★ Mental Health
PTSD from Military Sexual Trauma (MST) — VA Rating Guide
38 CFR § 4.130, DC 9411 + § 3.304(f)(5)
Overview
MST is defined by VA as sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred during active military service. It is not a diagnosis — it is the underlying stressor that can support PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
Under 38 CFR § 3.304(f)(5), VA may accept evidence from sources other than service records to corroborate the in-service stressor when records do not contain a report. This is the 'markers' rule.
MST-based PTSD claims are decided by VA Regional Office MST coordinators and reviewed by examiners with specific MST training where possible.
How to Establish Service Connection
- Required: a current diagnosis of PTSD (or another mental health condition) from a qualified clinician.
- Required: a credible in-service MST stressor — proof can include 'markers' such as a sudden request for transfer, performance decline, increased sick-call visits, treatment for STIs or pregnancy, substance use, depression, or relationship breakdowns.
- Required: a medical nexus (often supplied by the C&P examiner) tying the diagnosis to the MST event.
- VA explicitly accepts statements from family, fellow service members, clergy, counselors, rape-crisis centers, and law-enforcement personnel — even if no official report was filed.
Rating Criteria
Paraphrased from 38 CFR § 4.130, DC 9411 + § 3.304(f)(5)
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 0% | Diagnosed condition, but symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with work or social functioning, or symptoms are controlled by continuous medication. |
| 10% | Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency only during periods of significant stress. |
| 30% | Occasional decrease in work efficiency with intermittent inability to perform tasks; depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss. |
| 50% | Reduced reliability and productivity; flattened affect; circumstantial speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty understanding complex commands; impairment of memory; impaired judgment; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing effective work and social relationships. |
| 70% | Deficiencies in most areas (work, school, family, judgment, thinking, mood); suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals; near-continuous panic or depression; impaired impulse control; spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance; difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances; inability to maintain effective relationships. |
| 100% | Total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such 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; disorientation to time or place; memory loss for own name, occupation, or close relatives. |
See what each percentage pays in 2026 and how it combines with your current rating →
Evidence Checklist
- VA Form 21-0781a (Statement in Support of Claim for Service Connection for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault).
- Personnel records showing performance decline, sudden transfers, Article 15s, or unexplained moves after the alleged event.
- Service treatment records showing post-event STI testing, pregnancy testing, depression notes, or anxiety/sleep complaints.
- Lay statements from family, friends, clergy, or fellow service members describing behavior changes.
- Treatment records from rape-crisis centers, civilian counselors, or chaplains — even if outside the VA system.
- Current mental health treatment notes documenting PTSD diagnosis, symptoms, and impairment.
Common Secondary Conditions
Conditions frequently service-connected as secondary to PTSD from Military Sexual Trauma (MST) —:
What the C&P Exam Documents
General information about how this condition is typically evaluated. This is not coaching on what to say and is not a substitute for medical or legal advice.
- →MST C&P exams should ideally be performed by an examiner of the gender the veteran requests — VA will accommodate this on request.
- →You are not required to repeat a detailed account of the assault. Describe how symptoms affect work, relationships, sleep, and daily life.
- →If you have a written timeline of behavioral and medical changes after the event, bring a copy. It helps the examiner align the record with the markers rule.
- →It is appropriate to bring a support person to the exam waiting area; some veterans request the support person be present during the exam itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Tools & Topics
Have a PTSD from Military Sexual Trauma (MST) — claim or denial?
Four fields. A VA-accredited claims agent reviews it and responds within 3–5 business days. Contingent fees apply only to awarded past-due benefits on appeals — never on initial claims.
Requesting a consultation does not create representation and is not a guarantee of any outcome. Representation begins only after a written fee agreement and VA Form 21-22a are signed.
Educational content only — not legal advice and not medical advice. Rating criteria on this page are summarized in plain English from 38 CFR Part 4; consult VA.gov or the current Code of Federal Regulations for official criteria. This page provides general education about how the VA rates this condition; it is not individualized advice, does not establish a representation relationship, and should not be used to self-diagnose, self-treat, or decide a course of action without speaking to a qualified clinician and a VA-accredited representative. Outcomes depend on each veteran's individual facts, evidence, and the adjudicator's judgment; no specific rating, effective date, or other result is guaranteed. Oakridge Claims is a private business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Related Conditions
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Service-connected PTSD ratings, common stressors, and evidence strategy.
Major Depressive Disorder
Depression ratings, secondary connections, and what the C&P examiner looks for.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety ratings under the general mental health formula and common evidence.
Substance Use Disorder (Secondary to PTSD)
Alcohol/drug use compensable when secondary to a service-connected mental disorder (Allen v. Principi).