Originally Posted by
rickair7777
CAREFUL!
The VA disability advocate groups who will help you file a claim will try to ensure you get max credit for any and every possible injury, ailment, and condition... that's *mostly* OK but there a few things which the FAA will go hard-over on... PTSD, TBI, anything substance or mental health other than marriage counseling.
It's going to be pretty hard to get an FAA 1C while getting VA disability pay for stuff like that.
And don't file with the VA and then lie to the FAA... there are ex-mil legacy airline pilots who have been recently sent to prison for doing that. Assume the FAA has visibility on all VA (and potentially mil) medical data. Databases talk to each other in the 21st century.
I have a friend who was in Fallujah and got diagnosed with PTSD. He went through some insane **** and any normal person would've responded the same way, but he worked through his issues the right way, which, unfortunately, left a paper trail. I passed along Rick's advice, he was upfront about his PTSD to the FAA, and he had to jump through rings of fire to prove he's completely recovered, but he was able to get his Class 1 medical. He's working on his 1500 hours now.