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rydastar

Question

so i have a ptsd claim and heart aschemia going on...my question is...i received a letter from v.a. that states they cannot find my IN SERVICE records for my claim???

Is this a typical letter that goes out? I have NO in service claim records as the ptsd and heart ischemia diagnosis was done a year ago? so they said on the letter that to look else where would be futile.

Is this the END of my claim? or is this a form letter they sent just to inform me , as they said that no other in service records can be found of my claim..its crazy to me, as i didn't have any inservice claim for anything 40 some odd years ago...no one knew about ptsd, or AO!

thanks i was rambling but trying to get my point across.. i hope this is not the end of my claim..

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Rockman filed his claim for his PTSD from Vietman in September 2010. We waited and waited and wondered why VA kept saying he had to prove his inservice. With the new regs, we were very confused. We had filed for his Agent Orange Claims and all that. We did the IRIS thing and got a call from the Nashville RO within 2 days. We did not realize that the VA needed a new release of medical information for this claim, since it was not agent orange related. As soon as we did this, things started moving along. I don't know if this is of any help or not., but it did in our claim.

Mrs. Rockman

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ok let me answer this first...thanks for replys,,, yes i was diagnosed last year in n.y. for aschemia, by my cardiologist, i have a stent in place from heart problem approx 5-7 years ago, yes i am river rat, mekong delta 68-69 , my base ship we were attached to was named in new regs. uss benawah..i have been to psychiatrist of myt own and she diag. me as ptsd symptoms gaf. 50%

I see you are USN.

'I have NO in service claim records as the ptsd and heart ischemia diagnosis was done a year ago?'

Are you considered Blue Water Navy or Brown Water?

Did you have visitation to Vietnam-even for mere minutes?

Is your ship on the Brown Water list?

Does your claim fall into the New PTSD criteria?

If not have they asked for stressor info yet?

Be as detailed as possible on the stressor.

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yes i was in river squadron 91...ATC (armored troop carrier) , alfa boat, mike boat also...it came from u.s.s. Benawah..

I found a past post your made here.

You said you were on the Mekong Delta in around 68-69. I assume you went into tributaries (Brown Water)

Can you tell me exactly what type of boat or vessel this was and what ship it came from?

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Has the VA diagnosed you with PTSD? That is important now. Do you have combat medal, ribbons or badges? As long as you have proof you were in Vietnam your heart claim should be approved. If you have PTSD DX from the VA with your combat history you should be approved for that condition as well. There have been recent rule changes for PTSD. You must get a PTSD DX from the VA. This is my understanding. Our man here, Larry, has a very good grasp of this rule change. It used to be that you had to verify a stressor for PTSD. I think now if VA says you have PTSD then that is all you need.

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Well i have been to a v.a. phys. Ass't and he looked at me and my cardioligist diagnosis with heart problems. Then i went in for a ekg. i do have medals ribbons badges and also its on my dd214 combat ribbon with bronze V and another ribbon also. As i said earlier my private psychiatrist gave me a gaf of ptsd 50% diagnosis. As it stand now NO to your question of a V.A. doctor diagnosing me with ptsd. I am hoping that is the next step in this process ?.

It just seems like they are not getting my health records i sent and someone else is getting my application claim and not putting them together, If that makes sense?

At one time after submitting my health records i got a letter that they lost my records, then later i get this letter that its "futile" to look any further? I am starting to get ready to dump this whole thing. what a runaround. i will wait for there next communication thnough and see if its any different or what the story is. I also read the new rules and at least as i read it i do not need to show or proove my stressor as was the case in the past, As long as i showed i was in country..to me it sounds weird, being on the river for about a year, many fire fights etc. and having to show i was there..man!! any ways thanks for any and all your help and comments, i will keep trying to get this right even though i am getting depressed at the process. i will update as things progress good or bad! outcome..thanks ryd...

Has the VA diagnosed you with PTSD? That is important now. Do you have combat medal, ribbons or badges? As long as you have proof you were in Vietnam your heart claim should be approved. If you have PTSD DX from the VA with your combat history you should be approved for that condition as well. There have been recent rule changes for PTSD. You must get a PTSD DX from the VA. This is my understanding. Our man here, Larry, has a very good grasp of this rule change. It used to be that you had to verify a stressor for PTSD. I think now if VA says you have PTSD then that is all you need.

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Yep- USS Benawah was exposed to AO and your MOS was Brown Water.(ATC)

The ship should be on this list link:

If it isnt I have other links but having PC problems due to weather and will post links later---

Your PTSD claim and IHD claim should be relatively easy based on what I see here BUT

check out the new PTSD regs here in the PTSD forum- and I need to mention this-

the list of ships providing vessels to inland waterways-Vietnam- has gotten longer over the past year. I dont know if the VA's list is up to date.

Some of the younger Va raters probably wouldn't know an ATC from a fire tug so it pays to give them detailed info on the ATC and the ship it came from as being on the AO ships list.

A printout proving that should be all they need.

"As i said earlier my private psychiatrist gave me a gaf of PTSD 50% diagnosis. " Unfortunately the new regs require a PTSD from a VA MH provider.(This is unfair and is being challenged in court)I dont think you will have any problems however with the PTSD claim - but you should mention the private diagnosis to the C & P doctor.

I think someone at VA saw USN on your IHD claim and just arbitrarily assumed you were Blue Water and thus said no records of PTSD or IHD in service.( how many vets really have PTSD or IHD in their service records-sure not many)

They need it explained to them that your ship was AO presumptive and so was your MOS.

"It just seems like they are not getting my health records i sent and someone else is getting my application claim and not putting them together, If that makes sense?

At one time after submitting my health records i got a letter that they lost my records, then later i get this letter that its "futile" to look any further?"

Boy they are messing up here.

Can you possibly scan and post that letter (cover personal stuff.)

Do you have a vet rep?

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