[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-281450-105":53,"doc-detail-281450-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","carmen-mcginnis-statement-may-12-2021","Carmen McGinnis - Statement - May 12, 2021","","Statement by Carmen McGinnis submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on May 12, 2021, discussing the military sexual trauma (MST) claims process. Drawing on her Marine Corps service and personal experience as an MST survivor, she describes the impact of MST on veterans’ lives and highlights gaps between the Veterans Benefits Administration and Veterans Health Administration. She argues for reduced evidentiary burdens, better inter-agency coordination, and policy changes to make claims handling more compassionate and respectful.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/carmen-mcginnis-statement-may-12-2021/281450/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/carmen-mcginnis-statement-may-12-2021/281450.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Aladdin","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-16",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",10,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What is Carmen McGinnis asking for regarding the MST claims process?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"She asks for a more compassionate, respectful process by reducing the evidentiary burden on veterans, improving coordination between VBA and VHA, and implementing policy changes in how VBA handles MST cases.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"How does McGinnis describe the evidentiary burden for MST claims?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"She explains that VBA often requires proof of incidents, even when documentation is scarce, which can leave survivors feeling defeated despite the lifelong impacts of trauma.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What contrast does she draw between MST survivors and combat veterans in VA standards?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"She states that combat veterans are not held to the same rigorous evidentiary standards when records establish service in a combat zone, whereas MST survivors may face stricter documentation requirements for acknowledged sexual assault.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},281450,1790184811,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":136,"language":137,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":138,"faqs":139,"seo_title":140,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":141,"read_time":73},2336478503145,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","STATEMENT OF  \nCARMEN MCGINNIS  \nDAV (DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS)  \nCOMMITTEE ON VETERANS’AFFAIRS  \nUNITED STATES SENATE  \nMAY 12, 2021  \nChairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran and members of the Committee:  \nThank you for holding this important hearing to discuss the claims process for military sexual trauma (MST) , and inviting me to share my experience both as an advocate for veterans through DAV—Disabled American Veterans—and as an MST survivor myself.  \nI am a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. I enlisted on September 11, 2001—happenstance, as I turned 17 the day prior, but the events of that morning did not deter me. I served in Beaufort, South Carolina , with Marine Air Control Squadron-2 with a military occupational specialty of long-range radar repair. I served one tour in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003/2004 . Upon return to the States, I went on to serve in Paris, France, Colombo, Sri Lanka , and Munich, Germany, as a Marine Security Guard protecting classified material, before my honorable discharge in 2008.  \nI am proud to have served—incredibly proud to be a Marine. But my service was marred by the actions of another. I am before you today because I am an MST survivor.  \nLike so many others , I will carry that scar for life. But I have also found great purpose and fulfilment in the years that followed. Today, I work for DAV in our National Service Office in Denver and this is now my tenth year as a national service officer, helping ensure my fellow veterans are able to access the care and benefits they have earned.  \nDuring this time, I have filed countless claims for MST survivors and fought alongside them on their journey through the daunting claims and appeals process. Before I knew about DAV, I filed my own claim for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to MST with the encouragement of my Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health therapist. I have been there myself, and I am glad to be there for others who have had similar experiences. And today I am here to be a voice for those who cannot speak , for those who feel they have no voice , and for those who feel that no one is listening.  \nI joined the Marines to serve my country. I did not join the military to be raped by a fellow Marine—nor did the thousands of other individuals who report experiencing unwanted sexual assault, contact or harassment each year in the armed forces.  \nI know this statement may make some people uncomfortable , but it is important to talk about this issue, and the myriad problems that stem from it. I share my story and use my voice because I can. I am fortunate because my assault was reported and welldocumented and I had very little burden in proving my claim. Sadly, many other veterans are not in my situation , and those survivors are who I want to speak about today.  \nSpecifically, I would like to address three areas that would make the claims process for MST survivors more compassionate , more respectful and more in keeping with the best interest of the veteran. These areas are:  \n􀁸 Changing the evidentiary burden placed on veterans to prove incidents of MST  \n􀁸 Improved coordination between the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in handling MST cases and communications with veterans  \n􀁸 Policy changes to improve VBA’s approach to handling MST casework  \nEvidentiary Burden of MST Claims  \nWhen it comes to MST, the disconnect between VBA and VHA could not be more apparent and often adds to the confusion veterans experience during the process of filing a claim or accessing care. VA’s website clearly states: “You don't need documentation of MST experiences or a VA disability compensation rating to get care.”1  \nWhile we applaud this veteran-first approach to ensuring adequate care is being offered to MST survivors, it calls into sharp contrast the lack of support these claimants are receiving from VBA for the exact same traumatic experi","cbCaiorJnHQ9Afw4","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiorJnHQ9Afw4","pdf",516040,6,"English","# Statement of Carmen McGinnis\n## Opening and personal background\n## Purpose and concerns about the MST claims process\n## Evidentiary burden of MST claims","[{\"question\":\"What is Carmen McGinnis asking for regarding the MST claims process?\",\"answer\":\"She asks for a more compassionate, respectful process by reducing the evidentiary burden on veterans, improving coordination between VBA and VHA, and implementing policy changes in how VBA handles MST cases.\"},{\"question\":\"How does McGinnis describe the evidentiary burden for MST claims?\",\"answer\":\"She explains that VBA often requires proof of incidents, even when documentation is scarce, which can leave survivors feeling defeated despite the lifelong impacts of trauma.\"},{\"question\":\"What contrast does she draw between MST survivors and combat veterans in VA standards?\",\"answer\":\"She states that combat veterans are not held to the same rigorous evidentiary standards when records establish service in a combat zone, whereas MST survivors may face stricter documentation requirements for acknowledged sexual assault.\"}]","Carmen McGinnis - Statement - May 12, 2021 | PDF",1789566235]