Why it matters for your claim
Military retired pay and VA disability compensation are separate benefits. Without an applicable exception, receiving VA compensation requires a dollar-for-dollar reduction in military retired pay, called the VA waiver or offset. CRSC can replace eligible combat-related amounts lost to that offset.
CRSC is a Department of Defense retired-pay program, not another VA disability rating. VA decides service connection and the VA percentage. Your uniformed service makes the separate combat-related determination; the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) handles payment for the military retirees it serves. DFAS explains the basic requirements.
That distinction matters if you were medically retired before completing 20 years. You may qualify for CRSC even though you do not qualify for concurrent retirement and disability pay, usually called CRDP.
Who can qualify
Under the eligibility requirements checked September 25, 2026, you must be entitled to military retired pay, have a qualifying VA disability rating of at least 10 percent, and have retired pay reduced because you receive VA compensation. You must apply to your service and establish that the disability is combat related. A VA rating by itself is not enough.
Eligible retirement categories can include regular retirement, qualifying Reserve retirement, medical retirement under Chapter 61, and qualifying early retirement. Separation with disability severance pay is different from retirement. Check your retirement orders before assuming the program applies.
Combat related is broader than being wounded by enemy fire. DFAS identifies four categories: armed conflict, hazardous duty, an instrumentality of war, and simulated war. The last two can involve military equipment or warlike training, but your service must determine whether the circumstances meet its criteria. Simply serving in a combat zone does not establish that every later disability qualifies.
What your application needs to explain
The application is DD Form 2860, Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation. Submit it to your uniformed service, following that service's instructions, rather than filing it as a new disability claim with VA.
Start with your VA rating decisions, retirement documents, and records explaining how each claimed combat-related injury or illness happened. Useful records may include treatment notes, award citations, line-of-duty findings, or incident records. The point is to connect a specific VA-rated condition to the qualifying event, not merely to prove that you deployed.
Claim Raven's decision-letter guide explains how to identify each service-connected condition and its rating. The evidence guide can help you organize the documents supporting the event and resulting disability. Keep copies of the application and supporting records.
How CRSC differs from CRDP
CRDP generally restores eligible retired pay when your combined VA rating is at least 50 percent. It does not require a combat-related disability. CRSC requires a service-approved combat connection and an application, but can apply at a lower VA rating.
You cannot receive CRSC and CRDP for the same month. If eligible for both, compare the actual amounts and tax treatment using your pay office's election notice. CRSC is tax free; CRDP generally retains the tax treatment of military retired pay. Your VA disability payment remains separate under either election. DFAS's comparison explains these payment differences.
Do not estimate CRSC by multiplying your full VA payment by a combat percentage. The award depends on qualifying conditions, the retired-pay offset, and applicable caps. For Chapter 61 medical retirees, the amount can be limited by the retirement amount attributable to years of service. Defense Department guidance explains that limit.
Back pay after the Soto decision
On June 12, 2025, the Supreme Court held in Soto v. United States that the Barring Act's six-year limitation does not apply to CRSC claims. Older explanations that impose that blanket limit are outdated.
This does not mean every retiree receives unlimited back pay. Your qualifying dates, service determination, prior payments, and pay audit still matter. The Navy's implementation notice describes reviewing affected awards and sending corrected eligibility information to DFAS. Follow your own service's instructions for an affected award rather than assuming another branch's process applies.
Common mistakes
- Treating any service-connected disability as automatically combat related.
- Assuming a 100 percent VA rating removes the retired-pay offset without CRSC or CRDP eligibility.
- Expecting CRSC to increase automatically whenever VA adds a condition. Your service may need a reconsideration request.
- Relying on the old six-year back-pay rule instead of current service guidance.
Questions veterans ask
Can I receive CRSC with fewer than 20 years of service?
Yes, qualifying medical retirees can. The service-related circumstances, VA rating, retired-pay entitlement, and offset requirements still apply, and the payment may be limited.
Does VA approve my CRSC application?
No. Your uniformed service decides whether your disabilities are combat related. VA decisions supply evidence of the conditions, ratings, and effective dates used in that separate process.
Claim Raven explains VA rules in plain English so you can work your own claim. It is not legal advice, and Claim Raven is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Browse every VA term.