DISABILITYVA program
MST-Related Disability Claims
Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma may file disability claims for conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety linked to MST. VA relaxed evidentiary standards allow personal statements as corroborating evidence.
Available to veterans with MST-related conditions; reduced evidence standard applies
Step-by-step guide
What VA looks for: PTSD related to MST
- A PTSD diagnosisA diagnosis of PTSD that follows the DSM-5, the diagnostic manual VA uses for mental health conditions.
- Evidence the event happened, from any sourceService records, records from outside the military, statements from people you told or who saw changes in you, or records of behavior changes after the event that a clinician reviews.
- A link between the event and your symptomsMedical evidence that your current symptoms are related to the event. This usually comes from a VA claim exam.
Source: 38 CFR 3.304(f) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 4.125(a) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.E (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.C (opens in new tab)
Which kind of claim is this?
- PTSD related to MST
Military sexual trauma means sexual assault or sexual harassment during service. For PTSD related to MST, the event does not have to appear in your service records. Evidence from other sources can back up your account. When no record documents the event, VA can look at changes in behavior after it, and asks a clinician whether those changes fit the event.
Source: 38 CFR 3.304(f) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.E (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
- Another condition related to MST
MST can lead to conditions other than PTSD, mental or physical, such as depression or anxiety. VA decides these under the general service connection rules. That means a record that documents the event, which can come from service records or from official records outside the military, such as a police report or rape crisis center records. The behavior change route is used only for PTSD.
- A condition you have nowA diagnosis from a medical provider, VA or private, showing you have the condition today.
- A record that documents the eventService records showing a report, complaint, or treatment after the event, or official records from outside the military that show the event, where it happened, and the circumstances.
- A connection between the twoA medical opinion that the condition is related to the event in service. This usually comes from a VA claim exam or from your own provider.
Source: 38 CFR 3.303 (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.E (opens in new tab)
- A past MST claim VA denied
VA has changed how it processes MST claims and improved the training of the people who handle them. If VA denied an MST-related claim before, VA encourages you to request a decision review, and an MST outreach coordinator can help you start one.
- The earlier decisionThe decision letter for the earlier claim. A Supplemental Claim needs new and relevant evidence that VA did not have before.
Source: VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab); VA.gov: decision reviews and appeals (opens in new tab); VA Form 20-0995 (opens in new tab); VBA: Military Sexual Trauma coordinators (opens in new tab)
What to gather, and what it shows VA
| Document | What it shows | How VA gets it | Have it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service treatment and personnel records Medical, mental health, and personnel records from your service, including any treatment or counseling after the event. | Treatment or a report during service | VA will request these for you once you file, for every period of service. A copy you already have can go to VA with your claim. | |
| A military report or complaint A sexual assault report (restricted or unrestricted), a sexual harassment complaint, or an investigation report made during service. | That the event was reported during service | Say on VA Form 21-0781 whether a report was filed and which kind. For an unrestricted report, VA will request it for you. For a restricted report, VA needs your VA Form 21-4142 before it can ask for it. A signed copy you have can go to VA with your claim. | Yes |
| Police and investigation reports Reports from military police, shore patrol, a provost marshal, military investigators, or civilian police. | That the event was reported to law enforcement | Name the office and location on VA Form 21-0781. VA will request the report for you once it knows where it is. A copy you have can go to VA with your claim. | Yes |
| Crisis center, counseling, and civilian medical records Records from a rape crisis center, a domestic violence center, a counseling center, a Vet Center, or a civilian doctor who treated you then or later. | The event, the care you got, and a diagnosis | Send copies to VA, or complete VA Form 21-4142 and VA Form 21-4142a so VA can request them. The provider details go on the VA forms, not into BeneVets. | |
| VA and military treatment records Records of care at VA medical centers and clinics, care VA paid for in the community, and military treatment facilities. | A diagnosis and the treatment you have had | VA will request these for you once you file. No release form is needed for them. You can review your own VA records on VA.gov. | |
| Records of changes in duty and performance Personnel records showing a request for transfer or a change of job, a change in performance reports, more or less leave, or disciplinary trouble after the event. | Changes in your service record after the event | VA will request your personnel records once you file. Check the changes you remember in Section III of VA Form 21-0781 so VA knows what to look for. | |
| Medical visits around the time of the event Pregnancy tests, tests for sexually transmitted infections, clinic visits without a specific diagnosis, treatment for injuries, or changes in medication use around or after the event. | Health changes after the event | VA will request your service treatment records and VA records once you file. Later civilian records go to VA as copies or through VA Form 21-4142 and VA Form 21-4142a. | |
| Statements from people who knew you Signed statements from family, roommates, fellow service members, chaplains, or clergy about what you told them, or about changes they saw in you. | What others knew or saw | VA Form 21-10210, Lay/Witness Statement. The person completes and signs it, and it goes to VA. If you tell VA that people knew, VA may also send a letter asking for their statements. | |
| Statement about the traumatic event VA Form 21-0781. It has a box for MST, a list of behavior changes to check, a question about any official report, a list of other places evidence may be (including personal diaries or journals), and the VA health care notice choice. | Where VA can look for evidence | It is optional, and you do not have to complete every section; VA lists approximate dates as acceptable. If you file online and answer the mental health questions in VA's application, a separate 21-0781 is not needed. The details go on VA's form and the form goes to VA. The BeneVets fill flow covers name and contact fields only and does not ask for the event details. | |
| VA claim exam and opinion An exam by a VA provider or a VA contract provider. For a PTSD claim, when behavior changes are the only evidence of the event, VA asks the examiner whether those changes fit what happened. | The diagnosis and its link to the event | VA schedules it when it needs more medical evidence to decide. For an MST-related claim, you can ask for a male or female provider when you confirm the appointment. | |
| Opinion from your own provider A written opinion from your own doctor, psychologist, or other provider about a diagnosis and its link to the event, or a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) they complete. | The diagnosis and its link to service | Optional. Your provider completes it and submits it to VA. Some DBQs, such as the one for mental disorders, are public; the initial PTSD DBQ is not, so for a first PTSD claim the opinion comes as a written statement. VA does not pay for it. | |
| Your earlier decision letter The VA letter that denied the earlier MST-related claim. | What VA decided before | VA mailed it with the decision and already holds it in your file. You can also download VA letters on VA.gov. | Yes |
Records and statements go to VA. BeneVets never asks you to upload or type them here.
Steps, in order
- Know where support is
You can get free MST-related care at VA whether or not you file a claim. Every VA medical facility has an MST coordinator, and Vet Centers offer MST-related counseling. The VA.gov MST care page lists how to reach them.
Source: VA.gov: military sexual trauma care (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
- Contact an MST outreach coordinator if you want help
Every VA regional office has a male and a female MST outreach coordinator who can help you file an MST-related claim or a decision review. VA lists them by regional office on benefits.va.gov.
Source: VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab); VBA: Military Sexual Trauma coordinators (opens in new tab)
- Get free help from a VSO
Free help: an accredited VSO can file this with you. Find one near you in the BeneVets VSO directory at Find an accredited VSO near you. VA also accredits attorneys and claims agents, who can charge fees only for work done after VA issues its initial decision on the claim.
Source: VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 14.636(c) (opens in new tab)
- Set your start date
Submit an intent to file on VA Form 21-0966, by phone, or by starting the online application. You then have 1 year to file the full claim, and VA treats a complete claim filed in that year as filed on the intent to file date.
Source: 38 CFR 3.155(b) (opens in new tab); M21-1 II.iii.2.A (opens in new tab); VA.gov: your intent to file (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-0966 (opens in new tab)
- Complete the traumatic event statement
Complete VA Form 21-0781, or answer the mental health questions in the online application. Check the MST box, and use Section III for behavior changes, any report, and other sources. You decide how much to write. Exact dates are not needed; a general time frame and your unit or base help VA look for records.
Source: VA Form 21-0781 (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
- Say whether a report was filed
Item 11 of VA Form 21-0781 asks whether a report was filed and which kind. If it was a restricted report, also complete VA Form 21-4142 so VA can request it. If you are not sure which kind, say so; VA may send a letter explaining the options.
Source: M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-0781 (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-4142 (opens in new tab)
- Point VA to other sources
For records from a crisis center, a counseling center, a Vet Center, or a civilian doctor, send copies to VA or complete VA Form 21-4142 and VA Form 21-4142a so VA can request them. For a police report, name the office on VA Form 21-0781 and VA will request it.
Source: 38 CFR 3.159(c)(1) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-0781 (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-4142 (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-4142a (opens in new tab)
- Ask people who knew for statements
If family, friends, fellow service members, or clergy knew about the event or saw changes in you, they can complete and sign VA Form 21-10210.
Source: VA Form 21-10210 (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
- File your claim
File VA Form 21-526EZ and list each condition you relate to MST, mental or physical. For a mental health condition, send VA Form 21-0781 with it if you did not answer the online questions. The BeneVets fill flow can prefill identity, contact, and service fields; the conditions and evidence sections are completed on VA's form.
Source: VA Form 21-526EZ (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-0781 (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.155(b) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
- Answer VA letters
VA may write to ask about a report or for missing details. Answer with what you know. If you do not remember a detail, you can say so. VA letters on MST claims also list sources of support.
Source: M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); M21-1 III.i.2.D (opens in new tab)
- Go to any claim exam VA schedules
VA asks for a claim exam when it needs more medical information to decide. The provider may ask how the experience affected you. When you confirm the appointment, you can ask for a male or female provider and for any accommodations you need.
Source: 38 CFR 3.159(c)(4) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA claim exam (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
- Read the decision
If you disagree, you can choose a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995), a Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996), or a Board Appeal (VA Form 10182). A review filed within 1 year of the decision notice keeps the original effective date. An MST outreach coordinator can help with a review.
Source: 38 CFR 3.2500(h) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: decision reviews and appeals (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab); VA Form 20-0995 (opens in new tab); VA Form 20-0996 (opens in new tab); VA Form 10182 (opens in new tab)
Good to know
If you are in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line is free, private, and open all day, every day: call 988 and press 1, or text 838255. VA provides free care for mental and physical health conditions related to MST, and you do not need a report, proof, or a disability rating to get it. Every VA medical facility has an MST coordinator; the VA.gov MST care page lists how to reach one, and Vet Centers offer MST-related counseling.
Source: VA.gov: military sexual trauma care (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
Many MST events were not reported at the time. Evidence from sources other than your service records can back up your account. VA does not treat a missing service record, or the fact that you did not report the event, as evidence that it did not happen.
Source: 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.E (opens in new tab)
For a PTSD claim, changes after the event can support it, even if the records do not mention the event: a request for transfer, a change in performance, more leave, panic attacks or depression, pregnancy or infection tests, or unexplained money or social problems. The changes can show up during service or later. A clinician reviews them for VA.
Source: 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.E (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
MST includes sexual harassment as well as assault, it can happen to anyone, and the person responsible may or may not have been in the military. VA assigns MST claims to claims processors with MST training.
Source: M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab); VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab)
If you get VA health care, Section VI of VA Form 21-0781 lets you choose whether VA benefits staff notify VA health care before your claim exam and decision. The notice says only the type of event and timing, not claim details, though VA notes providers may be able to tell it relates to an MST claim. Your choice does not affect the outcome of your claim.
Source: VA Form 21-0781 (opens in new tab); M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab)
BeneVets is informational and is not an accredited representative. Free help: an accredited VSO can work through VA benefits with you at no cost. Find an accredited VSO near you
Sources checked September 30, 2026: 38 CFR 3.155(b) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.159(c)(1) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.159(c)(2) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.159(c)(3) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.159(c)(4) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.303 (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.304(f) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 3.2500(h) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 4.125(a) (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 14.636(c) (opens in new tab), M21-1 II.iii.2.A (opens in new tab), M21-1 III.i.2.D (opens in new tab), M21-1 VIII.iv.1.B (opens in new tab), M21-1 VIII.iv.1.C (opens in new tab), M21-1 VIII.iv.1.E (opens in new tab), VA.gov: military sexual trauma and disability compensation (opens in new tab), VA.gov: military sexual trauma care (opens in new tab), VBA: Military Sexual Trauma coordinators (opens in new tab), VA.gov: your intent to file (opens in new tab), VA.gov: request your military service records (opens in new tab), VA.gov: review medical records online (opens in new tab), VA.gov: download VA benefit letters (opens in new tab), VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab), VA.gov: VA claim exam (opens in new tab), VA.gov: decision reviews and appeals (opens in new tab), VA public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (opens in new tab), VA Form 21-526EZ (opens in new tab), VA Form 21-0966 (opens in new tab), VA Form 21-4142 (opens in new tab), VA Form 21-4142a (opens in new tab), VA Form 21-10210 (opens in new tab), VA Form 21-0781 (opens in new tab), VA Form 20-0995 (opens in new tab), VA Form 20-0996 (opens in new tab), VA Form 10182 (opens in new tab)