SPECIAL ISSUE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT AID

ISSUE PIES/DRPIS DEVELOPMENT(CROSS-REFERENCE PIES FOR DPRIS)

SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT 1

AGENT ORANGE – VIETNAM (PRESUMPTIVE DISABILITY)

PIES O34 – Request verification of Vietnam service

PIES 039 – Air Force Veteran who indicates TDY to Vietnam, request if no documentation after PIES O34

(AIR FORCE ONLY IF TDY INDICATED) DPRIS O43 – Post Traumatic

Stress Disorder (Agent Orange)(NAVY AND COAST GUARD ONLY IF O34 INDICATES SHIP IN VIETNAM WATERS)

PIES O19 – Personnel records(NAVY AND COAST GUARD ONLY IF

STATEMENT FROM VETERAN COUNTERS O34 NEGATIVE RESPONSE)

Flash “Agent Orange” “AO – Exposure General Notice”

(UNVERIFIED SERVICE) “AO – Blue Water Notice”

(ON A SHIP) “AO – med evid of disab fm

herbicide needed” “AO – Notice – free protocol exam

for AO exposure” (NO SPECIFIED VA TREATMENT)

“AO – Tell us if VA treatment provided”(NO SPECIFIED VA TREATMENT)

AGENT ORANGE – OUTSIDE OF VIETNAM (PRESUMPTIVE DISABILITY)

PIES O19 – Personnel records(KOREA)

PIES O36 – Request personnel documents to verify claimed exposure

(OUTSIDE OF VIETNAM AND KOREA)

Flash “Agent Orange” “AO – Exposure General Notice”

(UNVERIFIED SERVICE) “AO – med evid of disab fm

herbicide needed” “AO – Notice – free protocol exam

for AO exposure” (NO SPECIFIED VA TREATMENT)

“AO – Tell us if VA treatment provided”(NO SPECIFIED VA TREATMENT)

AGENT ORANGE – EXPOSURE ONLY; NO DISABILITY CLAIMED

NONE “AO – Tell us specific disability fm

herbicides”

AGENT ORANGE – NON-PRESUMPTIVE DISABILITY CLAIMED

NONE “AO – not a recognized condition”

ASBESTOS – DISABILITY CLAIMED PIES O16 – Request verification of

exposure to asbestos

“ASB – tell us where, when, how exposed”

“ASB – medical evid of disease (biopsy) needed”

ASBESTOS – NO DISABILITY CLAIMED NONE “ASB – tell us specific disability fm

asbestos exposure”

COLD INJURY DISABILITIES PIES O19 – Personnel records

(IF DD214 AND STR CAN’T VERIFY)NONE 2

GULF WAR – UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESS

PIES O30 – Verification of service in SW Asia

GW – Earliest manifestations/evid of illness”

“GW – Evidence of SW Asia service needed”

“GW – Notice – Information Center (toll-free helpline)

“GW – Registry exam?”

GULF WAR – NO DISABILITY CLAIMED NONE

“GW – Tell us specific disability fm GW”

“GW – Notice – Information Center (toll-free helpline)

“GW – Registry exam?”

HIV-AIDS PIES O28 – Pre-induction blood

screeningNone

1 Generally, most claims require current medical evidence of disability and other relevant records, such as service treatment records, as determined by the VSR and/or RVSR.2 Additional special development (i.e. protocol exam) may be warranted during initial development if veteran status is verified.

ISSUE PIES/DRPIS DEVELOPMENT(CROSS-REFERENCE PIES FOR DPRIS)

SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT

POW PIES O25 – POW dates Flash “POW” “POW – statement from veteran

and others needed” 2

PTSD – COMBAT STRESSOR CONCEDED OR FEAR OF HOSTILITIES INDICATED WITH VERIFIED SERVICE IN COMBAT THEATER

NONE

Schedule exam “PTSD – request address of Vet

Center attended“(ONLY IF VET CENTER ATTENDED)

PTSD – COMBAT PARTICIPATION INDICATED, NO COMBAT STRESSOR CONCEDED, UNVERIFIED SERVICE IN COMBAT THEATER

PIES O19 PIES S01 (If there is no service

verification on file)

“Combat not verified” “PTSD – Need stressor details/med

evid combat-related incdnt” “PTSD – request address of Vet

Center attended”(ONLY IF VET CENTER ATTENDED)

PTSD – FEAR OF HOSTILITIES, NO INDICATION OF COMBAT PARTICIPATION, NO COMBAT STRESSOR CONCEDED, UNVERIFIED SERVICE IN COMBAT THEATER

PIES O19 PIES S01 (If there is no service

verification on file)

“PTSD – fear w/hostile mil/terrorist (original)”

“PTSD – request address of Vet Center attended”

(ONLY IF VET CENTER ATTENDED)

PTSD – UNSPECIFIED, NO COMBAT STRESSOR CONCEDED OR INCIDENT OTHER THAN COMBAT, FEAR OF COMBAT, OR PERSONAL ASSAULT

PIES O19 – Personnel records PIES S01 (If there is no service

verification on file)

“PTSD – Need stressor details/med evid of stressful incdnt”

“PTSD – request address of Vet Center attended”

(ONLY IF VET CENTER ATTENDED)

PTSD – PERSONAL ASSAULT/MST PIES O18 – Request entire

personnel folder

“PTSD – Need stressor details/med evid of personal trauma incdnt”

“PTSD Notice – free treatment for PTSD personal assault”

“PTSD Notice – info re PTSD Women Vet Coord”

“PTSD Notice – info re VHA PTSD Women Vet Coord”

“PTSD – request address of Vet Center attended”

(ONLY IF VET CENTER ATTENDED)

MUSTARD GAS / LEWISITE – NO DISABILITY CLAIMED

ALL OTHERS RESERVED FOR MUSKOGEE RO EMPLOYEES ONLY

NONE “MG – name of disability”

RADIATION – EXPOSURE ONLY; NO DISABILITY CLAIMED

ALL OTHERS RESERVED FOR JACKSON RO EMPLOYEES ONLY

NONE “RADIATION – tell us specific

disability fm exposure”

HERBICIDE CLAIM DEVELOPMENT (NON-NEHMER)MAP-D PICK TEXT APPROPRIATE USAGE

“AO-BLUE WATER NOTICE”

- Sends VA Form 21-4138- Informs of presumptive AO exposure while serving on a ship- Asks for details regarding Vietnam service on a ship

Claims exposure while being on a ship

“AO-EXPOSURE GENERAL NOTICE”

- Sends VA Form 21-4138- General statement that informs of the types of exposure that the VA recognizes- Asks for related evidence

Claims a condition related to AO exposure and we have NOT confirmed eligible Vietnam/Korea service or exposure in the file

“AO-MED EVID OF DISAB FM HERBICIDE NEEDED”

- Asks for medical evidence of the EARLIEST DIAGNOSIS of the claimed condition

Claims presumptive condition under 38 CFR 3.309(e)

“AO-NOT A RECOGNIZED CONDITION”- Asks for scientific or medical evidence linking the claimed condition to herbicide exposure

Claims a condition that is NOT a presumptive condition under 38 CFR 3.309(e)

“AO-NOTICE-FREE PROTOCOL EXAM FOR AO EXPOSURE”

- Notifies about AO protocol exams at VA healthcare facilities - Asks for information regarding any treatment received for herbicide exposure at a VA medical center

On all initial correspondence with a Veteran who has NOT specified previous VA treatment for AO exposure

“AO-TELL US IF VA TREATMENT PROVIDED”

- Sends VA Form 21-4138- Asks for information regarding any treatment for herbicide exposure at a VAMC

On initial correspondence with a Veteran who has NOT specified previous VA treatment

“AO-TELL US SPECIFIC DISABILITY FM HERBICIDES”

- Sends VA Form 21-4138- Asks for a specific disability due to herbicide exposure

Claims exposure to AO, but does NOT list a disability

PIES REQUEST CODES (M21-1MR Part III.iii.2.D.23.c.)

CODE O34VIETNAM. FURNISH DATES OF SERVICE IN VIETNAM

Claim for benefits requires documentation of actual service in Vietnam or adjacent waters - usually associated with Agent Orange or herbicide exposure

CODE O36HERBICIDES. FURNISH ANY DOCUMENTS SHOWING EXPOSURE TO HERBICIDES

Claims herbicide exposure outside of Vietnam

PTSD CLAIM DEVELOPMENTMAP-D PICK TEXT USAGE

“COMBAT NOT VERIFIED”- Asks for verification of engagement in combat

Claims PTSD due to participation in combat; NO current conceded stressor after review of service and decorations

“PTSD – FOLLOW UP FOR STRESSOR DETAILS”

- Sends VA Form 21-4138- Asks for more specific details than provided concerning stressful event(s)

Claims PTSD, but information provided does not meet minimum level of details needed to seek assistance from JSRRC

“PTSD – NEED STRESSOR DETAILS/MED EVID COMBAT-RELATED INCDNT”

- Sends VA Forms 21-0781 and 21-4138- Asks for combat incident details and medical evidence for PTSD

Claims PTSD due to participation in combat; NO current conceded stressor after review of lay statement, circumstances of service, and decorations

“PTSD – NEED STRESSOR DETAILS/MED EVID OF STRESSFUL INCDNT”

- Sends VA Forms 21-0781 and 21-4138- Asks for stressful incident details and medical evidence for PTSD

Claims PTSD due to a stressful incident; NO current conceded stressor

“PTSD – NEED STRESSOR DETAILS/MED EVID OF PERSONAL TRAUMA INCDNT”

- Sends VA Forms 21-0781a and 21-4138- Asks for personal trauma details, medical evidence for PTSD, and alternative sources of evidence

Claims PTSD due to personal trauma; NO current conceded stressor

“PTSD – REQUEST ADDRESS OF VET CENTER ATTENDED”

- Sends VA Form 21-4138- Asks for Vet Center address

Received treatment at a Vet Center, but does not specify the address

“PTSD – FEAR W/HOSTILE MIL/TERRORIST (ORIGINAL)”

- Sends VA Form 21-0781 - Asks for details related to the fear associated with hostile military or terrorist activity and medical evidence for PTSD

Claims PTSD related to combat, without indicating participation in combat; there is NO current conceded stressor after review of lay statement, circumstances of service, and decorations

“PTSD – FEAR W/HOSTILE MIL/TERRORIST (REOPENED)”

- Sends VA Form 21-4142- Asks for new and material evidence related to a previously denied PTSD claim

Requests to reopen PTSD claim, without indicating participation in combat; there is NO current conceded stressor after review of lay statement, circumstances of service, and decorations

“PTSD NOTICE – FREE TREATMENT FOR PTSD PERSONAL ASSAULT”

- Informs Veteran about available treatment

Claims PTSD due to PERSONAL TRAUMA

“PTSD NOTICE – INFO RE PTSD WOMEN VET COORD”

- Gives the Veteran contact information for the RO Women’s Coordinator

Use for PTSD claims from female veterans claiming military sexual trauma (MST)

“PTSD NOTICE – INFO RE VHA PTSD WOMEN VET COORD”

- Gives the Veteran contact information for the nearest VAMC Women’s Coordinator

Use for PTSD claims from female veterans claiming military sexual trauma (MST)

PIES REQUEST CODES

CODE O18PERSONAL TRAUMA PTSD. FURNISH ENTIRE PERSONNEL FILE

Personal trauma cases where all personnel records are required, including performance ratings; these records may be lengthy

CODE O19

PTSD. FURNISH PAGES FROM THE PERSONNEL FOLDER SHOWING UNIT OF ASSIGNMENT, DATES OF ASSIGNMENT, PARTICIPATION IN COMBAT OPERATIONS, WOUNDS IN ACTION, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS, AND OFFICIAL TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE U.S.

To request copies of the service personnel records that document service information such as: military occupational specialty, participation in campaigns and assignments, and received awards, medals, and decorations; it is not necessary to identify the specific pages by number or title