Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced that the agency is implementing an easier process for veterans seeking health care and disability compensation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The VA has published a final regulation in the Federal Register reducing the evidence needed for a claim.

The final rule eliminates the requirement for corroborating evidence of trauma, if: a VA or VA-contracted psychiatrist or psychologist confirms a veteran's claim of a service-related stressor in order to support a diagnosis of PTSD; the trauma claimed is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity; or the trauma is consistent with the places, types and circumstances of the veteran's service. The final rule specifically considers current scientific research studies relating PTSD to exposure to hostile military and terrorist actions.

"This nation has a solemn obligation to the men and women who have honorably served this country and suffer from the often devastating emotional wounds of war," Shinseki said in the announcement. "This final regulation goes a long way to ensure that veterans receive the benefits and services they need."

According to the VA, more than 400,000 veterans currently receiving compensation benefits are service-connected for PTSD. The National Institutes of Health says PTSD is an anxiety disorder "that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents or military combat."

President Obama commented on the final rule in his weekly address on Saturday: "This is a long-overdue step that will help veterans not just of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, but generations of their brave predecessors who proudly served and sacrificed in all our wars. It's a step that proves America will always be here for our veterans, just as they've been there for us."

Legislators also support the new rule

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) was one of three lawmakers, along with Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Rep. John Salazar (D-Colo.), who had written the VA last year that current regulations burdened veterans unnecessarily by making them produce incident reports and statements from fellow soldiers to prove a claim.

"Veterans I met with during my statewide veterans tour this year told me the VA claims backlog tops their list of concerns," Bennet said on his website. "This decision can help veterans with PTSD receive the benefits they've earned more quickly."

And Representative John Hall (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs said, "In today's modern conflicts, everyone serves on the front lines. Our veterans who fight to defend our freedom overseas shouldn't face another battle when they return home."

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