Useful Department of Veterans Affairs Web Pages and Other Resources for Blinded Veterans and their Families

• 38 CFR Book C Schedule for Rating Disabilities
• Benefits Index, Compensation and Pension Benefits
• Gateway to Compensation and Pension Benefits Web Page Site Map
• Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents
• 38 CFR (governs VA benefits)
• VA Benefits for Surviving Spouses
• Government Benefits (the VA section)
  

VA Forms

http://www.va.gov/vaforms/search_action.asp

• To file a compensation or a pension claim, VA form 21-526
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/21-526.pdf
  
  
• To reopen a claim, VA form 21-4138
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-4138-ARE.pdf
  
  
• Individual Unemployability, VA 21-8940
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-8940-ARE.pdf
  
  
• Auto Grant, VA 21-4502
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/21-4502.pdf
  
  
• Medical Expense form (NSC Pension), VA 21-8416
  http://invsoa.homestead.com/files/21-8416_Nov_2004.pdf
  
• Application for Vocational Rehab (and the Independent Living Program), VA 28-1900
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-28-1900-ARE.pdf
  
  
• Application for Death Indemnity Compensation (DIC)/Widow’s pension VA Form 21-534 http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-534-ARE.pdf
  
  
• Application for Burial Benefits
  VA Form 21-530
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-530-ARE.pdf
  Be sure to provide death certificate, marriage license and any military discharge paperwork (DD214) for claim.
  
  
• For PTSD claims (stressor forms), VA Form 21-0781 (regular combat-related claims) and VA Form 21-0781a (for sexual trauma and sexual harassment claims)
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-0781-ARE.PDF
  http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-0781a-ARE.pdf
  
  
• Overpayment Waiver, VA Form 21-5655
  
  
• Clothing Allowance Form, VA Form 21-8678
  
  
• HISA Grant Form, VA Form 10-0103
  http://www.vba.va.gov/ro/roanoke/rlc/forms/10-0103.pdf

Chapter 61 and Combat-Related
Special Compensation (CRSC)

One of the provisions of the 2008 National Defense Act pertains to veterans who exited the military via medical retirement for combat-related injuries. Until now, only veterans who served 20 years (or the full reserve time) were eligible for CRSC.  Chapter 61 holds that those medically boarded will be eligible for a portion of CRSC.   The amount received will be prorated based on the number of years served.  Therefore, a vet who served 10 years will receive half of that received by one who served 20 years.

CRSC is totally tax free. It is not automatically granted. Veterans must apply for CRSC through their branch of service (websites are provided below). Again, the cause of medical boarding from the military must be combat-related.  Agent Orange is considered a combat condition. Other injuries normally require a Purple Heart.  However, veterans and their families who are in doubt should contact their branch of service. 

CRSC is normally applied on a DD 2860. This, however, is not the case with Chapter 61 veterans. DoD is planning to produce a new form for this group of veterans and to post it on the websites listed below. 

CRSC is paid by DoD.  It has no effect on the VA compensation drawn. Both are tax free. 

If a veteran is or will be a medical retiree for a combat-related condition, new rules for Combat Related Special Compensation could add hundreds or thousands of dollars to his/her monthly retired pay.

Retired veterans with combat-related injuries must meet all of the following criteria to apply for CRSC: 1) Active, Reserve, or National Guard with 20 years of creditable service, OR medical retiree, 2) Receiving military retired pay, 3) Have 10 percent or greater VA rated injury, and 4) Military retired pay is reduced by VA disability payments (VA Waiver/Offset)

Combat-related is defined (proof required): 1) Training that simulates war (e.g. exercises, field training), 2) Hazardous duty (e.g. flight, diving, parachute duty), 3) An instrumentality of war (i.e. combat vehicles, weapons, Agent Orange), and 4) Armed conflict (e.g. gunshot wounds, shrapnel injuries).

Once veterans have determined that they meet the aforementioned criteria, they must complete the latest version of the CRSC Claim Form dated April 2008 and provide ALL documents requested. They MUST NOT send original documents--COPIES ONLY!

Supporting documents:

• All DD214s and DD215s (especially if for retirement or showing combat ribbons)
• Retirement orders and supporting documents
• Reserve Retirement point computation including any 15-year or 20-year letter (if applicable)
• Copies of ALL VA Rating Decision, letters and code sheets (current and prior). DO NOT remove any pages. All VA documents discussing changes in benefits including Special Monthly Compensation (SCM) and/or Individual Unemployability (IU).
• Medical records or notes that verify how the injury/disability occurred.
• Physical Evaluation Board (MEB-PEB) results and/or summaries.
• Any evidence which can be used to verify the events or circumstances.

Further information is available at the site of the veteran’s specific service (there is also a link to each on the Department of Defense site immediately below):

DoD CRSC

http://www.defenselink.mil/prhome/mppcrsc.html

Note:  Once CRSC is awarded, it is managed by Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS). as is all DoD pay.  To contact DFAS, use the following:
DFAS Phone Numbers:  800-321-1080
DFAS  Retro Pay: 877-327-4457
DFAS Commercial Number:  (216) 522-5955

Department of the Army
Attn: CRSC Division
200 Stovall Street
Alexandria, VA 22332-0470
https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/crsc/index.html
Phone: 866-281-3254

Navy and Marines
http://www.donhq.navy.mil/corb/crscb/crscmainpage.htm
Email: DON_CRSC@navy.mil
Phone number not currently listed on page

Air Force
http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/library/combat.asp
Phone:  800-616-3775 or 1-210-565-1600
Fax:     210-565-1101
Email:   afpc.dppdc.afcrsc@randolph.af.mil