Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most significant service-related conditions affecting ADF veterans, and it is fully claimable through DVA. If you experienced a traumatic event or events during your service, including operational deployments, training accidents, military violence, or sustained occupational stress, you have grounds to claim.
Under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA), PTSD is assessed against the Statement of Principles (SoP) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The SoP defines the qualifying events and exposure periods that establish the service connection. The threshold is lower than many veterans expect.
PTSD claims can be complex because the condition often co-exists with depression, anxiety, alcohol dependence, and sleep disorders, all of which may also be claimable as sequelae. Getting the full picture of all related conditions assessed at the same time is important.
Why PTSD is common in the ADF
ADF service exposes personnel to events that civilian workers almost never encounter: combat, witnessing death or serious injury, training accidents, sexual harassment and assault within the military environment, and sustained high-threat operational deployments. These are precisely the kinds of traumatic experiences that cause PTSD.
Operational service in Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Somalia, and Rwanda has produced high rates of PTSD among Australian veterans. But operational deployment is not required. Training accidents, workplace accidents, military sexual trauma, and sustained occupational exposure to distressing incidents (such as in defence policing or military mortuary roles) can all qualify.
Medical access
Provisional Access to Medical Treatment (PAMT)
PTSD is not currently on the PAMT list. However, if your PTSD is related to a mental health condition, you may be eligible for Non-Liability Health Care (NLHC) — which provides funded mental health treatment without a liability determination. Speak to your GP about a DVA mental health referral.
Statement of Principles — in plain English
DVA assesses your claim against a Statement of Principles (SoP). Here are the key factors that most commonly apply to PTSD claims, translated from the legal language.
Experiencing a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence
The event must be of a kind that is outside the range of usual human experience and would be markedly distressing to almost anyone
Witnessing such an event happening to others
Direct witnessing of traumatic events involving death, serious injury, or sexual violence during service
Learning that a traumatic event occurred to a close family member or close friend
Indirect exposure through learning of traumatic events affecting close personal contacts during or as a direct result of service
Repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of traumatic events, such as first responders or mortuary personnel
Occupational exposure to graphic details of trauma as part of service duties, not through media
Conditions that commonly develop alongside
Veterans with PTSD often develop related conditions that may also be claimable. These are worth assessing at the same time as your primary claim.
What to expect for impairment points
PTSD is assessed for permanent impairment under GARP M using a psychiatric assessment tool. The assessment measures symptom severity, functional impairment, and permanence. Because PTSD exists on a spectrum from mild to severe, impairment points vary significantly, ranging from 0–5 points for well-managed mild PTSD to 20+ points for severe, treatment-resistant cases.
The psychiatric assessment must be conducted by a psychiatrist or psychologist who can apply the GARP M assessment criteria. A GP diagnosis alone is not sufficient for the impairment assessment, though a GP can confirm the diagnosis for the initial liability claim. Given the subjective nature of psychiatric assessment, the choice of clinician and how the assessment is framed matters.
Use the DVA PI Points CalculatorWhat a strong PTSD claim looks like
Diagnosis from a psychiatrist or psychologist using DSM-5 criteria: a formal diagnostic report, not just a treatment summary
Service records establishing the traumatic event(s): unit diaries, operational records, incident reports, or deployment records
Military medical records or rehabilitation records showing mental health treatment during or after service
Statutory declaration from yourself detailing the specific traumatic events and their impact on your mental health
Statements from fellow veterans, commanders, or family members corroborating the traumatic events (supportive but not required)
Ongoing treatment records: psychiatry notes, psychology session notes, hospital discharge summaries
DVA currently takes 3–6 months to decide most initial liability claims. Complex or multi-condition claims can take longer. Lodging a complete, decision-ready claim upfront reduces back-and-forth.
Processing times guideCommon questions about PTSD claims
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