{ "id": "RL33449", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL33449", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 347701, "date": "2008-02-12", "retrieved": "2016-04-07T03:40:17.778457", "title": "Military Retirement, Concurrent Receipt, and Related Major Legislative Issues", "summary": "The military retirement system includes benefits for retirement after an active or reserve military career, disability retirement, and survivor benefits for eligible survivors of deceased retirees.\nThe change to the system that has generated the most recent legislative activity involves whether some or all military retirees should be allowed to receive both military retired pay and any VA disability compensation to which they are otherwise entitled; this is referred to as \u201cconcurrent receipt.\u201d Until 2004, the law provided that military retired pay had to be reduced by the amount of VA disability compensation. Some maintained this was inequitable and unfair; it was defended on grounds of cost and of the need to avoid setting a precedent for concurrent receipt of numerous other federal benefits.\nStarting in 1999 (FY2000), provisions in each year\u2019s annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorized payments to comparatively small groups (in the tens of thousands) of military retirees in lieu of concurrent receipt. The program enacted in 2002, in the FY2003 NDAA (P.L. 107-314), is known as \u201cCombat Related Special Compensation\u201d (CRSC), although it applies also to those people injured in military operations and training generally, as distinct from those whose injuries are unrelated to military service but incurred while in service. CRSC provides for payments that are the financial equivalent of concurrent receipt.\nThe FY2004 NDAA (P.L. 108-136, November 24, 2003), for the first time provided the concurrent receipt or its practical and financial equivalence to large numbers of military retirees. The law, effective January 1, 2004, (1) authorized the payment of CRSC to all otherwise eligible military retirees, regardless of their percentage of disability; (2) authorized a 10-year phase-in of concurrent receipt for all military retirees whose disability is 50% or greater, regardless of the origins of their disability; and (3) included (hitherto almost completely excluded) reserve retirees. The FY2005 NDAA (P.L. 108-375, October 28, 2004; 118 Stat. 1811) expanded concurrent receipt eligibility by authorizing the immediate (rather than a 10-year phase-in) concurrent receipt for military retirees with a 100% service-connected disability.\nIn its first session, the 110th Congress extended the Combat Related Special Compensation program to include those who were medically retired prior to completing 20 years of service rather than a normal longevity retirement. These individuals are generally referred to as \u201cChapter 61\u201d retirees. In addition those with a 100% VA Unemployability rating were granted full concurrent receipt, retroactive to December 31, 2004.\nIt is anticipated that the second session will continue work on these issues. This report will be updated as needed.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33449", "sha1": "e2266310161be623f8e7a8aca6f57177ff2d26fe", "filename": "files/20080212_RL33449_e2266310161be623f8e7a8aca6f57177ff2d26fe.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33449", "sha1": "65a97ac5e61eff47a74a021c1b6825c686959072", "filename": "files/20080212_RL33449_65a97ac5e61eff47a74a021c1b6825c686959072.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc818456/", "id": "RL33449_2007Jan24", "date": "2007-01-24", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Military Retirement, Concurrent Receipt, and Related Major Legislative Issues", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070124_RL33449_9ecb1e1352947650b40e7cd523faf6e4e02f136d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070124_RL33449_9ecb1e1352947650b40e7cd523faf6e4e02f136d.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs10339/", "id": "RL33449_2006Jun01", "date": "2006-06-01", "retrieved": "2008-12-11T20:27:16", "title": "Military Retirement: Major Legislative Issues", "summary": "The military retirement system includes benefits for retirement after an active or reserve military career, disability retirement, and survivor benefits for eligible survivors of deceased retirees. The change to the system that has generated the most recent legislative activity involves whether some or all military retirees should be allowed to receive both military retired pay and any VA disability compensation to which they are otherwise entitled; this is referred to as \"concurrent receipt.\" Starting in 1999 (FY2000), provisions in each year's annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorized payments to comparatively small groups (in the tens of thousands) of military retirees in lieu of concurrent receipt. The most significant military retirement issue Congress dealt with in 2005 was whether military retirees with a 100% VA unemployability rating, but less than a 100% disability rating, should be entitled to full concurrent receipt as was provided to 100% disability retirees in 2004.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20060601_RL33449_d4dad5f259405aaece8692cd53de8f992c30d341.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20060601_RL33449_d4dad5f259405aaece8692cd53de8f992c30d341.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Veterans", "name": "Veterans" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Military pensions", "name": "Military pensions" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Domestic Social Policy", "National Defense" ] }