ptsd Order Smrs Through Va Or Nat'l Archives? Triggers!

[hedgey]

Sitting here making copies of records to hand to DH's Examiner and am in a quandry about this question.

A few days ago DH told me again about the surgery they had to do to "give him ears". The fire had burned his off (blast burned from behind, all back of his head, hands trying to cover protected some but heat flashed around his scalp and took off his ears. Now the army reconstructed them, and sewed his scalp back together so he has a 1inch wide scar on the back of his head and his ears look fine from a distance.

I knew about the reconstructions. What I DIDN'T know was that they weren't done during his initial recovery. The army wasn't going to do them at all!!! He was in a coffee shop hanging with some other guys when an army surgeon approached him and suggested they had a new technique they'd like to try. It mean he had to wear funny bandages on his neck for several weeks while they created graft bits; then he had to wear what looked like ear muffs for much longer while the sites healed.

Bad enough for the emotional well-being of a scarred young man in his 30's right? Wait, in his 30's????

They didn't do the cosmetic surgery on his ears until nearly 10 years after his accident. For 10 years, from the age of 23 to 33 my handsome, precious husband had to walk around with no ears. Well, no ear on one side, a small nub on the other. In the army, with a military hair cut.

ANYWAY, that's my outrage, here's my question: HIs C&P is in less than 2 weeks. We never requested records regarding his ear surgery because I thought it was done at the same time and it was in with his accident SMRs (why did I miss that they weren't?). The surgeries were done in Germany - I'm waiting for call back from him as to exact location and a call back from our VSO as to how to get them. I'm worried VSO might be out today, what with long weekend.

So what do I do? Do I submit a Nat'l Archive request or do the VA form telling them to get the records from Germany? He received the VCAA letter yesterday (dated last monday, naturally).

I think these records are important, because I can't help but think that 10 years of people staring (no long sleeve shirts would cover his no-ear scarred head) and just cutting himself out of society except for military duty would have a huge impact on his PTSD claim...

Need guidance, please! Thanks!

[boomer2]

The first thing I would like to ask.. Is your husband retired from the Army? Second is your husband getting disability for this injury now? I would request the his SMR's from National Archives. You should not have to ask for anything from Germany as they will have sent them to St. louis already. Keep in mind that the VA will also request the records as well. I would still request them because I can tell you from my own experience that the VA does not get all of the SMR's. It will also take awhile.

Would like to add something else if your husband is retired and receiving retired pay is he getting CRDP (concurent retired disability pay)? When it comes to the VA it is much better to be armed with more info than they have.

Edited February 17, 2012 by boomer2

[hedgey]

Boomer, thanks for this and your other reply.

Criminy, I must've posted a 100 times today, in between loading the copier 10 - 12 pages at a time.

Sorry, guys. I jabber and blurt.