PTSD - Non-Combat — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
Start a claim for PTSD - Non-Combat— free & guided
Step-by-step builder: add this and any related conditions, see the research, and get a package ready for a free VSO. No account needed to start.
The DBQ for PTSD - Non-Combat
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960P-3 (Review Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
What the examiner measures
- Level of occupational & social impairment — the single line that sets the % (0/10/30/50/70/100)
- DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD (Criteria A–H), including the verified in-service stressor
- Which formula symptoms are present: depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, chronic sleep impairment, memory loss, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation/mood
- Higher-level symptoms that drive 70–100%: suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, near-continuous panic/depression, impaired impulse control, neglect of hygiene
- Ability to establish and maintain effective work and social relationships
- Capacity for independent living and, if raised, total occupational & social impairment (100%)
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about PTSD - Non-Combat — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for PTSD - Non-Combat, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for PTSD - Non-Combat
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.130, General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (DC 9411, posttraumatic stress disorder). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding PTSD - Non-Combat raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a PTSD - Non-Combat claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2020 · PMID 31713042
Finding: In 70,864 women veterans aged 55+ from national VA records, 13% screened positive for military sexual trauma (MST). After adjustment, MST was most strongly associated with PTSD (OR 7.25, 95% CI 6.84-7.68), and also with depression (OR 2.39), suicidal ideation (OR 2.42), sleep apnea (OR 1.48), insomnia (OR 1.61), chronic pain (OR 1.58), and back pain (OR 1.40).
Why it helps: Supports a strong association between an in-service non-combat stressor (military sexual trauma) and PTSD, and documents the medical conditions that commonly co-occur, which is useful context for both a direct claim and related secondary conditions.
Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2024 · PMID 37957529
Finding: Among 232 women veterans aged 45-64, 73% reported MST. MST was independently associated with probable PTSD (OR 6.74, 95% CI 2.27-19.99), depressive symptoms (OR 3.21), and anxiety (OR 4.78); military sexual assault was additionally associated with moderate-to-severe insomnia (OR 3.18).
Why it helps: Supports an association between non-combat military sexual trauma and PTSD as well as comorbid mental health and sleep symptoms in veterans across the lifespan.
Sexual Medicine Reviews, 2019 · PMID 31029620
Finding: A PRISMA systematic review of 6 low-risk-of-bias studies found that military sexual trauma is associated with sexual dysfunction and low sexual satisfaction among women veterans, with other mental health conditions commonly comorbid.
Why it helps: Provides systematic-review-level evidence linking a non-combat in-service stressor (MST) to lasting health consequences in veterans, supporting direct service connection for trauma-related conditions.
- Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States: a systematic literature reviewDirect
Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2021 · PMID 34498953
Finding: A systematic review of 38 studies found PTSD point prevalence in military populations ranging from 1.2% to 87.5% and 1-year prevalence from 6.7% to 50.2%, with elevated prevalence among women with prior military sexual trauma and female sex identified as a risk factor.
Why it helps: Establishes that PTSD is common in military and veteran populations, including from non-combat trauma such as MST, supporting the plausibility of service connection.
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2016 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 25555625
Finding: In a retrospective VA cohort of 138,341 veterans aged 55+ without baseline cardiovascular disease, those with PTSD had, after full adjustment, a 45% increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease, 26% increased risk of congestive heart failure, 49% increased risk of myocardial infarction, and 35% increased risk of peripheral vascular disease.
Why it helps: Supports an association in which cardiovascular disease may be claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD, independent of other medical and psychiatric comorbidities.
Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2015 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 25665140
Finding: A literature review found that sexual dysfunction, including erectile difficulties in men and vaginal pain in women, is common among veterans with PTSD, with several plausible underlying mechanisms linking the two conditions.
Why it helps: Supports an association in which sexual dysfunction (including erectile dysfunction) may be claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD.
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 2023 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 36592096
Finding: In a sample of older male veterans (n=175), PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea were described as highly prevalent and comorbid; each independently predicted poorer cognitive functioning, with PTSD predicting poorer attention/processing speed and OSA severity predicting poorer learning and memory.
Why it helps: Supports the recognized comorbidity between PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea in veterans, relevant where sleep apnea is claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD.
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2017 · nexus to chronic pain · PMID 28959216
Finding: A meta-analysis of 21 studies found a pooled PTSD prevalence of 9.7% (95% CI 5.2-17.1) among persons with chronic pain, rising to 20.5% in chronic widespread pain and 11.7% in clinical populations.
Why it helps: Supports the well-documented bidirectional comorbidity between PTSD and chronic pain, relevant to claims where chronic pain conditions are linked to service-connected PTSD or vice versa.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to PTSD - Non-Combat
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to PTSD - Non-Combat. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Major Depressive Disorder
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Chronic Insomnia
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Substance Use Disorder
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Sleep Apnea
Nexus strength: moderate
Erectile Dysfunction
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
GERD
Nexus strength: moderate
Hypertension
Nexus strength: moderate
Migraines
Nexus strength: weak
Share this rating breakdown
A free, source-cited infographic of how the VA rates PTSD - Non-Combat. Save it and post it, or send it to someone who needs it. No fee, no catch.
Square format, ready for an Instagram or Facebook post.
Open / save the image →Sharing the page link also shows a wide preview card automatically.
Related Guides
- Claiming IBS as Secondary to PTSD: Complete VA Disability Guide
- Claiming Alcohol Dependency Secondary to PTSD: VA Disability Guide
- VA Disability Claim for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Secondary to PTSD
- VA Disability Claim for Chronic Headaches Secondary to PTSD: Complete Guide
- VA Disability Claim for Hypertension Secondary to PTSD: Complete Guide
Filing a PTSD - Non-Combatclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for PTSD - Non-Combat should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
The VA doesn't add ratings — they use a specific formula. See your combined rating in 30 seconds.
Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
VA home loan + funding fee waiver →
ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your PTSD - Non-Combat personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your PTSD - Non-Combat VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your PTSD - Non-Combat evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to PTSD - Non-Combat.
PTSD - Non-Combat Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
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.