What is the major richard star act?

• The Act is named in honor of Major Richard Star, a U.S. Army veteran who medically retired after exposure to burn pits and died in 2021 at age 51. PMC+2newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org+2
   
• At present under U.S. law, many veterans who retire due to disability (especially those with fewer than 20 years of service) and also receive disability compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are subject to an “offset,” meaning their military retired pay is reduced by the amount of VA disability compensation (or similar) they receive. PMC+1
   
• Veteran advocates argue that this offset unfairly penalizes service-members who were forced to retire early due to combat-related injuries, effectively reducing the compensation they earned for service and sacrifice. woundedwarriorproject.org+1
   
• The Star Act was introduced to eliminate that unfair penalty—at least for a group of combat-injured veterans—and allow them to receive both full retired pay and VA disability compensation concurrently. Congress.gov+1
   

• The formal short title is the “Major Richard Star Act.” Congress.gov+1
   
• Its main purpose: amend Title 10 of the U.S. Code to allow certain disability-retired members of the uniformed services with combat-related disabilities to concurrently receive full military retired pay and VA disability compensation, i.e., remove the dollar-for-dollar offset for that group. Congress.gov+2newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org+2
   
• It specifically targets “chapter 61” disability retirees (medical retirement for service-connected disability) and those eligible for combat-related special compensation (CRSC) who have less than 20 years of service, as well as those with 20+ years but who face the offset. Congress.gov+2newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org+2
   

Here are the important legal/technical elements of the bill.

• Under the version introduced in the 119th Congress (H.R. 2102) the bill proposes to amend § 1413a(b)(3) and § 1414(b) of Title 10, United States Code. Congress.gov+1
   
• For example, Section 2(a) of the bill states: “the retired pay of the retiree is not subject to reduction under sections 5304 and 5305 of title 38” (which govern VA disability compensation offsets) for those eligible under these rules. Congress.gov
   
• Section 2(b) defines the “special rule for chapter 61 disability retirees”: a member or former member who is entitled to retired pay under chapter 61 and also entitled to veterans’ disability compensation for a combat-related disability is entitled to be paid both without regard to those offset provisions. Congress.gov
   
• Effective date: The law (if passed) would take effect “on the first day of the first month beginning after the date of enactment” and apply to payments for months beginning on or after that date. Congress.gov
   

• Who would benefit? Veterans who:
   
  1. Are retired under chapter 61 (disability retirement) or otherwise eligible for retired pay; and
      
  2. Have a combat-related disability (eligible for CRSC) or similar; and
      
  3. Were subject to the current offset (i.e., they retired with less than 20 years or did not meet previous thresholds) and therefore lost a portion of their retired pay because of VA disability compensation. newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org+1
      

• For example, one policy analysis notes: “If the Major Richard Star Act is signed into law … it could remove the offset between military retired pay and VA disability benefits for approximately 50,000 veterans with combat-related disabilities who do not currently meet the criteria for concurrent receipt.” PMC+1
   
• The advocacy organizations highlight that under current law, veterans forced into medical retirement due to combat-related injuries often receive a retirement pay amount that is reduced by their VA disability compensation—a reduction that the Star Act aims to eliminate for the targeted group. newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org+1
   

• It addresses what supporters call the “wounded veteran tax” or “disabled veteran offset”—the situation where those severely injured in combat and medically retired receive diminished retirement pay because of a mismatch between service rules and disability pay rules. newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org+1
   
• In terms of fairness and policy: It’s seen by many veteran-advocacy groups as an important step toward ensuring that those who sacrificed (especially in combat) do not have their earned military retirement benefits reduced simply because they also receive VA disability compensation. EANGUS+1
   
• Politically, the Act has bipartisan support (both House and Senate versions) and is tied into larger discussions about veterans’ benefits and compensation reform. Congress.gov+1
   

• As of the 119th Congress:
   
  • The House version: H.R. 2102 (introduced March 14 2025) by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12). Congress.gov
     
  • The Senate version: S. 1032 (introduced March 13 2025) by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Congress.gov
     
  • The bill has been referred to committees (House: Armed Services & Veterans’ Affairs; Senate: Armed Services) but has not yet become law. Congress.gov+1
     
• Budget/Cost concerns: One article from Military Times notes that lingering cost worries are a cloud over veterans-disability reform bills, including this one. Military Times
   
• Retroactivity: Advocacy groups note that the bill would not provide retroactive payments to past months for those affected. newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org
   
• Scope limitation: The Act covers only those with combat‐related disabilities who were medically retired or eligible for retired pay and have CRSC entitlement. Other disabled veterans who retired with 20+ years or those whose disabilities are not “combat‐related” may still face offsets. PMC+1
   

• In plain terms: The Major Richard Star Act is a proposed law designed to allow certain veterans—primarily those medically retired due to combat or combat-related injuries, who have fewer than 20 years of service or otherwise were affected by the offset—to receive both their full military retirement pay and their full VA disability compensation. It aims to remove a financial penalty for combat-injured retirees who were forced into early retirement and thus ended up with reduced benefits under the current law.