Falsely claiming PTSD for VA benefits?

1. "Gets out of Army following enlistment and joins Army Guard. Within first year of guard duty (upon orders for overseas tour) claims PTSD" -Can happen, my dad, a Vietnam veteran and I a Cold War/Post 911 Veteran both diagnosed & awarded in 2013.
2. "Receives 100% disability. Claims to his family that his PTSD disease is cured. " a) Usually 70% for that award (and why to fuck do they call it a "award"?) b) I've never heard of anyone being cured. Maintained, sure.
3. "having never fired his weapon in actual combat.", can still get PTSD
4. The rest of that, most assuredly a Blue Falcon ASSHOLE!
In Texas anyone can carry openly.
Finally can anything be done? As far as I know, no. Best bet, avoid that shitbird like the plague.
When I was in intensive therapy (for years) I've met a couple like that. My Dad never did the therapy, he just considered all that goes with PTSD as normal and got his claim.

Is it really your business?

PTSD is on its own sliding scale regarding exacerbation of symptoms and functionality. Just as one may seem perfectly fine and normal; some thing can happen and one is back at ground zero. Trying to revoke a person’s benefits is not in your lane.
Do your job and allow others to fight their very individual daily fight with out your bias. Until you walk in their shoes; you have no idea. The struggle is real.

Barracks Lawyers know all the tricks in order to prep people! PTSD takes many forms and is very hard to diagnose. Providers need to be educated on all the tricks however the VA hires contractors and often times have no experience in dealing with service members. There needs to be a more rigorous process when it comes to these evaluations for example reviewing service records, corroborating documentation from commanders etc. although there is nothing fool proof. If you suspect that someone is defrauding the government and you have proof, then contact the agency. The VA is overwhelmed and in my opinion as a retired healthcare professional it’s rare to find a provider there that really cares. (My own experiences).

Also there was too much talk about not firing weapon in combat. One does not need to fire a weapon in combat to suffer from PTSD. It is an invisible scar that must be healed thru therapy. He needs help. Don’t worry about his money or his record. They found him to be mentally ill connected to his records.

At the VA, we do care, even though our policies prevent us from investigating perjury (which is the legal term for what you suggest) or malingering, which is how the Army would see it. If they cared, which they do not. You can have PTSD and serve in the ARNG, you just can't deploy, and MAY be medically or administratively discharged by your command. As for the Brady Act, it only applies to veterans whom we consider "incompetent" according to 38CFR § 3.353.

I can tell you that we do investigate every claim for PTSD, using a veteran's entire personnel and medical file to cross-reference, however once we have determined that a veteran received IDP or HDP or was in a combat zone (or during a combat campaign for older vets) at the time they claim their stressor occurred, the stressor is "conceded". Note here that the investigations of PTSD stressors depend on whether it is fear of hostile action, personal assault (including MST), or non-combat, with a
different evidentiary standard for each.

Every claims processor is different, and the veteran receives the benefit of the doubt by law. Many stressors are not fully investigated, to my great chagrin (having investigated thousands of them), due to the repeatedly liberalized law and lack of meaningful quality control. For instance, a veteran may claim they were assaulted - a stressor which is usually very hard to prove, but because they received IDP during their honorable service, the claims processor requests an exam anyway. At this point, the examiner is expected to verify the PTSD stressor, though technically this is not required since we already conceded a stressor based on "fear of hostile activity", which is the minimum requirement in this case. If the rater doesn't want to delay the outcome, they may award the PTSD rating even though the claimed stressor was never verified. Once the service connection is made, it takes A LOT of work to undo it, and the obligatory pile of evidence required to do this means that it is unlikely to happen.

Rest assured there are those of us who take the cross-referencing process very seriously, and have denied plenty of stressors where conflicting evidence was found. I have even found evidence of altered records being submitted by veterans, but unfortunately, even though this amounts to perjury, there is no action we can take. Fraud, by our definition, is different and therefore we can't even report it. The best we can do is put a note in the file, and deny the claim.

PTSD is a complex issue and it can raise its head years later. In addition or instead of PTSD, Depression is another issue. Refer to 38 CFR §4.126, evaluation of disability from mental disorders. As an American Legion Department VSO, we see the problem in young and old Service Men & Women. Before you make a decision on someone or for yourself speak with a knowledgeable Veteran Service Officer. You will need to complete a Form 4138, 0781, and possibly 0781a before you even get to a Comp & Pen Exam. This will not be easy, my Claim process took 8 years. USAF '68-72

Initial thoughts? Sounds like the question poster is hating on a veteran with a service connected disability rating. If that poster truly feels that there is some kind of fraud going on then the facts should be reported to the VA OIG. Otherwise, all the poster is doing is $hitting on all veterans who have a service connected disability. He or she or they are calling into question the courage the veteran had to disclose intimate details of what they went through. He or she or they are calling into question the countless doctors, psychologists, and claims professions who have awarded the service connected disability. Shame on him/her/they.

I was a combat photographer, 600 Photo Det 16, Phu Cat AB 70-71. I never fired a weapon, I photographed the destruction and aftermath of a result of combat. I witnessed the maiming and deaths of our men and civilians, I stayed focused and put those horrific images in the back of my mind. My biggest fear was going into places out of country, if caught I’d be MIA, that was my biggest nightmare. As of late 52 years later, those nightmares have come to light, I have been waking up with sweats and anxiety. I went to the VA, saw three different Doctors, only to be told come back and see what happens. I know I have PTSD but the VA doesn’t think I qualify for that. I guess that’s par for the VA, serve your country and get lip service.

As a combat photographer, I never fired a weapon, I witnessed the destruction of what war brought to our men and civilians. I had to perform my duties and keep focused, I went into areas that we weren’t supposed to be in, locations out of country. That scared me to no end, full well knowing that if captured, I would be MIA. I came home and put those nightmares behind me, now, here 53 years later those ghosts are here, I wake up in sweats. Hearing helicopters, brings me to look up expecting to see Huey’s land and drop off troops. I went to the VA and shared my fears, and was seen by three different Doctors, only to tell me things would be better with time. Just another number in the system, I walked out and still have those sweats and nightmares. I guess that’s the way the VA takes care of us.