DD Form 2860: Fillable PDF
Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)
U.S. Department of Defense
Claims Combat-Related Special Compensation for eligible military retirees with combat-related disabilities.
Reviewed July 2026
This form must be opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader to fill it out. Browsers show a placeholder page instead of the form.
How it works
- 1
Download the form. Save the official PDF to your device.
- 2
Open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader and fill in each field. Browsers show a placeholder page for this form type.
- 3
Save and submit the completed form following the official instructions.
DD Form 2860 is the application for Combat-Related Special Compensation, the program that provides payment to eligible military retirees whose service-connected disabilities are determined to be combat-related. The form collects the retiree's service history, VA rating information, and the evidence linking each claimed disability to a qualifying combat-related event.
The form is published as a dynamic XFA PDF, a format that browsers and most online PDF editors cannot display. Download the official file from this page, then open and complete it in Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer. Because the claim is decided on documentation, plan to assemble your service and VA records before you start filling it in.
What DD Form 2860 is used for
Combat-Related Special Compensation is claimed, not automatic. The application asks the retiree to identify each disability being claimed and to show how it qualifies under the program's combat-related categories, which cover circumstances such as:
- Disabilities resulting from armed conflict
- Injuries incurred during hazardous service duties
- Conditions arising from training that simulates war
- Disabilities caused by an instrumentality of war
Who files the claim
Military retirees who receive retired pay, hold a VA disability rating, and believe one or more rated disabilities are combat-related file DD Form 2860 with their branch of service. Each branch operates its own CRSC review board that evaluates claims against the program criteria.
Eligibility rules are detailed and decisions depend on individual records, so review the current criteria published by your branch and DFAS before filing. Universal PDF is an independent document tool and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense, DFAS, or any CRSC board.
How to complete DD Form 2860
Because this is an XFA dynamic PDF, open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader on a desktop computer rather than in a browser tab. Then build the claim methodically:
- Download the official PDF from this page and save it to your computer before opening it in Acrobat Reader
- Complete the personal, service, and retirement information sections
- List each disability you are claiming with its VA rating
- Explain the combat-related event behind each disability and attach the supporting records
- Attach documentation such as your DD 214, VA rating decisions, and relevant service medical records
- Print, sign, and date the completed application
Where to send the claim
The application goes to the CRSC board for your branch of service, not to DFAS. Each branch publishes its own mailing address and, in some cases, an electronic submission route. If the board approves the claim, it notifies DFAS, which handles the resulting payments to the retiree.
Keep a complete copy of the application and every attachment. If a claim is denied or approved in part, the branch's process allows requests for reconsideration with new evidence.
Frequently asked questions
The form is an XFA dynamic PDF, which browsers and many PDF viewers cannot render, so they show a placeholder page instead. The file is not broken. Save it to your computer and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader to see and complete the actual form.
To the Combat-Related Special Compensation board for your branch of service. Each branch reviews its own claims and publishes its current submission address. DFAS pays approved claims but does not accept the initial application.
Records that establish both the disability and its combat-related cause: your DD 214, VA rating decisions and the narratives behind them, and service records or medical records tied to the event you describe for each condition.
Yes. CRSC applies to disabilities that the VA has rated as service-connected. The application asks you to identify each rated disability you believe is combat-related and to document the qualifying circumstances.
The branches allow requests for reconsideration, generally when you can add new evidence that was not part of the original claim. Your board's decision letter explains the process and where to send the request.
Related forms
Universal PDF is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Forms are provided from official government sources; always confirm you have the current version before filing.