Dennis K. Richards

@Dennis K. Richards Please post this in the Veterans Affairs claims research forum that's where you will get the most views and responses.

Dennis:  We are all volunteers, and people are online at different times.  I will try to answer your question, as Berta is obviously unavailable at this time.  

When you enter the service, you are given a physical.  Except as noted on the physical, you are "presumed" to be otherwise healthy.  If your entrance physical does not include anything about a previous football injury, then, if you apply within one year of an exit from service, then its presumed you got this malady in service. 

In other words..you are healthy when you entered service, and when you get out, you have a disorder, then its presumed you got that disorder in service.  Now, the VA can "rebut" this presumption, for example, if you were in a car wreck 6 months after getting out of service, then VA is not going to pay for the injuries in the car wreck.  

A diagnosis of PTSD has to be made by a VA doc in order for VA benefits to "recognize" this.  

With PTSD you have to have a "stressor" event in service.  In other words you could be diagnosed with PTSD but its possible that your "stressor" occurred outside of service.  For example, if you were raped after service, and you said that was your "stressor" for PTSD, then this would not be service connected.  

Let's say, you do have a verified "stressor" in service, that you saw some ugly things, for example, you had to haul off bodies of your comrades killed in the war.  

That would be an in service stressor, but you should have documentation.  Now, VA has been fairly liberal with stressors of combat Vets.  You see, in a war you dont always have someone with a pad of paper sitting next to you saying. "Ok that guy getting his arm blown off is your stressor..Let's document that  in your record now."  

With VA benefits you need these three things documented to prove service connection, as usual.

1.  Current diagnosis of PTSD.  It sounds like you indicated you have a PTSD diagnosis.  

2.  In service event, with PTSD, this would be called a "stessor".

3.  Nexus, or doctors statement saying to the effect that your PTSD is at least as likely as not due to (trauma event) while in military service.  

Thank you for your help!