I've never deployed. My job is safe from most of the horrors of combat, here, stateside. I have 11.5 years in the Air National Guard... and about 7 years of it activated (mostly title 10 federal orders). I work (yes, currently still involuntarily activated) in a psuedo aircrew position (kill chain, but not officially aircrew) on a UAV/RPA/UAS/'drone' flying in the AOR.
A few years ago I sought mental health care at the VA for some 'results' of a few missions I 'flew'. A series of events led me to file for a VA comp & penn claim {*see below} and was rated at 30% for PTSD, some sort of depression, and OCD. This year my medical unit finally read my yearly health assessment in such a manner that they requested a copy of my VA records. Upon attaining them they pulled me off 'the line' and directed an MEB. I am currently trying to answer some question I have on the MEB/PEB process.
1) Is the differences that is see in other people's VA versus military ratings specifically due to the military only rating service connected... whereas the VA rates non service connected, as well? Or does the military simply assign lower ratings due to different standards?
2) I read another post about PTSD only being able to recieve a rating of 50% or higher via the following regulation: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2007/julqtr/pdf/38cfr4.130.pdf I assume this is true ONLY for military ratings, correct?.. as my VA rating is 30%.
3) The VA was very lenient and flexible on my attempts in seeking treatment {**see below}. Do I have to worry about the military being very strict on deviations and/or avoidance during treatment during this MEB (or a future PEB)?
4) In other locations that I have found the above regulation's verbage, having the PTSD as 'combat related' was mentioned as required. Is the above regulation superceded by another one that adds this criteria? If so, will I need to provide the same sort of evidence that I did for the VA on my comp & penn 'statement of stressor' to prove my PTSD is service connected?
*
The VA confirmed that I was on orders and began billing Tricare for my visits. However, since I did NOT attain a referral, first from my normal medical doctor, the bills for the visit (not just the co-pays) started heading my way. When I tried to resolve the issue via the VA covering treatment that is service connected, they said my orders were only 'in support' of the theater. I was advised that a service connection rating from any comp & penn claim would halt me being billed for the visits AND the co-pays. During the mental evaluation that ensued was the first time I had heard that I had previously been given ANY specific diagnosis by my doc AND she had listed my troubles as being "service connected" right in the verbage of her notes.
**
I missed several appointments, often with no prior notification, and stalled out on cognitive therapy twice. I just felt I wasn't helping myself to immerse into the events and I simply quit. I also declined group therapy as the classification level of the detail surrounding (and encompassing) the events of my stressors would obviously inhibit me from discussing them easily with others... and therefore 'fitting-in' to a group dynamic.
Actually, the latest thing I've tried is the PTSD info class. It has been very informal with members simply sharing how they've dealt with PTSD and has been very helpful. I am allowed to simply listen to the others and provide feedback (my contribution to the content can stay quite limited). Though, I'd wager that my therapy is probably viewed as purely instructional and not 'treatment' by the VA/military.
A few years ago I sought mental health care at the VA for some 'results' of a few missions I 'flew'. A series of events led me to file for a VA comp & penn claim {*see below} and was rated at 30% for PTSD, some sort of depression, and OCD. This year my medical unit finally read my yearly health assessment in such a manner that they requested a copy of my VA records. Upon attaining them they pulled me off 'the line' and directed an MEB. I am currently trying to answer some question I have on the MEB/PEB process.
1) Is the differences that is see in other people's VA versus military ratings specifically due to the military only rating service connected... whereas the VA rates non service connected, as well? Or does the military simply assign lower ratings due to different standards?
2) I read another post about PTSD only being able to recieve a rating of 50% or higher via the following regulation: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2007/julqtr/pdf/38cfr4.130.pdf I assume this is true ONLY for military ratings, correct?.. as my VA rating is 30%.
3) The VA was very lenient and flexible on my attempts in seeking treatment {**see below}. Do I have to worry about the military being very strict on deviations and/or avoidance during treatment during this MEB (or a future PEB)?
4) In other locations that I have found the above regulation's verbage, having the PTSD as 'combat related' was mentioned as required. Is the above regulation superceded by another one that adds this criteria? If so, will I need to provide the same sort of evidence that I did for the VA on my comp & penn 'statement of stressor' to prove my PTSD is service connected?
*
The VA confirmed that I was on orders and began billing Tricare for my visits. However, since I did NOT attain a referral, first from my normal medical doctor, the bills for the visit (not just the co-pays) started heading my way. When I tried to resolve the issue via the VA covering treatment that is service connected, they said my orders were only 'in support' of the theater. I was advised that a service connection rating from any comp & penn claim would halt me being billed for the visits AND the co-pays. During the mental evaluation that ensued was the first time I had heard that I had previously been given ANY specific diagnosis by my doc AND she had listed my troubles as being "service connected" right in the verbage of her notes.
**
I missed several appointments, often with no prior notification, and stalled out on cognitive therapy twice. I just felt I wasn't helping myself to immerse into the events and I simply quit. I also declined group therapy as the classification level of the detail surrounding (and encompassing) the events of my stressors would obviously inhibit me from discussing them easily with others... and therefore 'fitting-in' to a group dynamic.
Actually, the latest thing I've tried is the PTSD info class. It has been very informal with members simply sharing how they've dealt with PTSD and has been very helpful. I am allowed to simply listen to the others and provide feedback (my contribution to the content can stay quite limited). Though, I'd wager that my therapy is probably viewed as purely instructional and not 'treatment' by the VA/military.