Question about Burn Pits and Crsc

Coloradolady

New Member
Registered Member
Hello,
My husband is rated 100 p and t from a lung disease developed after returning from Iraq in 09. He meducally retired 10 years ago. He never filed for CRSC because he was told he didn’t qualify. Has anyone seen a vet qualify based on exposure to burn pits? I would think his medical records could support that he was fine until he came home from Iraq and had developed a serious lung disease. I just want to make sure we haven’t missed anything. I had him get the paperwork and the wounded warrior local office will process.. just curious of the probability of getting it approved? The wounded warrior rep thought the chances were slim.
Thank you.
 
From my understanding of CRSC, the disabilities have to come from actual combat. It seems that the burn pits, while serious, won't constitute as actual combat but more of an environmental hazard of the deployment.
 

Is he part of the burn pit registry

If the VA has his disability listed at Gulf War Environmental on the My disabilities page it should be easy to get CRSC.
 
From my understanding of CRSC, the disabilities have to come from actual combat. It seems that the burn pits, while serious, won't constitute as actual combat but more of an environmental hazard of the deployment.
CRSC

Disabilities that may be considered combat related include injuries incurred as a direct result of:

  • Armed Conflict
  • Hazardous Duty
  • An Instrumentality of War
  • Simulated War
Ron
 
The VA on Burn Pits see THIS LINK <---

Unlike Agent Orange cases, disabilities for exposure to burn pit toxins are handled by the VA on a case by case basis per the cited article.

The VA processing is important because CRSC is based on the VA offset of retired pay for combat related disabilities.

Ron
 
Military Times, March 2019

[start]
WASHINGTON — House lawmakers on Tuesday advanced legislation to improve tracking of troops’ exposure to toxic chemicals from war zone burn pits, but the real political fight over how to help those ailing veterans is set for later this spring.

A group of lawmakers led by California Democrat Rep. Raul Ruiz is planning a push to classify combat burn pit exposure as the presumed cause of a range of lung diseases for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, opening the door for easier access to medical care and disability benefits.

The proposal is likely to face fierce opposition from VA leadership, which has emphasized the need for clear scientific links between war zone exposures and illnesses later in life before making large-scale benefits decisions.

The department’s official position is that “research does not show evidence of long-term health problems from exposure” to burn pits.
[end]

Ron
 
The most recent DD2860 has a Gulf War block added to it
Excellent...

Please see my message sent to you regarding different articles on this subject.

Ron
 
@RonG thanks for posting that. I want to stay up to date with the CRSC issue and help as many as I can here. CRSC seems to be the hardest part of the whole retirement process for me. I will keep this in mind the next time burn pits come up and may even tag you in case you haven't seen it.
 
For Gulf War Veterans, VA presumes that unexplained symptoms are related to Gulf War service if a Veteran has experienced them for six months or more. The "presumptive" illness(es) must have first appeared during active duty in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations or by December 31, 2021

@D-street1030 Above is the operative statement to qualify under for Gulf War, they have included OIF/OEF into the original gulf war group due to commonalities.
 
Hmm so it is very confusing but worth putting in at least? He has interstitial lung disease. Which he had no pre existing signs of before deployment. It is progressive and possibly terminal. But he is tough and won’t ever complain. I just want to make sure he gets everything that he should.
Thank you for your help
 
I would apply.

RaiderX is better informed on Gulf War issues than me.

Ron
 
@Coloradolady you may want to check the below site out for more help. They are active researching this and more relating to OIF and OEF

 
He does get 100 percent just for this disease alone. Plus more percent for other things. However that works.. He was an O3 at the time of retirement so the VA takes the disablilty out of his retirement. (10 years of service). Would this possibly restore the retirement amount and he would still get the VA disability.. if it ever was approved?
 
He does get 100 percent just for this disease alone. Plus more percent for other things. However that works.. He was an O3 at the time of retirement so the VA takes the disablilty out of his retirement. (10 years of service). Would this possibly restore the retirement amount and he would still get the VA disability.. if it ever was approved?
Approved CRSC replaces (not restores) some or all of the amount of retired pay offset/waived/reduced. It does not affect VA compensation.

CRSC cannot exceed the dollar amount of the longevity portion of retired pay'
(active duty years x 2.5%) x (high three ave base pay) = longevity amount

Any residual retired pay will reduce the amount of CRSC.

Ron
 
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