Va Fl 10-25

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NOTE:

VA_Fast_Letter_10-25.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans Benefits Administration

Washington, D.C. 20420

July 15, 2010

Director (00/21)

All VA Regional Offices and Centers

In Reply Refer To: 212A

Fast Letter 10-25

SUBJ: Corroborating Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Using DD Form 2910,Victim Reporting Preference Statement, or Similar Forms

Purpose

This fast letter (FL) provides additional guidance on military sexual trauma (MST) and authorizes Regional Offices (ROs) and Pension Management Centers (PMCs) to accept DD Form 2910, Victim Reporting Preference Statement; DD Form 2911, Forensic Medical Report: Sexual Assault Examination; and other similar forms as corroborating evidence of a report of MST. Decision makers must weigh the evidence of DD Forms 2910 or 2911 in determining that a sexual assault occurred.

Background

In order to provide care to MST victims, the Department of Defense (DoD) created the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) and its associated positions of Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) and Victim Advocate. These individuals provide care and support, and assist the service member with filing a report. Additionally, each branch of the military has its own sexual assault prevention program. Contact information for DoD SAPRO and branch prevention programs can be found in Enclosure 1.

DoD offers two reporting options for MST: restricted and unrestricted. Restricted reporting allows a service member to file a report confidentially without initiating the investigative process. Following an MST incident, a service member may elect one of these reporting options by using DD Form 2910 (a copy of this form can be found at the DoD Forms Management website). Both the service member and the SARC or Victim Advocate sign the form. The service member is given a copy of DD Form 2910.

Note: Other forms may have been used prior to the issuance of DD Form 2910. For example, the Department of the Navy used the form NAVPERS 1752/1, Sexual Assault Incident Data Collection Report.

The service member may also elect an optional sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE). A SAFE is performed by a healthcare provider and is documented on DD Form 2911 (a copy of this form can be found at the DoD Forms Management website). In restricted reporting cases, DoD stores the evidence, including results from the SAFE, for one year following the date of the victim's report of sexual assault. If the victim does not claim the evidence or elect an unrestricted report within one year, DoD destroys it.