PTSD Compensation and Military Service

The scars of war take many forms: the limb lost, the illness brought on by a battlefield exposure, and, for some, the psychological toll of encountering an extremely traumatic event. PTSD Compensation and Military Service presents a thorough assessment of how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates veterans with possible posttraumatic stress disorder and determines the level of disability support to which they are entitled. The book presents a history of mental health disability compensation of military personnel and reviews the current compensation and pension examination procedure and disability determination methodology. It offers a number of recommendations for changes that would improve the fairness, consistency, and scientific foundation of this vital program. This book will be of interest and importance to policy makers, veterans affairs groups, the armed forces, health care organizations, and veterans themselves.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Background – Disability Compensation3 Background – PTSD and Impairment4 The PTSD Compensation and Pension Examination5 The Evaluation of PTSD Disability Claims6 Other PTSD Compensation Issues7 General ObservationsAppendix A Committee on Veterans' Compensation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Public Meeting AgendasAppendix B Federal Regulations Related to VA Compensation of PTSD and Other Mental DisordersAppendix C Automated Medical Information Exchange (AMIE) Worksheets for Initial and Review Examinations for PTSDAppendix D Acronyms and AbbreviationsAppendix E Biographical Sketches of Committee Members, Consultants, and Staff