ptsd Gathering Of Evidence Development Letter

[shannan]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum. I've been looking through some of your forum for the past couple of months, but this is my first post (so i hope I'm posting in the correct thread).

I submitted my FDC in January of this year. I just recently received news that I am in the Gathering of Evidence phase. Please do not judge me for what i about to say. I know many of you served honorably and i only wish that that could have been my case (it haunts me every moment of everyday). I was raped in my Advanced Training Unit and did attempt to exorcise every effort to obtain a discharge to get away from my attacker. My chain of command kept "losing" my discharge paperwork and I was forced to remain around my attacker. I am not pleased to admit it, but after a failed suicide attempt, I decided in my naive 18 year old mind that my last resort was to go AWOL. I turned myself in and was given an OTH.

So to my point, I recieved a letter stating that they do not ordinarily grant disability benefits unless it is found that i did serve honorably, although i have severe PTSD, Major Depression, and Dythsmia due to MST (all diagnosed by the VA). The letter is also asking me for all evidence i may have and my statement. They also claim they have no knowledge of me having a representative. They are going to put my claim on hold for 60 days to wait for me to send the evidence.

My Amvets representative submitted all of my statements and evidence when he filed my ebenefits claim in January. He also made it clear on official letterhead that he was representing me on this claim. Also, when he submitted the claim, he certified that this is ALL the evidence that I had to submit. Have any of you ever recieved a similar letter? If so, how did you adress it? I dont want to re-send the evidence for fear they will knock me into a regular claim. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Navy4life]

Shannon;

You can't ever put the "what if" in your mind b/c in reality it is never going to happen....The facts remain we lost the child for some reason...For me the "trigger" that set me off during my whole ordeal with my claim process wasn't the rape so much as the loss of the child. I kept asking myself why? Why did I lose this child? My fault....I blamed myself...I have lived with the guilt for many many years and I am finally coming to terms with the fact that it wasn't my fault...I can't continue to blame myself or wonder if I had had the child the "what if's"...It's too painful for me at least....

Get the help..you need it my fellow sister...I hope to one day have inner peace and not have these ugly demons that I have inside of me....

[Andyman73]

Navy4life and Shannon,

I will pray for healing and restoration of your hearts and souls, I can't even begin to imagine the road you both have gone down. My wife and I had a foster baby for 14 months and then the system decided he was going to be a number instead of a sucess story. On the exact 1 year anniversary of his disappearance, my wife's dad died. Then a 3 months later she had a miscarraige. I know my point of view and experience is small potatoes, and even my wife thinks I feel no pain from those losses, but my heart cries for you 2.

Semper Fi

[SeattleShay]

Shannon

I have been fighting for PTSD due to mst since 1984.

I went to my commander and the bn commander who both refused to forward the paperwork. I wa a recruiter and working remote from a military facility and I worked with the Son of a Bitch daily because they would not transfer me.

I, too , went AWOL but was given a Honorable Discharge.

Finally DSM V allows that markers showing distress from the attack must be looked at

Good luck !

m

[Navy4life]

Thank you Andyman73.....

[shannan]

Andyman, thank you for your support. Your point of view is not small potatoes. Several years ago, I read somewhere (cant remember where) that a study had been done. The study stated that often times a man suffers more from the pain that comes from the miscarriage than a women. The reason being is, not only has a man suffered the loss of the child as the woman has, but the man also feels sorrow for his wife's loss and pain. In other words, most men's natural instinct is to protect what is theirs. And often times men suffer losing the child, plus not being able to protect their wife from the pain. Dont ever think that your feelings are not valid on this matter. I am sorry for your loss.

[shannan]

SeattleShay, you are so lucky you ended up with an Honorable :). I know that doesnt often happen. Did you get your claim approved for PTSD yet?