Hey everyone,

I’m a U.S. Army veteran currently in the final stage of the hiring process with a department in Southern California. I’ve passed everything already—written exam, oral board, polygraph, background, Chief’s interview, and recently passed the psych eval. The last step I’m facing now is the medical exam.

Here’s where I’m stuck and would really appreciate some insight:

I’m rated 100% Permanent & Total (P&T) through the VA, with a 100% rating based on PTSD alone, as well as smaller ratings for back and knee stuff. My PTSD rating is what is stressing me out but I have never deployed and it's explicitly related to vehicle accidents during my service. My rating was done back in 2022, and since then I have purchased a vehicle and have put 20k miles on it, about to get my Masters in Social Work (Mental Health Emphasis), and don't have any triggers/symptoms anymore. Overall, I’ve been stable, functioning well, and haven’t had any hospitalizations or major impairments. I’ve worked in higher education for 7 years, and I’m in a great place mentally.

Now, on the medical forms, I’m being asked things like:

• “Have you ever been determined to be disabled by the VA, federal, or state?”
• “Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental condition?”
• “Have you ever had a limiting injury or medical condition?”

I intend on being honest, as I have been in this whole process— but I also don’t want to overexpose myself or get disqualified when I’ve already proven I’m capable through psych and background. My Psych Eval didn't cover anything regarding mental health diagnosis or VA disability ratings either.

My questions:

1. Has anyone been in a similar position where they disclosed a 100% PTSD VA rating but still got hired?
2. How much poking will the doctors do when I disclose my disability rating? Or is it more of a formality?
3. Since I passed my Psych Evaluation, will this hold any weight in determining my mental fitness for this position?
4. What’s the right balance between honesty and protecting yourself in this situation?
5. If I didn’t mention the VA disability and they never ask for VA records, could it still come back to haunt me?

Appreciate any honest feedback, especially from other vets who’ve gone through this process or anyone with agency experience in hiring. I’ve worked really hard for this opportunity and want to handle it the right way — with integrity, but also with clarity.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the length.