VDBC Revises Chapter 61 Lockout

Last month, the Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission proposed to end the deduction of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). The commission also endorsed receipt of Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) for military retirees with disability ratings of 10 to 40 percent, and award of all CRDP payments immediately in lieu of the current 10-year phase-in period. In addition, the commission supported concurrent receipt of VA disability compensation and military retired pay, but it failed to include service members who received medical retirements before they reached 20 years of active service (Chapter 61 retirees). After considering additional information at a subsequent  meeting, the commission reversed itself and proposed that all combat-disabled Chapter 61 retirees and future Chapter 61 retirees with more than 50 percent service-connected disabilities should receive concurrent receipt.