ptsd Filing New/first Benefits Claim !help!

[SSGTBarnett]

Hello all, first a short introduction. I served in the Air National Guard for 10 years, of which I volunteered/activated under title 10 active duty orders for 8 of the 10 years I served. During my final year in the service I began seeing a psychiatrist at my local VA, after many visits I was diagnosed with PTSD, it was advised at that time by the psychiatrist that I speak with my commander and medical personnel at my duty station on my next drill weekend. Long story short I was discharged two years short of completing my contract with a diagnosis of PTSD. This was in 2011.

My questions:

1. It has been three years since my discharge, does the VA not look favorably on those who file claims so long after being discharged? I didn't file because I felt and still feel that there are others who are much more deserving of these benefits than myself.

2. I have been reading over the past week or so about some people advising to not tell the VA about their alcohol use, while others I have read say to be completely upfront with every issue, should I be upfront or avoid answering questions about my current situation with regards to this?

3. How long should I expect it to take for my claim to be processed?

4. Lastly, I have been prescribed medications post diagnosis yet decided personally not to continue taking them, nor have I continued going to the VA to seek treatment. Am I required to attend therapy sessions or take medications if I want to obtain a service connected disability rating?

Thanks to all of you who respond, and I am sorry for being so long winded. I am sure I will have questions to follow up with, during my journey to get this taken care of.

Regards

[free_spirit_etc]

"It has been three years since my discharge, does the VA not look favorably on those who file claims so long after being discharged? I didn't file because I felt and still feel that there are others who are much more deserving of these benefits than myself."

The time between your discharge and when you file your claim shouldn't matter (except in regard to getting back pay). What matters is if the medical evidence shows the PTSD was manifest in service or was caused by some event in the service.

Please note the VA motto merely says, "“To care for him who shall have borne the battle”

It does not say “To care for him who shall have borne the battle as long as there is no one more deserving....."

[SSGTBarnett]

Thank you for responding, the proof shouldn't be hard to find since it was the cause of my discharge. Up until a month or so ago when I began researching what was needed to file I didn't think I'd ever file. It was only after a retired Sergeant Marjor and I had a discussion and he quite simply told me that I was silly not to apply, basically saying the same thing you said. Thanks again, this group seems to really take pride in helping, someday I hope to return this to a young vet in my shoes.

[Fat]

File the claim.......

Medical information (current/ past) and residuals are pertinent.

Read HADIT. Lots of good information.

[Berta]

# 1 No
# 2 Yes, be completely honest.
# 3 If FDC maybe less then a year, otherwise difficult to guess
# 4 I personally feel that continuous treatment and meds justify SC percentages. But others here might probably disagree.

Do you have your complete SMRs?
and was a LOD done when you were discharged
indicating the PTSD?

Edited April 24, 2015 by Berta

[SSGTBarnett]

# 1 No

# 2 Yes, be completely honest.

# 3 If FDC maybe less then a year, otherwise difficult to guess

# 4 I personally feel that continuous treatment and meds justify SC percentages. But others here might probably disagree.

Do you have your complete SMRs?

and was a LOD done when you were discharged

indicating the PTSD?

Thanks for your response Berta. I have not continued treatment in the past, but have seriously considered returning because I do not seem to be getting any better, and quite frankly I feel much worse in the past 6-8 months than I did a year ago.

As far as an LOD being completed, I am pretty sure there was. I went to multiple medical board hearings on drill weekends prior to being medically discharged. But I will find out for sure, as I have sent away for my PMRs.

Also today I went to my local VA where I had first established treatment and received my medical records from them. The diagnosis given to me then was PTSD (status active, SC Unkown, Exposure none), Anxiety disorder, and depression (the status, SC, and Exposure are the same as the PTSD diagnosis) this was diagnosed 15March2011, 4 months prior to my DC. Does this aid me in my claim?