ptsd My Stressor Letter

[ranger11bv]

MY PTSD STRESSOR STATEMENT*

* *

This situation relates to a time when I was in basic training at

Ft Benning Ga. My basic training unit was Company C42, USAIC, Fort Benning,

GA. Date there was from Oct. 18, 1985 to Jan. 24, 1986. My Drill Sgt was

Staff Sgt. Talamoa

During this time II was subjected to higher then normal levels of

intimidation, bulling, and physical trauma. Several times I was punched in

the face or chest over the course of a few weeks. I reported these incidents

to my Drill Sergeant, but was told to take it like a man and continue on

with my training.

One night on Fire Guard duty in Harmony Church, I was doing my

rounds when I was jumped by four (4) trainees. Three (3) held me down while

one individual continued to assault me, by hitting me repeatedly. I woke up

later with a trainee over me and asking me if I was alright OK. As I tried

to get up, I felt nauseated and vomited. There was pain in my stomach, my

right eye was closed up, and my nose was bleeding. The Trainee helped me up

and got Drill Sgt Talamoa (sp). Drill Sergeant gets me and others about an

hour later and asked us about what happened. When he seen my face, he asked

me about it. I said it was dark and they got me from behind. Drill Sergeant

then told me NOT to go to the aid station. I just nodded and went to the

latrine to clean up.

I was bed-ridden for 3 days. During which time I was

continuously coughing up blood and vomiting. I asked the Drill Sergeant

Talamoa if I could go to the aid station, but again he said no, I'll get

better. Eventually I did get better- physically. But I did have a sense of

helplessness I never felt before. I started having trouble concentrating on

simple tasks at hand. I had recurring nightmares of the event. I started

sleeping less and less until it was just 2-3 hours per night. This still

continues to this day. I wake up w/ my heart pounding 3-5 times per night.

Before the event, I was very engaging and trusting of others. Now, I only

have a handful of people I can call friends. I will do anything to avoid

getting into a physical altercation all together. To this day I'm nervous

when in a crowd. I try to be by myself seeing that being alone, I'm

guaranteed that I will be OK. This also helps me with my over-hyper

vigilance. I can concentrate on the things that are important. But being

alone just puts this in a controllable albeit uncertain level. My outburst

of anger constantly reminds me that I must watch myself. These outburst have

led to either getting fired from jobs, or makes it near impossible to have a

serious relationship. While in, I had 4 AR-15. On the outside, I have had over

65 jobs up to 2007. I have not worked since.

[carlie]

I have a copy of a psychological examination from March 1999. The Diagnoses of that exam was this:

Axis 1

314.01 ADHD of the combined type

Axis II;

301.22 Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Axis III N/A

Axis IV Multiple significant barriers to employment, including probable longstanding untreated attention problems, longstanding psychopathology, lack of primary supports, very limited income, significant debt, impulsive, and poor interpersonal skills.

Axis V Current GAF: 49 Very serious symptoms.

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Now, would it help me for either my PTSD or Total unemployment???

ranger11bv,

I do not feel this report will help advance your claim for either PTSD or IU.

I feel this report may harm your claim issues rather than helping them.

When were you discharged ?

jmho,

carlie

[ranger11bv]

Do you have a copy of your C File. How old were you when they diagnosed the personality disorder?

Did you serve in combat? If you did the VARO will have to accept your word on the ordered bed rest.

Good Luck

No combat. I was 32 at the time. So Im treated like a second class vet!!!

Edited June 7, 2010 by ranger11bv

[ranger11bv]

ranger11bv,

I do not feel this report will help advance your claim for either PTSD or IU.

I feel this report may harm your claim issues rather than helping them.

When were you discharged ?

jmho,

carlie

Discharged 8/23/92.

[john999]

You need buddy statements or some proof that this assault actually happened. It is your word against your Drill Sgt. He is never going to admit that he discouraged you from going to aide station. He is probably out of the army by now. You could try and track him down and ask if he remembers you and the incident. Is ADHD a mental disorder that is compensable? What kind of discharge did you get? Were you discharged for being a Personality disorder? When did you file your first claim? You served in 1985 and you quote a report from 1999. That is not going to help you. I got kicked out on a PD discharge. I filed a claim within one year of discharge. I had two months of hospital records and two weeks of VA in-patient records and a psychiatric report saying I was 100% disabled from psychotic condition. I got 10%. This is what you are up against.

[ranger11bv]

You need buddy statements or some proof that this assault actually happened. It is your word against your Drill Sgt. He is never going to admit that he discouraged you from going to aide station. He is probably out of the army by now. You could try and track him down and ask if he remembers you and the incident. Is ADHD a mental disorder that is compensable? What kind of discharge did you get? Were you discharged for being a Personality disorder? When did you file your first claim? You served in 1985 and you quote a report from 1999. That is not going to help you. I got kicked out on a PD discharge. I filed a claim within one year of discharge. I had two months of hospital records and two weeks of VA in-patient records and a psychiatric report saying I was 100% disabled from psychotic condition. I got 10%. This is what you are up against.

What kind of discharge did you get?

General under honorable conditions. 1985 - 1992

Were you discharged for being a Personality disorder? No

When did you file your first claim? 1993 for my knees

You served in 1985 and you quote a report from 1999. That is not going to help you.

From http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CCIQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.warms.vba.va.gov%2Fregs%2F38CFR%2FBOOKB%2FPART3%2FS3_304.DOC&rct=j&q=38+C.F.R.+3.304%28f%29&ei=okUNTLyCHpP0NaSWnLYE&usg=AFQjCNHXoWABcUSpoWLUi36hgejXm4Ej5A&sig2=7wehTrckBYITcjlRFT3VsA

" (4)If a post traumatic stress disorder claim is based on in-service personal assault, evidence from sources other than the veteran’s service records may corroborate the veteran’s account of the stressor incident. Examples of such evidence include, but are not limited to: records from law enforcement authorities, rape crisis centers, mental health counseling centers, hospitals, or physicians; pregnancy tests or tests for sexually transmitted diseases; and statements from family members, roommates, fellow service members, or clergy. Evidence of behavior changes following the claimed assault is one type of relevant evidence that may be found in these sources. Examples of behavior changes that may constitute credible evidence of the stressor include, but are not limited to: a request for a transfer to another military duty assignment; deterioration in work performance; substance abuse; episodes of depression, panic attacks, or anxiety without an identifiable cause; or unexplained economic or social behavior changes. VA will not deny a post traumatic stress disorder claim that is based on in-service personal assault without first advising the claimant that evidence from sources other than the veteran’s service records or evidence of behavior changes may constitute credible supporting evidence of the stressor and allowing him or her the opportunity to furnish this type of evidence or advise VA of potential sources of such evidence. VA may submit any evidence that it receives to an appropriate medical or mental health professional for an opinion as to whether it indicates that a personal assault occurred. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501(a), 1154)"

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So, according to that statute, it WILL help me. That is why Im also submitting my police records, SSD claims and anything else that shows a change of behavior.

Edited June 7, 2010 by ranger11bv

[john999]

I will play devil's advocate. You are saying a blanket party that happened in Basic Training in 1985-86 caused you to have PTSD and yet you served until 1992. You had a number of AR-15's that resulted in your general under honorable discharge in 1992. You have no proof this assault ever happened. You soldiered on for 6 years after being beat up in basic. Now after many years you are making a claim for PTSD. If you have SC for knees pain and disability you would have a better chance getting a depression claim or claim for chronic pain disorder. You need a lawyer. How do you relate undocumented case of getting ass kicked in basic to 6 years of AR 15's and awful job history for the last almost 25 years to PTSD assault claim for which you never got treatment? The VA is not going to take your word you got beat up in basic 25 years ago? Ask TestVet what it takes for a man to get PTSD for personal assault case. I am not saying it can't be done, but I am saying you have big mountain to climb. When did you first file for any MH claim?

I also got shafted in a big way by the army. However, I filed a claim within one year of discharge and VA psychiatrist said schizophrenia instead of PD. My private doctor said schizophrenia and explained why PD discharge was wrong. Time is a factor. If I had waited five years to file my schizophrenia claim I don't think I would have gotten SC'ed for it. Ask Rockhound about his claim. He really did get medical discharge for schizophrenia and then VA said PD and that is what he got stuck with for all these years. Josephine might be able to advise you since she won a case for SC anxiety that I did not think anyone could win 40 years after bogus discharge. Her case gave me hope for my CUE claim back to 1971.