Help understanding a mental health eval / PTSD

Dadbod

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Hello Vets
You folks answered some questions for me regarding getting flagged by my unit on a mental health med I was put on. My psych decided after we spoke that he should not have put me on that med, that he didnt include or consider some vital information before putting me on that. So, I am now off that med. I have to turn over my appointment records to my unit before they will lift the "grounded to base" deal. I have to leave for a school May 18. I am diagnosed with PTSD and depression mild. I know those alone are not disqualifying conditions. Its the extent at which those diagnosis affect me to do my job and am I deployable. So basically I am not on any meds that the government does not permit. I have no diagnosis that are disqualifying. My unit is sending me to get a MH exam to a active base. Can you speak on the evaluation that will be done? And what potentially could come from the exam based on my diagnosis. What if they find a new diagnosis? Would that be service connected since the military diagnosed it? I get confused about what can and cant be service connected based on being in the reserves. I know anything on active duty is simple, this includes TDY, schools, and deployments. What I dont know is MH diagnosis, and if and when those are service connected. My PTSD was a result of an incident that happened almost 28 years ago while I was on active duty. I was just recently diagnosed with it because I was never willing to speak about it or how it affected me. I have been seeing a councilor at the VA for this.
 
I am uncertain unclear about the facts in your case. Did the unit direct a MH evaluation? If so, did they fllow the requirement of a command directed MH evaluation? Did you speak to legal counsel (Not the JAG, but the counsel your service provides to represent the member)?
 
To begin with answering your question on council = I am not familiar with any council I could use. I actually spoke to my wife about that recently. I was wondering who in my unit I could go to, to make sure the process is being followed correctly and someone I can trust to help me if I have questions. I only used the Jag office one time and that was to write a living will.

On to the facts of the MH eval - During my annual PHA, the MH nurse on base called to conduct the MH question part of the exam. When we spoke on the phone during the exam, she asked me what diagnosis I had if any and I responded with PTSD and dysthymia. She asked if I was on any med. And I told her, one med for anxiety and the other was most recently prescribed for PTSD. That was an anti convulsion drug. The call ended and I thought that was the end of the PHA. The following day I get a call from the base civilian social worker. She said the nurse conducting the MH questions flagged me on the anti convulsion drug. That drug is not permitted in the military and will make me non deployable. So they grounded me to base, which meant only allowed to Drills, baring the civilian doc records that prescribed me anti convulsion drug. I spoke to the civilian doc, and asked if he was aware the drug was not permitted in military. He immediately took me off, and said that I did not have a diagnosis that would require me to take that. I called the social worker the next day and told her the records should be coming, and that civilian med records are coming. I was told that I need to attend a MH evaluation at Wright Patt. The evaluation will deterimine if I am fit or not fit for duty. I hope that made sense and helped some.

Do I have to turn over civilian records? Where can I find what the policy is for sending someone to a MH eval? What can I expect at the mental health eval.
 
Top