According to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials on December 13, 2024, veterans filed a total of 57,400 disability compensation claims for service-related Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and assault in fiscal year (FY) 2024.
MST encompasses sexual harassment and sexual assault that occurred during military service, which can have significant impacts on physical and mental health.
These MST claims are up by eighteen (18%) percent from FY 23. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) has approved more than sixty-three (63%) percent of these cases.
The approval rate of these types of disability claims has been forty (40%) percent higher than a decade ago. The VBA, processes veterans’ disability compensation claims, pensions, and other benefits like the GI Bill.
The VBA has worked in conjunction with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to incorporate sensitivity training and awareness into the MST process and endeavored to improve records collection from the Defense Department on military sexual trauma cases.
For over a decade, the VHA has required routine screening for MST and included a clinical reminder in the electronic health record system. It is an understated fact that many veteran survivors never talk about their MST experience unless asked directly.
The VHA’s routine screening, coupled with competent sensitivity and other efforts to engage veterans are crucial ways to proactively reach survivors who may not seek care otherwise.
To publicize the VA’s MST outreach effort, the VA has held over 3,500 events over the last fourteen (14) months emphasizing compensation benefits and medical services for victims of military sexual assault and harassment.
These highly successful events, according to the VA’s Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations Kenesha Britton, have encouraged veterans to file their disability claims and have led to an increase in higher approval ratings.
The VA Under Secretary for Benefits Josh Jacobs said: “Efforts to increase veterans’ trust in the department have contributed to the rise in claims and requests for trauma-related mental health counseling and support.”
“As a byproduct of the outreach we have done, more veterans are coming in to apply for benefits,” stated Under Secretary Jacobs, “and I think that has to do with building trust because we are actively trying to reach veterans telling them we want to connect them with their earned benefits.”
The Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs, at Brown University, completed a Study from 2001 to 2021 of active-duty men and women.
The Study revealed that twenty-four (24%) percent of women and nearly two (2%) percent of men experienced sexual assault while serving in the military. Among veterans enrolled in the VA, one (1) in three (3) women and one (1) in fifty (50) men report experiencing MST.
“We recognize the remarkable courage it takes for survivors of military sexual trauma to seek the benefits and support they’ve earned,” concluded the VA’s Kenesha Britton. “Our mission is driven by a commitment to ensure survivors are met with care, dignity and sensitivity throughout the claims process.”
My Opinion: In March of 2024, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) published a Report entitled – Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. The findings of this Report make clear that we (and the VA) must do more and do better for women veterans.
The last Women Veterans’ Dinner, sponsored by the DAV Department of Ohio, had National DAV Communications Associate Elizabeth DePompei address the female veterans on MST and other mental health issues. She worked on preparing The Journey to Mental Wellness Report.
Women veterans have long been underrecognized and underserved by the VA in the past. Today, it certainly appears that the VA has made considerable efforts to better understand the needs and challenges faced by women veterans and to respond.
The outreach effort made by the VA to publicize, and encourage filing disability claims for service-related sexual assault has led to an increase in those 57,400 MST claims being filed in FY24 and obtaining higher VBA approval ratings.
What else should be done by the VA in addition to its’ outreach effort?
Well, perhaps the VHA should ensure every VA medical center (and there are 174 VA medical centers) has at least one full-time MST coordinator to timely address workload, to provide trauma-informed care and to provide outreach to women veterans outside of the VA mental health programs.
We must strive to ensure that all women veterans have access to quality mental health care that fully considers their unique risk factors!
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran, who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at: plahovinsak@msn.com.