Falsely claiming PTSD for VA benefits?

this person have more than PTSD, ptsd come in different form.
maybe he good at what he can do.

Some psychiatrists contracted by the VA rubber stamp things and nod without concern of the patient. They often review the full VA records and TRICARE which if this individual has an established physician, will note affect and potential dishonesty. I've had to correct records before and review mine regularly and booted physicians for writing lies. I had an eMRI scheduled after psychotherapy and the new shrink said I was drinking excessive caffinated sugary beverages. My own primary care physician wrote a supporting statement saying I was choking down 3 jugs of liquid barium and had no other beverages during a fasting eMRI procedure... so it all comes down to records, do the C&P reviewers believe the records, is there support for what the service member states and/or contests... etc. This guy may have had other issues exacerbated by his initial enlistment and mental health issues often go undiagnosed. He says he's "cured"... that's laughable. You can manage symptoms but there is no true "cure". I've finally gotten over most fireworks but I duck when I hear gunfire still... the joys of North highlands I guess. If the VA isn't concerned about this guy, it's probably because benefits were supported based on his first enlistment. His national guard enlistment would probably get him a bar to reenlist for defective enlistment agreement as his original enlistment wasn't fraudulent... the issue is his medical health upon re-enlisting. Though he could also get failed medical procurement standards too... that's another NGB administrative catch-all that was used when I processed separations. So... no fraudulent enlistment. And ptsd doesn't require you to fire a weapon either, just an FYI. I was administrative and signal systems support for my deployments. I only left the wire once, my issues come from being on the post attack response team and seeing what was left of my office a day after we packed up the building. I still had a few personal effects I wanted to get but...

I personally would believe that he is defrauding the government but the decision should be made by the VA. They have the expertise to make that kind of diagnosis

You don’t need to be in a firefight to suffer from PTSD. I also “only” served one deployment and I also joined the National Guard after active duty. The thing about PTSD is that it’s not immediate. I didn’t even know I had it until I was almost 2-3 years serving in the Guard. PTSD often starts displaying symptoms once your brain feels it’s in a safe environment. Then it starts to process what it put on hold, and terrible symptoms can follow. I’m also 100% P&T and while it wasn’t something I was trying to get, it still took years upon years of psychiatric help and medicine. So 12 years before getting a 100% rating isn’t uncommon. On top of that, do you know how many doctors you need to go through to get that rating? A LOT. While one can probably lie their way into a lower rating, 100% is hard to get and they don’t want to give it. They’re tough and thorough. While we can’t know for SURE what symptoms this guy has, we do know he was evaluated by multiple doctors who know how to look out for lies and have a vested interest in NOT giving a 100% rating.

As for not taking his meds, LOTS of veterans who need them don’t take them. That doesn’t mean anything except he may need more help and therapy.

As for the lying about being a sniper? Idk. That’s definitely sus. It could be a lie or it could be an attempt to try to validate his PTSD to others.

After all, there ARE people out there who will question if one has PTSD because they’ve “only” been on one deployment and didn’t fire their weapon.

First of all the Government is supposed to go over your entire life's history before committing to excepting your dead asses. Just kidding. Lol But, seriously they take on that entire commitment of your future health. Period. Now to fraudulently file a claim with any government organization is punishable of up to ten years and 10000 dollars in fines . Thank you!

On the topic of PTS, it is not always combat related. In fact, PTS is far more common than most realize. It can present itself from ANY traumatic situation that one may endure. Case in point, I grew up as a USAF dependent before I enlisted. Four times during those years, my siblings and I witnessed military plane crashes; one in a civilian housing developement. One time, I witnessed a military member commit suicide. After I enlisted (I was in during the Cold War), I witnessed another plane crash where I actually knew who was flying the fighter jet and sadly, he died.

I have PTS. Do you think that I attribute it to those things I saw back then? I personally do not think so. I worked 17 years in surgery; 9 of those years in trauma surgery. I have seen all kinds of mutilations and destructions to the human body and to work with a team at breakneck speed to try to help save lives. I have seen everything from stabbings to MVAs to gunshots and arrow/ crossbow bolt wounds, farm accident and accidental amputations. It wears on a person and before long, one developes triggers. I now live in a low income community saturated with crime, drugs and shootings. I cannot afford to move. Each time I hear gunfire, the triggers kick in along with the need to go look for victims and render aid. I have found two in the past 3 years that I was able to help. One, I could not. And here is the odd thing, I have gotten used to the gunfire. I have never gotten used to the injuries that I have seen in the past or now.

I get why PTS is so difficult to identify and treat. I judge nobody when I hear the acronym. To know what a person went through and what triggers affects them is almost impossible. Hell, I don't even know which of my triggers are going to turn up for me with the exception of the dreams afterwards. I never claimed my PTS on my VA Disability claim. Maybe I could have since about 100 of us airmen walked the flightline picking up debris from the crash that I saw from base ops. But I didn't because I felt my trauma was all of those years working in surgery. I have a great therapist, care team and absolutely fantastic support surrounding me. I am a member of two veteran charities that acticely works to help vets in need; sometimes that need is to help them get into a program.

Now, per the origonal post, can it be faked? Hell yes it can and it is quite a lot. Technology is getting better at identifying it. I had multiple EEGs and MRIs to identify my problem with it. Can everyone claiming it be 100% proven? Not at this time but as I said, technology is getting better.

I myself never asked for PTSD rating. I never wanted to stigma the go along with that rating. But as the government and the psychiatrist and doctors at the VA put that tag on me. I would never use a weapon to hurt anyone, But just saying that I have thought about using a weapon on myself get me to the point.

I recently watched a explanation of 100% ratings and VA ability to reduce them. I know the fraud is off the charts as the diagnostic symptoms are on the internet and easily faked if the psychiatrist isn't aware of what trauma is. It isn't emotional as this case seems to appear. A continuous alerting to the environment or being on guard all the time is a physical reaction of the body releasing adrenaline to survive. Bright light, noise coming from all directions in public, words that were used in the environment that was a threat. The mind is searching for the threat even when there is none. i.e. gun fire, listening for any movement if someone is sneaking up on you or you on them. For me, cardiac monitors, overhead announcing (code blue), listening for someone crying out in pain and anything else critical that was my responsibility to handle. Interviewing someone definitely needs proof of what the trauma was and still is. I attended a large support group of veterans where the instructor was teaching them how to get their 100%! I had it stopped and the instructor was fired. I believe the VA is catching up to the rest of the world about trauma but still isn't educated enough to deal with it appropriately. If I hear learning coping skills will make you all better, I'll scream! So many different treatment options with reduced medicating and to stop calling it a mental disorder. It's a syndrome with a series of events leading up to the alerting response. Fakes would not stand up to appropriate clinical observation. Hooking a person up to a heart/ respiration/BP monitor and asking questions would show the physical response. Anyway, I think the ratings are being reviewed and service connection criteria modified for more accuracy, to ensure the medical help is given to those that have earned it.

PTSD is like a back ache, it’s hard to prove if a person has it or not. I will say this, if a person is making a false claim, then he or she is cheating veterans such as myself. I’ve done 10 combat tours, I didn’t recognize I had PTSD until someone pointed out my actions to me. If someone is going through life without, think of all the veterans that are dealing with substance abuse and other issues that may affect day to day life. Those are the ones you cheat

A VA psychologist should know his history and be able to verify it.
He probably did not join fraudulently. But the PTSD claim probably is.