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| Camp Books North of Danang during TET 1968 2 KIA at this location from a 122 rocket |
THE GAF SCALE
(I get so many questions about the GAF scale, I have to include it every so often to make everyone aware of it. They use it to determine your daily level of PTSD.)
91-100 Superior functioning in a wide range of activities, life's problems never seem to get out of hand, is sought out by others because of his or her many positive qualities. No symptoms.
81-90 Absent or minimal symptoms (e.g., mild anxiety before an exam), good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday problems or concerns (e.g., an occasional argument with family members)
71-80 if symptoms are present, they are transient and expectable reactions to psychosocial. stressors (e.g., difficulty concentrating after family argument); no more than slight impairment in social occupational, or school functioning (e.g., temporarily falling behind in schoolwork).
61-70 Some mild symptoms (e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia) or some difficulty in social occupational, or school functioning (e.g., occasional truancy or theft within the household), but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.
51-60 Moderate symptoms (e.g., flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic attacks) or moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers).
41-50 Severe symptoms (e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent shoplifting) or any serious impairment in social, occupational or school functioning (no friends, unable to keep a job for any length of time ).
31-40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication (e.g., speech is at times illogical, obscure, or irrelevant) or major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood (depressed man avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work; child frequently beats up younger children, is defiant at home, and is failing at school).
81-90 Absent or minimal symptoms (e.g., mild anxiety before an exam), good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday problems or concerns (e.g., an occasional argument with family members)
71-80 if symptoms are present, they are transient and expectable reactions to psychosocial. stressors (e.g., difficulty concentrating after family argument); no more than slight impairment in social occupational, or school functioning (e.g., temporarily falling behind in schoolwork).
61-70 Some mild symptoms (e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia) or some difficulty in social occupational, or school functioning (e.g., occasional truancy or theft within the household), but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.
51-60 Moderate symptoms (e.g., flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic attacks) or moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers).
41-50 Severe symptoms (e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent shoplifting) or any serious impairment in social, occupational or school functioning (no friends, unable to keep a job for any length of time ).
31-40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication (e.g., speech is at times illogical, obscure, or irrelevant) or major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood (depressed man avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work; child frequently beats up younger children, is defiant at home, and is failing at school).
21-30 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations or serious impairment in judgment (sometimes incoherent, acts inappropriately, suicidal preoccupation) or inability to function in all areas (stays in bed all day, no job, home).
11-20 Some danger of hurting self or others (suicidal attempts without clear expectation of death; frequently violent; manic excitement) or occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene (smears feces) or gross impairment in communication (e.g., largely incoherent or mute).
1-10 Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others or persistent inability to maintain minimal personal hygiene or serious suicidal acts which would result in death to veteran or others.
Most combat veterans with PTSD are probably between 50 and 30 on the GAF Scale. Anything below 45 should be a 50 to 70 percent rating, with possibility for unemployability. Anything below 40 should be a definite case for unemployability status.
But just because your GAF is rated higher on any given visit is not a valid reason for the VA to cut your percentage without taking the entire claim history into consideration. Some days you may feel better than other days, and this is no grounds for a reduction.
But just because your GAF is rated higher on any given visit is not a valid reason for the VA to cut your percentage without taking the entire claim history into consideration. Some days you may feel better than other days, and this is no grounds for a reduction.
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