You are not alone. Care and support are available regardless of your discharge status or rating.
MST = any sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurred during military service. Affects veterans of all genders, branches, and eras. No disability rating is required to access free VA MST care. No formal complaint or incident report is required — ever. You do not need to prove it happened to receive treatment.
MST is one of the most under-reported issues in the veteran community. Many survivors don't know that VA care and disability compensation are available without a report, without proof, and without a discharge upgrade. This guide explains exactly what you can access and how.
Care — what you can access right now
Every VA medical center and community-based outpatient clinic has a designated MST Coordinator who can connect you to services — confidentially and at no cost. You do not need to be enrolled in VA healthcare to speak with an MST Coordinator.
- Free MST-related counseling and mental health treatment at every VA facility
- No co-pay for MST care — even if you have co-pays for other VA services
- Individual therapy, group therapy, PTSD-specific programs (PE, CPT)
- Vet Centers provide confidential readjustment counseling for MST survivors
- Care available to veterans with any discharge characterization, including OTH
Find your MST Coordinator: va.gov/find-locations/ → select your VA facility → request MST Coordinator
MST and disability claims
VA recognizes that MST survivors often have little or no documentary evidence. The rules are different — and more flexible — for MST-related claims:
- No incident report required. A formal complaint, SHARP report, or military investigation is not required.
- Use VA Form 21-0781a (Statement in Support of Claim for Service Connection for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault) — not Form 21-0781, which is for combat PTSD.
- Alternative evidence accepted: behavioral changes in service records, requests for transfer, duty performance changes, sick call visits, civilian mental health treatment records, personal statements, buddy statements from fellow service members
- Personal statement matters. Write a detailed account in your own words. VA adjudicators are trained to give extra weight to personal statements in MST claims.
- Civilian records: If you sought therapy or mental health treatment after service, those records are strong supporting evidence. Upload them to your Document Vault at va.gov/records/download-va-letters/.
Confidentiality protections
- VA MST-related care is confidential. Seeking treatment does not automatically trigger an investigation or notify your chain of command (you are out of service).
- You may request a same-gender provider or a provider with MST training.
- If you are concerned about privacy, speak with your MST Coordinator before filing a claim — they can walk you through the process privately.
- Note: If you are still on active duty, mandatory reporting rules may apply — consult with a SHARP representative or legal counsel.
Steps to Access Care and File a Claim
- Contact your VA MST Coordinator. Call 800-698-2411 and ask to be connected to the MST Coordinator at your nearest VA. You can also find them at va.gov/find-locations/. This is confidential and requires no paperwork to start.
- Gather your evidence for a claim. Collect any behavioral records, sick call visits, transfer requests, or civilian mental health records. Write a personal statement describing your experience and its ongoing impact. Buddy statements from people who knew you during or after the event can help.
- File using VA Form 21-0781a. Submit Form 21-0781a (Personal Assault PTSD Statement) along with your disability claim. File online at va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/ or work with a VSO who has MST experience. DAV, VFW, and American Legion all have trained VSOs.
- Consider a discharge upgrade if needed. If your discharge characterization is Other Than Honorable (OTH) and MST is connected, you may have strong grounds for an upgrade — see How to Upgrade a Military Discharge. Protect Our Defenders and SLDN offer free legal help for MST-related upgrades.
If you are in crisis: Call or text 988, then press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. You can also chat at veteranscrisisline.net or text 838255. The Crisis Line is available 24/7 and is completely confidential.
Important: VA's MST care program is one of the most under-used benefits in the system. You do not need a disability rating, a service record, or a completed claim to walk into a VA and ask for MST counseling. The care is free, and the coordinator is there specifically for survivors.
Additional resources
- VA MST information: va.gov/military-sexual-trauma/
- Protect Our Defenders (legal help for discharge upgrades): protectourdefenders.com
- Service Women's Action Network: servicewomen.org
- RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673 (confidential, 24/7)
- Vet Centers (community-based, lower-barrier than VA medical centers): 877-927-8387
VA Healthcare & MST Coordinators800-698-2411 · 24/7
Veterans Crisis Line988 then press 1 · 24/7 · Confidential
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline800-656-4673 · 24/7 · Confidential
Vet Centers877-927-8387 · Community-based confidential counseling