PTSD Information

Are you Properly Prepared to File a PTSD Claim????

Please read this entire piece of information before you call me if you feel you need help.

You should be familiar with Gaff Scores, Stressor letters, having letters written about your PTSD from your Dr’s and Social Workers, and anyone you meet that is qualified to diagnose your condition when you are done reading this.

I also strongly recommend you attend PTSD groups for at least 6 months or more on a regular basis and seek medical help from a VA Dr. and/or outside Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Social Workers and also ask for possible medications that will help you with your problems.

Please remember the VA Dr’s cannot read your mind, if a medication or a treatment they have you on does not work, tell them, they will work to see that changes are made to stabilize your medications to suit your particular needs.

You must show that you have tried to have your illness treated before you file a claim, The more information you can provide from Professionals verifying that you are indeed suffering from PTSD and that you are being treated for it the better chance you have of your claim being approved.

The following carries a lot of weight when your claim is filed, and this is a case of more information is better. I would like to add that PTSD does not go away normally, but it can be treated and many times stabilized with the help of medications and counseling. It will also help very much in strengthening your claim.

Remember you would never I am sure go to any court without evidence to support yourself, the VA is only looking for fair, very clear and proven evidence presented to them so that they can make a decision. If you provide little evidence you can count normally on receiving a smaller amount of compensation. As we were all taught in the Military “Do it by the Number” that’s what you need to do. Prepare a complete and detailed claim!!!

First, to start your claim, get a complete copy of your VA records, you can obtain them from your local VA hospital or any VA hospital where you have been treated, you will have to sign a release to receive them and it sometimes takes a week or two to receive them, if it takes longer get on the phone to them and ask them what the hold up is. Ask for a confirmed date they will be sent, do not allow them to ignore your needs.

For that matter never allow anyone to ignore your needs, leave you waiting beyond 1 hour or so for a scheduled appointment and if they fail to show up especially if this is consistent behavior on their part, and this does include Service Officers also contact their Supervisor and demand better treatment. You are only asking what is fair.

Never, Never threaten someone!!! For any reason……..

Now you will need to call the VA PTSD Department, and ask to make a appointment to see someone there about receiving help for PTSD. You will likely go through a screening process so that they are sure you are indeed a candidate for PTSD treatment.

I would then suggest you start seeing a VA Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Social Workers as often as possible. Ask to join PTSD groups make sure you attend them and interact with the leader of the group and others present, Do not settle with seeing a Dr. or Professional only every 2 or 3 months, Ask for help more often, tell them how bad you feel and that you need counseling more often. If you can afford any outside help for PTSD from certified Professionals I recommend it highly.

Don’t forget now is the time to ask for medications to help you and remember if they don’t work or are to overpowering for you, tell the Dr, do not quit taking them!

They can help you greatly. I speak from many years of experience. I have never used alcohol with my medications, Please do not do that. You stand a good chance of harming yourself and possibly someone else. We are here to help you get better.

Now once you have been attending group, seen these Professionals for 6 months or so it’s time to get down to business and start preparing a claim.

The First thing You need to find is a Service Officer to file this claim for you. I would NEVER try to file a claim without their expertise. You will find these people at the major Vets groups. Remember Always use your intuition and if you are not being treated fairly and quickly and all of your questions are not being answered or phone calls returned you can always go to another Service Officer and file a complaint about anyone.

They work at no charge for you.

Ask your Doctor or Social worker frankly anyone with little letters behind their name only privately (Never in front of another Vet) if they would write you a letter on their stationary diagnosing you with Severe and Chronic PTSD and also include your Gaff Score. These are very powerful items that help confirm your illness.

If they offer to put something written in your file only, Thank them but ask them if they would write the personal letter as it will mean much more when your PTSD claim is looked at by the VA. If they still resist ask them if they are Doctor’s or Professionals, why they are not willing to help you? Do not be rude or demanding. Just be frank.

Also try and contact buddies you served with in the Military that were exposed to the same hostile actions you were and if they were ask them to write you a buddy letter. Have them have it Notarized. Buddy letters are Golden proof of your service and trauma suffered in Combat or Stressful situations you might have encountered. Get all you can!

Remember that if you don’t show emotion and tears and the others signs of PTSD symptoms in your interview and meetings your claim will likely go no where. You have a tremendous amount of Stress bottled up in you, now is the time to release it, this is part of the healing process. You can walk around a room, cuss, show anger, just never threaten or put your hands on a VA employee. That is unless you want to see prison from the inside out!!! These people understand usually how hurt and sick you are. This is now your chance to expunge many of the horrors you witnessed in your PTSD stressor and in combat.

When you are called in for your C&P (that means your Compensation and Pension review) Take all of your related records with you. If you have photo’s take them also. Offer copies of them before the C&P begins. Chances are they may not have all of this information, this same thing applies when you go in for Social Security. If they tell you not to bring papers or records into the interview take them anyway. I have been to 3 C&P’s when the VA had not forwarded my records and I was approved simply because I had copies of everything with me. It was a done deal once I presented them. Without them I likely would have been refused and would had to have went through the Appeals process that sometimes can take years.

Now this is very important! If you end up with a total disability rating of 70% or more for PTSD or any combination of Service Connected disabilities you are considered

unemployable (that’s assuming you are not working)

You can then get paid 100% from the VA and if you have worked enough quarters with Social Security you are eligible for 100% for them….This is called unemployability or IU for short!!! If you take this money you can never work again!!!

I encourage you to call me if I can assist you. Also if you like call me before you go to a C&P, I can give you a idea what to expect and hopefully you won’t walk in blind and unprepared.

Don’t forget more evidence is better, Your Stressor letter is very, very important you will read about that soon.

In the Military we did everything by the number if you will recall, Well do it now. The least that can happen is you will be turned down or given a rate less than 100% But you went prepared. You tried, you can always file a appeal and I can help you with that.

If you were accused of a crime you know you would never go to court with no conclusive evidence, He ya go! This is the same thing.

Work hard at this, Your future can be greatly affected by it.

Many Vets will say you don’t need Stressors or this or that, well it’s your call and your life how you prepare yourself. I was taught well by my Dad, He always told me you do a half assed job and your will get a half assed pay in return.

Welcome Home to all of You, Good Luck and I am always here for you.

I am the National Director for the Order of the Silver Rose.

We also help Veterans or the families of Veterans who are sick or deceased due to Agent Orange Cancers and sicknesses.

We offer a Gratis Medal and Honors to these Heroes.

Please go to our website and check it out at http://silverrose,org.

Tell your friends about our Mission or better yet join us; we are all Volunteers. We need help and donations.

So you know about me. I was in Vietnam 1967/68, My name is Gary Chenett, I Proudly served with The Big Red One, 1st of the 4th Calvary, B Troop as a M-60 gunner on a APC.

I am 100% disabled service connected of course and the information you are reading here is what I learned in over 7 years of fighting for my disability. I am disabled 100% for PTSD and I have also had 3 Agent Orange related cancer surgeries, including brain and lung cancer.

Gary J, Chenett

fuzzyfrog@intouchmi.com

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Here's what you have to do.
Read the following.
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RECEIVING DISABILITY FOR PTSD

There are two basic steps to receive a disability from the Veterans Administration for PTSD. The first step is filing a claim with the VA for PTSD. The second, and most Important, is submitting a stressor letter. Most combat veterans do not trust the government or the VA. This is understandable considering the treatment most veterans received during and after the Vietnam War. But the VA has improved in most places, and the benefits are there for the combat veterans. The VA does not go looking for the combat veteran with PTSD. You mush push aside any bad feelings and make the effort to receive the earned benefits.

FILING A CLAIM

As ridiculous at It may seem, ail combat veterans must not only prove that they were In combat, they must also prove that they were In the military. This process screens out the phony combat veterans. It is surprising how many combat veterans have surfaced who were on top secret missions, and of course, there is no record of their even being in the military because their missions were so secret. There are also many phony Veterans so please understand the screening you must go through.

You can file a claim on your own but I highly recommend you don't do that There are always several veteran’s organizations who will represent you on a disability claim in your area. The best of these is probably the DAV or a Service Officer you are sure will work hard for your benefits if you have a doubt about them leave and find another service officer to represent you immediately. (Never allow yourself to get stuck with a incompetent Service Office, if they fail to return phone calls, emails etc, immediately after you call or write simply go to another Service Group and sign another Power of Attorney and that person can then represent you.) Most should be enthused about helping you since their primary purpose Is helping the veterans file claims for disability. If you do not have a Veterans Service Officer in your area look around every branch of the service offers one. office in your area where you can meet with a service officer, You can then call the nearest Veterans Office DAV etc or talk to another Vet they can usually tell you who is going to do the best job The Service Officer, will have you sign a power of attorney. You sign this paper and send it back through the mail or while in their presence. This gives this person your permission to represent you in your claim. They cannot help you without you signing this Power of Attorney, it opens your claim and forwards it to the VA regional office in your area. Opening the claim is actually a simple process.

THE STRESSOR LETTER

This is the single most important factor In obtaining disability for the combat veteran. After your claim has been filed, usually within 30 to 60 days, you will receive a letter from the VA stating that they have received your claim for PTSD. Then you will be asked to submit a stressor letter. This is a written record of combat experiences which you felt were life threatening or have caused you to display symptoms of PTSD. They will also note that they understand how difficult this can be for some veterans (thinking about war experiences and writing them down). And for many this is difficult. Some can't write well. Some are to terrified to think in detail about their war experience.

Chances are the average veteran cannot write a stressor letter that will pass the rating board. Once a stressor letter has been rejected by the rating board, the process to receive disability can be long and discouraging. Many veterans give up and never receive the disability they deserve. The Veterans Service Officer will tell you how to write the letter or what details to include. If they tell you that you don't need a Stressor Letter leave immediately and call me. You must have this Stressor letter to receive the compensation you have earned If the letter is rejected, many combat veterans will give up before appealing the rating board decision. So a veteran must submit a solid stressor letter to pass the rating board. This is my area of expertise. I know what to put in the letter and how to present it so that the rating board will grant any where from 10% to 50% disability just from your stressor letter without rejection and VA appeal hearings. It may be impossible to receive a 100% rating from a stressor letter, but once the VA agrees you are disabled, you can appeal for a higher percentage.

PTSD IS A RECOGNIZED DISORDER WHICH DOES NOT GO AWAY. THE REACTIONS TO COMBAT STRESS OFTEN BECOMES A PERMANENT PART OF THE VETERAN'S PERSONALITY.

WHAT COMES NEXT: THE COMP EXAM

At some point after you file for disability, either before or after you have submitted your stressor letter, you will receive a letter asking you to come to the nearest VA Hospital in your area for a Compensation Examination. This just means that you are going to speak to a VA psychiatrist. The psychiatrist will ask you many questions about your background (including your childhood and current social life) and your war service. The meeting with the doctor will probably last anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes. The VA will also reimburse you with a small travel allowance for coming.

You must show up for this comp exam. If for some reason you can't make it, then call the VA and they will schedule you again If you do not contact the VA they will never see you again if you are a no show. Most of all, relax. This psychiatrist is not your enemy, and it is his or her job to send a report to the VA regional office as to whether you show symptoms of PTSD. The psychiatrist Is Impartial. If you show symptoms of PTSD, it will be reported without any favor toward the VA. So relax and answer questions to the best of your knowledge. Always stress the negative side of your life...never the positive. Just like at the close of the stressor letter. You can do this and still tell the truth just by avoiding the positive. Here are some things not to say at a Comp Exam.

1. My life is okay. Ifs not or you wouldn't be there.

2. I sometimes hear voices. Hearing voices can lead to a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and your PTSD claim may be rejected.

3. I am happily married. It has often been decided that having PTSD automatically means an unhappy marriage. It can but not always.

4. I love my job. I have been there twenty years. If you have managed to keep one job, it may be determined that you interact normally and do not have PTSD. You can have one job and still be miserable. It's a matter of survival.

5. I have lots of friends. Never admit you have lots of friends. Chances are you don't anyway. At least, not like the friends you made in combat situations who you can trust with your life.

6. Don't threaten the doctor. Some veterans scream, yell, and threaten to kill the doctor in an attempt to show symptoms of PTSD. 99% of the time this is an act and won't help your claim.

The main thing is to stress the negative side of your life, just as in the end of the stressor letter. If you have had a substance abuse problem since before your war service, it would be best not to mention it. Stress the fact that you are depressed and have nightmares and feel that the war has altered your life¹. Just remember to stress the negative instead of anything positive in your life.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A STRESSOR LETTER

1. Name, Rank. Service Number, Dates of Time in War Zone:

Make sure your current correct address and claim number are at the top of your stressor letter. Begin by re-stating your name, rank, and service number. Then begin with your war service. Do not mention time spent in the United Slates. Many veterans ramble on about stateside service, and this has nothing to do with combat stress, if your MOS or specialty was something other than combat related (supply, motor transport, ate.) but you did not serve in your MOS or specialty, mention it here because the VA will turn you down unless you prove you were in combat If you were in Special Forces or Recon, etc., don't go into any detail about stateside training.

2. Were you wounded?:

If you were wounded Include dates, If possible, and number of times wounded. This refers only to wounds which ware treated by medics, corpsmen, or doctors for which you received a purple heart and are a matter of record. If you have malaria or any type malaria fever and were treated for it, mention it also, if you believe it may be in your records.

3. If you killed the enemy:

Include the times you actually saw the enemy and killed them. Be specific if possible. Don't say something like (my outfit killed 53 NVA in the fire fight). This is too general. State what you were doing when the enemy was killed and how it affected you. (I kept firing and I could see them falling as they ran toward us).

4. If you saw Americans die:

Most combat vets lost close friends in combat. For some vets remembering names is difficult, but this will definitely help your claim if you can remember the approximate date and names of men in your outfit killed while you were there. If someone killed was your best friend, mention it and how it affected you. The names will be checked by the VA against KIA lists. If friends were wounded bad enough to be shipped home, you may mention this and include their names if possible. (This is all verification that you were in combat. Try to use real names instead of nicknames at all times). If you have contain with Vets you served with a letter from them

5. If you saw civilian dead:

In villages, the jungle, or other places. This was traumatic to many combat troops, especially if they had to handle the bodies. Seeing dead children often has long range effects on combat vets, particularly if the children or civilians were killed during fire fights or mistaken for the enemy.

6. If you were on body detail:

Or if you otherwise handled the bodies of dead Americans, either in the field or in the rear where the bodies were stripped for shipment home. This often causes extreme trauma to those who handled the bodies.

7. Times you did not think you would survive:

Incidents when you thought you would not be alive the next day help with a PTSD claim. When you had given up hope and thought for sure you would be killed with no chance of survival. (Describe in detail).

8. All incidents of combat:

Small arms fire, fire fights, mortar and rocket attacks, booby traps, mines, artillery, etc. Each time you were in a life threatening situation whether you were able to return fire or not. (Walking through mine fields, walking point, etc.)

9. Names of operations or search and destroy:

Remembering names of specific field operations and sweeps can often be helpful because the military often left much Information out of service records. Some combat troops have very complete service records. Others have had their records lost or destroyed, or Information was never entered. Any Information you can remember about field operations Is verification of combat role.

10. How your life has changed because of the war:

State your problems today because of your war service. Divorce, substance abuse, nightmares, paranoia, trouble holding jobs, lack of feeling, etc. If you have been in therapy or other treatment, mention this. Stress the negative side of your life. Mention nothing good that has happened to you. Don’t say you get along great with people and you are happy most of the lime. Stress that life is a constant struggle due to your combat service, (You used to love fireworks but now when you hear them you hit the ground. You used to love to go to sporting events but now you can't cope with being in crowds, etc.)

NOTE: These ten points will help you write a stressor letter which will have a good chance of passing the VA rating board. When writing about combat, write how it affected you personally. Don't write stuff like…(We sat around and ate dinner and then the sergeant told us a story about his wife and then Joe tried to steal my bean and wieners). Too many vets go in to detail which Is not important. Begin each segment of combat with the combat and how it affected you. (You were scared. You thought you were going to die, etc.). Many veterans are afraid to mention certain situations when they killed people for fear of charges being brought against them. This will not happen. Killings during combat are for survival. The government would have to prove you killed on purpose without just cause, and in the case of enemy troops and civilians, this is not possible.

Many of these ten points overlap with each other. You must try to put them in some kind of order. Think about what you want to say for a few weeks before writing it down. Then try to arrange your thoughts in some kind of order. The best solution is to be brief and to the point. This is difficult for many veterans, which is why so many veterans with PTSD never follow through with a claim. The best average length for a stressor letter is not more than four pages single-spaced.

Neurotic symptoms which may somewhat adversely affect relationships with others but which do not cause impairment of working ability.

10%

The psychoneurotic disorder produces mild social and Industrial Impairment.

30%

The symptoms result in such reduction in Initiative, flexibility, efficiency, and reliability levels as to produce definite Industrial Impairment There will be definite impairment in the ability to establish or maintain effective and wholesome relationships with people.

50%

The veteran’s ability to establish or maintain effective or favorable relationships with people is considerably impaired. By reason of psychoneurotic symptoms the reliability, flexibility, and efficiency levels are so reduced as to result in considerable industrial Impairment.

70%

The disability severely impairs the veteran’s ability to establish and maintain effective or favorable relationships with people. The psychoneurotic symptoms are of such severity and persistence that there is severe impairment in the ability to obtain and retain employment.

100%

The attitudes of all contacts except the most Intimate are so adversely affected as to result in virtual isolation in the community. Total Incapacitating psychoneurotic symptoms bordering on gross repudiation of reality with disturbed thought or behavioral processes associated with almost all daily activities such as fantasy, confusion, panic, and explosions of aggressive energy resulting in profound retreat from mature behavior will be present. He or she will be demonstrably unable to obtain or retain employment

100-91

Superior functioning in a wide range of activities. Life's problems never seem to get out of hand, is sought out by others because of his or her many positive qualities. No symptoms.

90-81

Absent or minimum symptoms (e.g. mild anxiety before an exam), good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday problems or concerns ("e.g.. an occasional argument with family members).

80-71

If symptoms are present, they are transient and expectable reactions to psychosocial stressors (e.g., difficulty concentrating after family argument); no more than slight impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g… temporarily failing behind in schoolwork).

70-61

Some mild symptoms (e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia) OR some difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., occasional truancy, or theft within the household), but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.

60-51

Moderate symptoms (e.g.. flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic attacks) OR moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers).

50-41

Serious symptoms (e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent shoplifting) OR any serious impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., no friends, unable to keep a job).

40-31

Some impairment in reality testing or communication (e.g... speech is at times illogical, obscure, or irrelevant) OR major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood (e.g… depressed man avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work: child frequently beats up younger children. Is defiant at home, and is failing at school).

30-21

Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations OR serious impairment in communication or judgment (e.g., sometimes incoherent, acts grossly inappropriately, suicidal preoccupation) OR inability to function in almost all areas. (e.g… stays in bed all day; no job, home, or friends).

20-11

Some danger of hurting self or others (e.g., suicide attempts without clear expectation of death, frequency violent; manic excitement) OR occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene (e.g… smears feces) OR gross impairment in communication (e.g., largely incoherent or mute.)

10-01

Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others. (e.g… recurrent violence) OR recurrent inability to maintain minimal personal hygiene OR Serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death.

Inadequate information

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