Government To Stop Requiring Veterans To 'Prove' PTSD

WASHINGTON — The government is making it easier for combat veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder to receive disability benefits.

The Veterans Affairs Department plans to announce Monday it will no longer require veterans to prove what might have triggered their illness. Instead, they would have to show that they served in combat in a job that could have contributed to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Veterans advocates and some lawmakers have argued that it sometimes could be impossible for a veteran to find records of a firefight or bomb blast. They also have contended that the old rule ignored other causes of the disorder, such as fearing a traumatic event even if it doesn't occur. That could discriminate against female troops prohibited from serving on front lines and against other service members who don't experience combat directly.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the change in policy "long overdue." Last year, Schumer and Rep. John Hall, D-N.Y., proposed legislation similar to the new rule.

"It is so unfair to put the burden of proof on the brave men and women who have already put themselves in harm's way," Schumer said Thursday. "These guidelines rectify that and should bring more veterans who've served their country the help they need."

A study last year by the RAND Corp. think tank estimated that nearly 20 percent of returning veterans, or 300,000, have symptoms of PTSD or major depression.

The change in regulations was first reported by The New York Times.

Comments

[NoSandwiches]

09:37 AM on 07/11/2010

See now, this statue is "approved" because the black man is on the left side and behind the white leader. Think of the protests if the cool guy out front was black. That is what happened with the mural in Arizona that had people shouting epithets and making the city want to repaint with the children white. Ever since I read that article, I have been more aware of how we portray race in public art.
this is one of many articles about the subject:
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/principal-asks-artists-to-lighten-faces-of-children-in-arizona-school-mural/19504774

[Chucktheman]

09:22 AM on 07/11/2010

A move in the right direction. Now work on removing the root cause.

[Helixtwice]

06:12 AM on 07/11/2010

Once a soldier goes into combat, they are guaranteed to have adverse psychological consequences. The things seen in combat are horrible and strange - they tend to imprint on the mind and play over and over and over again.
The choice is: don't put people into combat, or give the ones who go into combat the help that they need. People are not standardized. Some will need a little help, some will need lifelong help.

[PolicyWonkette]

04:37 PM on 07/10/2010

This is major. And long overdue.

Thanks to the people who made this happen.

[lostfan13]

04:30 PM on 07/10/2010

Glad for this. A few of my friends came back from their deployments changed. Just because they are subtle changes doesn't mean they aren't suffering inside.

[SueMVetforObama2]

02:21 PM on 07/10/2010

Kudos

[Erdgeist]

01:57 PM on 07/10/2010

Anyone who has killed another human being in combat is a candidate for PTSD. Period. Many Vietnam veterans have PTSD because, man for man, they killed more people, up close, than in previous wars (they were trained to do so by their government). If you don't believe this then read Lt. Col. Dave Grossman's book:

_On killing: The psychological cost of learning to kill in war and society_

[ruffmama]

01:16 PM on 07/10/2010

amen!

[sjkindenver]

12:36 PM on 07/10/2010

When I read this, it made me cry. Too many men and women have had to struggle in silence for too long. Or, when they do speak out, they are met with skepticism, red tape and often the feelings of shame that accompany an illness like PTSD. I am glad to see that some of the red tape is being pulled away. I just hope that we can continue to move forward to support those with PTSD (or any other mental illness). This requires a shift far beyond policy. We need to make sure that, as a society, we do not stereotype or stigmatize those who are struggling. Instead, I would suggest that we talk with them, learn from them and honor their bravery for their service, as well as their bravery in getting help to overcome PTSD. I wish all on that journey the best! Things can get better, even if it takes time.

[copestir]

12:23 PM on 07/10/2010

My father spent a life-time suffering from nightmares, a progressive cognitive drop, repeated job loss. He spent the last 10 years of his life drunk. He could not tolerate traffic noise. When drunk he would ramble why he survived the D-Day landing when 200 of his unit did not. Some days he would be haunted by the vision of one of buddies being headless.
Now, to debate the issue of PTSD and demand proof of the psychological damage is absurd. Frankly, when we put our service men and women in severe battle situations, we hold a responsibility to care for their wounds, especially if their wounds can not be seen.

[SouthSideHooligan]

03:32 PM on 07/10/2010

He gave his life for the rest of us... in more ways than one, yeah?

[BacSi]

10:37 AM on 07/10/2010

They could just say we are going to compensate all real time combat vets after they return home for the rest of their life. Because anyone who has gone and seen the Elephant close up enough times comes home damaged in some way.

Most of us just put it behind us, move on with life, and know it will come up at least now and then and last at least for a while. Others have it more acute.

But all have it to some degree even them who claim they were untouched. Some of these are much less untouched than they think.

Supply clerks and other pogues that never left the wire? Have no idea. That was not my kind of war.

[jwilson1]

10:14 AM on 07/10/2010

I was in a pool at my sisters house in Palm Springs she turned to me and said "How come you never said anything about Vietnam?" This is 20 years after I served in Vietnam. I turned to her and just started crying and crying it was hard to stop. A week later one of my co-workers said that I was getting scary and people where worried. I have always prided myself on being peaceful.
I called a therapist and start a journey of one year to unravel my PTSD and all the other things of life like death of friends and family that where in a link to Vietnam. War is hell and so is PTSD take care of our Vets!

[MED1025]

10:44 AM on 07/10/2010

Thank you for your service. I'm glad you were able to get the help. Its a step forward to make it easier for all vets to get help regardless of when they served. There are also programs that are going to homeless shelters and jails to find veterans who need help to get back on their feed and to get reintegrated into society.

[Jacqueline R]

01:10 AM on 07/10/2010

PTSD in Veterans from all the wars is so undereported for a variety of reasons, so 20% is a very conservative estimate. Also PTSD does not have to show up right away either. I have met numerous Veteran's, since I am a Veteran and I do get my healthcare at the VA, that have been afflicted with PTSD for years but have not recognized it within themselves and do not display or admit to any of the symptoms to their physicians. They have lives that are or have fallen apart and still will not even consider that part or all of it could be related to PTSD. Unfortunately, PTSD and many other mental illness causes their victims to be very shameful and embarrassed by it which also causes them not to seek out help for it.

[SinfullySublime]

11:40 AM on 07/10/2010

PTSD should be viewed as injury, not mental illness.

[Jacqueline R]

08:43 PM on 07/10/2010

You are absolutely right but many people don't view it that way.

[FunkSands]

12:51 AM on 07/10/2010

Bravo. That is a definite chalk-up to positive "change".

[Michael Valentine]

11:28 PM on 07/09/2010

It is a wonder that only 20% report PTSD when some of the troops are returning for the forth and fifth tour in a combat zone.

If you want to support the troops start the draft or stop the war.

It will give the troops relief from never ending tours of combat AND stop the war.