What does the examiner check at a PTSD - Military Sexual Trauma (MST) C&P exam?

Level of occupational & social impairment — the single line that sets the % (0/10/30/50/70/100) The full list is on this page.

What should I bring to a PTSD - Military Sexual Trauma (MST) C&P exam?

A short written summary of your worst days: what happens, how often, how long it lasts. A symptom log or calendar if you keep one — dates beat memory. Names and doses of medications, and whether they actually help.

PTSD - Military Sexual Trauma (MST): C&P Exam Prep

The C&P (Compensation & Pension) exam is where a ptsd - military sexual trauma (mst) claim is usually won or lost. Here is exactly what the examiner measures, and how to describe your condition accurately and completely so the rating reflects your real life.

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Sources: 38 CFR Part 4 (rating schedule), VA DBQ 21-0960P-3

Describe your worst day and how often it happens — not your average day

C&P exams are snapshots. If you happen to feel okay that day and describe an okay day, that is what gets rated. The law (Sharp v. Shulkin) requires the examiner to account for your flare-ups and worst days, but only if you describe them. Give concrete frequency and duration: "three or four days a week I cannot…", "twice a month it lays me out for two days", not "sometimes it is bad."

The honest line: Report the full, honest picture — the bad days you tend to downplay included. Never invent or exaggerate symptoms. Overstating is both wrong and easy for an examiner to catch, and it can sink an otherwise valid claim.

What the examiner will assess

Taken from the Review Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) DBQ (21-0960P-3) — these are the rating drivers.

1Level of occupational & social impairment — the single line that sets the % (0/10/30/50/70/100)
2DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD (Criteria A–H), including the verified in-service stressor
3Which formula symptoms are present: depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, chronic sleep impairment, memory loss, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation/mood
4Higher-level symptoms that drive 70–100%: suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, near-continuous panic/depression, impaired impulse control, neglect of hygiene
5Ability to establish and maintain effective work and social relationships
6Capacity for independent living and, if raised, total occupational & social impairment (100%)

How the rating tiers work

The examiner's findings map onto these tiers under 38 CFR 4.130, General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (DC 9411, posttraumatic stress disorder). Know which describes your real function so you can report the details that matter.

0%A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.

10%Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.

30%Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, and mild memory loss.

50%Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty understanding complex commands; impairment of short and long-term memory; impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

70%Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently; impaired impulse control; spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances; and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.

100%Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; and memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.

Symptoms to describe (if you have them)

• Flashbacks of trauma
• Nightmares
• Severe anxiety
• Hypervigilance
• Avoidance of triggers
• Trust issues
• Difficulty with intimacy
• Depression
• Substance abuse

Functional limits that raise a rating

• Relationships and intimacy
• Working with certain genders
• Social situations
• Medical examinations
• Employment stability

Which exam you might get

In-person exam

A clinician examines you at a VA facility or a contractor (LHI, QTC, VES, MSLA). Bring your notes; you can hand them over.

Telehealth / video

Same questions over video. Have your notes on paper, not the same screen, and a quiet, private space.

Records-only (ACE)

No appointment — the examiner reviews your file. Everything rests on what is already documented, so your statements and medical records must carry the full picture.

Mention connected (secondary) conditions

PTSD - Military Sexual Trauma (MST) commonly leads to these. If you have any, raise them — they can each be rated on their own, and examiners will not connect the dots for you.

Major Depressive Disorder Generalized Anxiety Disorder Insomnia / Chronic Sleep Disturbance GERD IBS Erectile Dysfunction Migraines Substance Use Disorder Eating Disorders Hypertension

What to bring

✓ A short written summary of your worst days: what happens, how often, how long it lasts.
✓ A symptom log or calendar if you keep one — dates beat memory.
✓ Names and doses of medications, and whether they actually help.
✓ Any private treatment records the VA may not have.
✓ A buddy statement or family note describing what they witness, if you have one.
✓ Your list of secondary conditions you believe are connected (see below).

Terms the examiner uses, in plain English

Prostrating: So severe you have to stop what you are doing and lie down (used for migraines).

Ankylosis: A joint frozen or fused so it cannot move at all — very different from "stiff" or "limited."

Occupational and social impairment: How much the condition hurts your ability to work AND to keep up relationships — the driver for mental-health ratings.

Flare-up: A period when the condition gets temporarily worse. Frequency and duration matter as much as severity.

Functional loss: What you cannot do because of the condition — lift, walk, focus, sleep, be around people.

Range of motion (ROM): How far a joint moves, measured in degrees. Report where PAIN begins, not just where motion stops.

Painful motion: Motion that hurts counts toward a rating even if the joint still moves — say exactly where the pain starts.

Deficiencies in most areas: A higher mental-health tier: the condition damages work, school, family, mood, and judgment across the board.

Before and after the exam

PTSD - Military Sexual Trauma (MST) rating & evidence

The full 38 CFR breakdown and the peer-reviewed studies behind the claim.

Build the claim & statement

Chart your claim and draft your personal statement first.

Educational content, not professional advice

This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.

MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.

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