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Do all PTSD claims(personal trauma/MST) take so long?

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sailorgirl80

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I submitted a claim on June 30th for PTSD(personal trauma). My C&P exam was done mid-August (exactly 3 months ago today). I called the VA to get an update and they told me they are waiting on my military personnel files and have to complete an internal SMT checklist.  Is it normal for it to take so long for these types of claims? Is this a good thing?  Also, they seem to have labeled my claim with MST, a term I didn't know until I called the VA for the update. Maybe that's a good sign that it may go in my favor? I'm just really frustrated and ready for the wait to be over. 

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Yes.I can work remotely. The NPRC records people can't. You and about a bajillion thousand others are in the same boat. I see about 50 of these cases a day mixed in with my regular caseload and I can't do a thing with them because they need records research to support whatever stressor you are claiming and the people that do it can't physically go into the building. 

 

MST-  its just a term. Whether you were or not only you know. It doesn't mean anything with rating it. It either is or isn't. 

Edited by brokensoldier244th
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Im re-reading that- im sorry to seem brusque about it. It irritates me to no end that I have to kick those cases out 10-30 more days based on whatever local guidance we are getting at the time from the site. MST also gets worked only at 1 regional office. They used to be worked by whomever, but there are lot of people that shouldn't be working MST claims for *pick reasons, most of them not good* so the VA got with some national organizations and trained a bunch of VSR and Rater personnel specifically for MST type claims.

 

We all take classes for them to various levels based on personal interest in learning how to handle them, and their claimants, correctly, but the people that actually work and rate them at the end game are specially trained. I see MST on a claim, I make sure all the basic housekeeping stuff is in order, electronically tab the bare minimum of information I need to demonstrate that it IS an MST claims (even if you didnt claim it that way, mil medical records reveal a lot) and as soon as I have enough to prove its an MST claim I break off and make sure it gets to the RO for those claims.

That way im not carrying all that information around in my head for days afterwards, and you don't have to worry (at least about me) digging around for fun. I don't like it any more than you do. My wife was assaulted in college not long before we met and there are still triggers for her that I have to watch out for. I identify as little as I need to and make sure it gets to the people that are trained to do it better than me. 

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Dont feel like the lone Ranger.  Im not gonna tell you how long my claim took, because it may be a downer for you, and mine had nothing to do with MST.  Waiting is the hardest part.  Many Vets advocates suggest you get a hobby, because delays are not the exception, they are usually what happens, in my opinion.  Some ideas:

1.  Learn to play chess.  Netflix has an incredible series "Queens Gambit".  You can watch that even if you have no desire to play chess.  This woman, in a "men dominated world" frankly made fools of men.  You can sharpen your skills playing against the computer and dont have to leave your home. 

2.  Go fishing. 

3.  Take up walking, in the park.  Exercise can help.  

 

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LOVE that series- we're wrapping it up now.  There are some idiosyncrasies- like, in the 40s-50s how common would it have been to have a woman with a Ph.D from Cornell in Mathematics,and in the 60s would colleges offer Russian as a language, but other than that it was a great show. All my kids are into it, which is saying something, being tik-tocking/social media middle and high school aged.  The timeframe of the show predates me, but ive taken enough theater, and history classes to appreciate the detail of the setting, clothing, music, and attitudes of the time. I loved that they didn't editorialize about the drug use, or beat you over the head with it, and the political commentary was pretty much non-existent. It was a nice, self contained story. The comments sections on a few sites are clamoring for a sequel. Its based on a single novel, though, and the director has up to this point said "nope, I did the story I wanted to tell, its done". I can appreciate that a lot. 

Edited by brokensoldier244th
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I understand "Queens Gambit" was based on Bobby Fisher.  Bobby Fisher was a bizarre eccentric who crushed the Russians winning the World Championship in a game dominated by the Soviet Union.  

There have been only 2 American World Champions.  Paul Morphy in 1858, and Robert Fisher in 1972.  Queens Gambit "even mentions" Paul Morphy and his chess games.  Chess enthusiasts "Still" replay Paul Morphy and Bobbie Fishers games.  

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