VA Approved Internet Stressor Verification Sandra Covin / Trista Barnum Fall Conference, 2009

Objectives  General Development Considerations  Identify Appropriate Stressor Development  General and Local Development Research

General Development Considerations  Sensitive Nature of the Disorder  Reluctance to Discuss Stressful Event  Inability to Remember Details of Stressful Event  Only Absolutely Necessary Information Requested  Avoid Triggering Stimuli

Stressor Development  No Evidence of Record to Support Claimed Stressor  PTSD Development Letter  PTSD due to Combat Stressor  PTSD due to Personal Trauma  Service Department Records  Request for combat records  Request for personal trauma records

Local Stressor Research C&P Stressor Verification Databases  Compiled by Chicago VA Regional Office Employee Over Several Years  Contain Official Military Documents Collected from Publicly Available Sources  Documents Organized by C&P Service

What Resources Can Be Used?  Texas Tech University Database  Military Assistance Command (MACV) Reports  Virtual VA  The Board of Veterans Appeals  PTSD Rating Job Aids

What Resources Can Be Used?  Transportation Histories from Fort Eustis  United States Air Force Class A Aerospace Mishaps  US Navy Seabee Museum  The Dictionary of American Fighting Ships  Gulf Link  Defense Link

What Is An Acceptable Website?  C&P will endorse information from any website that is a military (.mil) or government (.gov) site.  Other sites also have value, primarily as a means to find “official” information.  Educational sites (.edu) like Texas Tech University, which contain PDF file repositories of official military documents and provide a search function.

How Much Verification Is Needed?  Case - by - Case  All Evidence Must be Weighed  “Credible Supporting Evidence” to Corroborate the Occurrence of the Claimed Stressor

Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC)  Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard  Historical Information on Individual Units  Some Personnel Records Related to Stressful Events  Marine Corps  Marine Corps Archives  Summary of Findings Only  No Evaluation of Evidence, Opinions, Conclusions, or Decisions

Joint Services Records Research Center  JSRRC Cannot Verify:  Almost Happened  Civilian Involvement  Enemy Prisoner Treatment  Sniper Attacks  Convoy Travel  Door Gunner Duty

Scenario

Questions?????? Thank You!!!!!