of discharge which was in Jan of 2016.

Obviously, it is ridiculous and frustrating because I served over 14 years with three combat tours and also lost my marriage because my ex cheated on me during one of those deployments. We all make these sacrifices for our country but those of us that wanted to stay in but was forced out before our normal 20 years was up, we get screwed? Not so thank you for serving and good luck? Very pathetic. Sorry rant over with.

Respectfully,

Joel43
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Your branch of service isn’t the one applying the law here. It’s DFAS. You just need to get the right rep on the phone. I’m guessing you spoke to someone in their VA/Retro department? Also why does everyone call it back pay? It’s retro pay lol. Anyways once you speak with the right people or person at DFAS you will most likely get your answer… which will probably be the statute of limitations is 6 years regardless of situation. They will argue that even though you were erroneously separated.. you had ample time to correct the mistake… this is why there is a statute of limitations in place. It prevents someone from dragging their feet (not saying you did this) and the DOD having to pay out more money than they have anticipated in their budget. It’s the exact scenario the VA was in this year when they had a short fall in funds due to a massive uptick in claims because of the PACT Act.
 
JMATTK said:
Just to give you perspective not to invalidate your traumatic experiences: Going now to MH appointments and being specific is unlikely to help your claim. The services want to see documentation from when the incident happened.

My educated guess is this is to keep people from “gaming the system.”
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Nah, I get it and you're probably right unfortunately, although I have been seeing MH for a year, it's not like I'm just now starting to see them. But anyway, all my work was classified - I'm not sure if there were even documentation out there stating I did ABC or saw XYZ that I would even be able to get it or provide it - all I have is rough dates/times I was stationed where I was and was in the AFSC that I was in, a Combat Readiness Medal for serving in the environment for a minimum of 2 years, and maybe some EPRs that might say something. I'm not sure, do you think any of these things, in addition to my mental health documents, would help my case?
 
Moonbear said:
Nah, I get it and you're probably right unfortunately, although I have been seeing MH for a year, it's not like I'm just now starting to see them. But anyway, all my work was classified - I'm not sure if there were even documentation out there stating I did ABC or saw XYZ that I would even be able to get it or provide it - all I have is rough dates/times I was stationed where I was and was in the AFSC that I was in, a Combat Readiness Medal for serving in the environment for a minimum of 2 years, and maybe some EPRs that might say something. I'm not sure, do you think any of these things, in addition to my mental health documents, would help my case?
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The EPRs could work if they state a specific incident.
 
Moonbear said:
Nah, I get it and you're probably right unfortunately, although I have been seeing MH for a year, it's not like I'm just now starting to see them. But anyway, all my work was classified - I'm not sure if there were even documentation out there stating I did ABC or saw XYZ that I would even be able to get it or provide it - all I have is rough dates/times I was stationed where I was and was in the AFSC that I was in, a Combat Readiness Medal for serving in the environment for a minimum of 2 years, and maybe some EPRs that might say something. I'm not sure, do you think any of these things, in addition to my mental health documents, would help my case?
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What branch of service? ..that was a fast turnaround.
 
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