ptsd Combat Certificate

[Brother Gate]

Welcome home to all the brotherhood. Question? I received a 1st Airmobile Combat Certicficate from the 1st Air Cavalry when I left Vietnam in 1971. Would that be qualified as a CIB for compensation purposes for PTSD. I have been denied because of lack of documentation and proof of stressor. I have been searching for something on this had have come up empty handed.

[Berta]

I don't believe the VA would consider that in the same light as CAR,CIB, or PH.

"I have been denied because of lack of documentation and proof of stressor"

This is the key issue-

There are some web sites for your unit and other links that might help you-

If you tell me if this Certficate involved a specific operation with date maybe I can find more on the event that caused the PTSD.

Meantime I suggest you do all you can to contact a buddy who can verify that you experienced a PTSD stressor.

Did the VA run your stressor through Joint Service Records Research Center yet ?

I have posted their phone number and address here and maybe you shopuld contact them yourself.

PTSD stressor need details as to time and place and corroborating testimony (buddy statements) in many cases or other documentations proving the stressor occured.

The VA certainly saw the Combat Certificate on your DD 214 but ,in my opinion, this is not same as CIB.If it was the VA would have conceded stressor.

I have topic here defining what a PTSD stressor is-maybe it wll help you.

Did the VA formally diagnose you with PTSD?

[pigdriver]

Here is what I don't understand. I was in the USMC in Vietnam in 1965/1966, my MOS's were combat MOS's of 0311 (Infantry) and 0353 "Ontos" crewman. My service records indicate I participated in four different assualt operations; I was lucky in the respect I never received a serious wound so no purple heart, the Corps didn't issue CAR's until late 1969, I honorably discharged in August 1967, everyone in my Company is dead with the exception of one person whom I can not locate. I have a number of stressors, the VA is only looking at the ones where there were KIA involved. How can anyone in their right mind question whether or not I was engaged in mortal combat, oh yea, my unit received the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and a Meritorious Unit Citation, but yet I could still be denied for SC on PTSD. What is wrong with this picture???

[Philip Rogers]

Contact the USMC and request a CAR be issued, to you. They will search your records and if you meet the criteria, issue you a CAR.

pr

Here is what I don't understand. I was in the USMC in Vietnam in 1965/1966, my MOS's were combat MOS's of 0311 (Infantry) and 0353 "Ontos" crewman. My service records indicate I participated in four different assualt operations; I was lucky in the respect I never received a serious wound so no purple heart, the Corps didn't issue CAR's until late 1969, I honorably discharged in August 1967, everyone in my Company is dead with the exception of one person whom I can not locate. I have a number of stressors, the VA is only looking at the ones where there were KIA involved. How can anyone in their right mind question whether or not I was engaged in mortal combat, oh yea, my unit received the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and a Meritorious Unit Citation, but yet I could still be denied for SC on PTSD. What is wrong with this picture???

[Philip Rogers]

No, it would not. The 1st Cav awarded a lot of types of "feel good" certificates. We made a jump for pay in late '65, with an ARVN jumpmaster, and were awarded Vietnamese Basic Jump Wings. Unfortunately, no orders were ever added to our 201 files, so in essence we never received an actual award, at least from the Army, however non-USA awards don't generally show up in Army records. Sorry!

pr

Welcome home to all the brotherhood. Question? I received a 1st Airmobile Combat Certicficate from the 1st Air Cavalry when I left Vietnam in 1971. Would that be qualified as a CIB for compensation purposes for PTSD. I have been denied because of lack of documentation and proof of stressor. I have been searching for something on this had have come up empty handed.

Edited December 15, 2009 by Philip Rogers

[sjh4951]

Here is what I don't understand. I was in the USMC in Vietnam in 1965/1966, my MOS's were combat MOS's of 0311 (Infantry) and 0353 "Ontos" crewman. My service records indicate I participated in four different assualt operations; I was lucky in the respect I never received a serious wound so no purple heart, the Corps didn't issue CAR's until late 1969, I honorably discharged in August 1967, everyone in my Company is dead with the exception of one person whom I can not locate. I have a number of stressors, the VA is only looking at the ones where there were KIA involved. How can anyone in their right mind question whether or not I was engaged in mortal combat, oh yea, my unit received the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and a Meritorious Unit Citation, but yet I could still be denied for SC on PTSD. What is wrong with this picture???

When a veteran has received any of the combat decorations listed below, VA will presume that the veteran engaged in combat with the enemy, unless there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary:

· Air Force Achievement Medal with "V" Device

· Air Force Combat Action Medal

· Air Force Commendation Medal with "V" Device

· Air Force Cross

· Air Medal with "V" Device

· Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device

· Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device

· Combat Action Badge

· Combat Action Ribbon (Note: Prior to February 1969, the Navy Achievement Medal with "V" Device was awarded.)

· Combat Aircrew Insignia

· Combat Infantry/Infantryman Badge

· Combat Medical Badge

· Distinguished Flying Cross

· Distinguished Service Cross

· Joint Service Commendation Medal with "V" Device

· Medal of Honor

· Navy Commendation Medal with "V" Device

· Navy Cross

· Purple Heart, and/or

· Silver Star.

Important:

· Receipt of one of the decorations cited above is not the only acceptable evidence of engagement in combat.

· If a veteran received a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or Iraq Campaign Medal, but not one of the combat decorations cited above, develop for the claimed stressor as shown in M21-1MR, Part IV, Subpart ii, 1.D.14. Receipt of these campaign medals alone does not generally indicate engagement in combat.

[Hoppy]

pigdriver

"the VA is only looking at the ones where there were KIA involved"

When you say they are only looking at specific events, is it that they pressured you to pick the most severe events. They did this to another veteran here on hadit about a year ago. He told them he had plenty of stressors but they made him choose the most severe stressor. Then they searched to verify that event. I'm not sure but I think they do this just to conserve time and effort in researching your units combat history.

The veteran I was talking about who had to choose the most severe stressor was initially denied because he did not fill out the forms properly asking about the event. Instead he gave the VA a letter from his commanding officer stating that his unit was attacked daily. The VA focused on the fact that he didn't fill out the forms properly and didn't even read the letter from his commanding officer. They originally denied the claim saying that he was not in combat. We found out that he did not fill out the forms properly and he resubmitted the forms directly to the JSRCC and forward the results to the VA. They pressured him to choose one event. They researched the event and found it and it was determined that he was in combat. He was later service connected for PTSD by a DRO.

In your case I'm not sure if it's the JS RCC or another agency that will research your units combat events. Just makes sure you provide them with the information they want and in the format they request it.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Hoppy