Still Serving?
Here's what to do
before you leave.
You can lodge a DVA claim right now — while you are still in uniform. The sooner you act, the stronger your evidence. This page explains your options, what to do medically before you discharge, and what entitlements you may already be entitled to access today.
Yes. You can lodge a DVA claim while still serving.
Most serving ADF members assume they have to wait until discharge before engaging with DVA. That assumption costs some of them years of entitlements and — more importantly — the evidence that would have supported a strong claim.
You can lodge a claim at any time, even if you are still serving. The sooner you claim, the easier it will be to find the evidence needed to support your case.
Source: Department of Veterans' Affairs — How to claim under the MRCAFrom 1 July 2026, all new DVA claims lodge under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (MRCA). This applies whether you are still serving or have already discharged. The framework is the same — what changes is when you act.
Acting early matters for one specific reason: your ADF medical record. While you are still in uniform, your conditions are being documented within the Defence health system. Once you discharge, access to that record becomes harder, the memory of incidents fades, and witnesses disperse. The evidence that would have supported your claim is easiest to gather right now.
You can also access treatment before your claim is finalised
Under DVA's Provisional Access to Medical Treatment, DVA will fund treatment for conditions on the list of 20 most commonly accepted conditions before liability has been determined. You do not have to wait for a decision before getting help.
Will lodging a claim affect my career?
This is the concern that stops more still-serving members from acting than anything else. It deserves a direct, honest answer.
Your CO does not receive notification of a DVA claim.
A DVA claim is a separate process from your ADF service record. It sits outside your chain of command. Lodging a claim does not create a record against your name within Defence, does not affect your clearance assessment, and does not flag you as medically unfit for duty.
What can affect your career is leaving service with undocumented, unclaimed conditions — and then trying to build a case years later from memory alone.
Lodging a claim is not a statement that you cannot do your job. It is an acknowledgement that your service has had an effect on your health — which is exactly what the system was designed to recognise.
If you are on a medical separation pathway
If you have been identified as likely to discharge for medical reasons, the DVA process and the Defence process run in parallel. An advocate can help you navigate both simultaneously and ensure nothing is missed during the transition.
Free mental health treatment — available right now
If you have completed at least one day of continuous full-time service, you are already entitled to free mental health treatment through DVA. You do not need to lodge a compensation claim to access it.
One day of full-time service. Free mental health treatment for life.
DVA's Non-Liability Health Care (NLHC) provides free lifetime mental health treatment for any mental health condition — including PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance dependency, and adjustment disorders.
You do not need to prove your ADF service caused the condition. You do not need to lodge a compensation claim. You do not need to be transitioning or discharged.
If you have completed at least one day of continuous full-time service, this entitlement is available to you today. Speak to your MO, contact Open Arms, or ask an advocate how to access it.
Open Arms — free 24/7 mental health support for current and former ADF members and their families: 1800 011 046
There is a DVA officer on your base.
Most serving members don't know this either. DVA has Veteran Support Officers embedded on Defence bases across Australia specifically to help members like you — not just those who are transitioning.
You do not need to be transitioning to ask for help.
DVA Veteran Support Officers (VSOs) are located on over 56 Defence bases across Australia. They provide personalised one-on-one support, explain your DVA options, help you register for MyService, and guide you through what entitlements may apply to your situation. You can access their support whether you are planning to stay in, thinking about leaving, or just have questions.
Register for MyService now — not when you discharge
DVA confirms you can register for MyService as soon as you join the ADF. MyService is the portal through which you will lodge claims, track progress and access entitlements. Setting it up now — with a personal email address, not your Defence address — means you are ready when you need it and won't lose access on your last day in uniform.
What to do medically before you discharge
This is where most veterans lose ground. Not because their conditions aren't real — but because the documentation wasn't in place before they walked out the gate. The steps below should be taken while you still have access to the ADF health system.
Undocumented conditions are unclaimed conditions
If a condition has not been formally recorded in your ADF medical record before you discharge, DVA will need alternative evidence to establish that it existed and that it is service-related. That alternative evidence is harder to gather, harder to verify, and harder to present persuasively. Documentation now is the foundation of a claim later.
-
Get every condition formally documented in your ADF medical record
Book an appointment with your Medical Officer and go through every condition — physical and psychological — that you have experienced during service. Do not rely on informal treatment records, self-referrals or verbal acknowledgements. It needs to be in the file.
-
See your MO for anything treated informally or never formally recorded
Many conditions during service are managed informally — pain managed through RAP visits, mental health concerns discussed but not documented, injuries treated at the time and not followed up. Before you leave, have those conversations formally with your MO so they are on record.
-
Request your full ADF medical record and service history before your last day
You are entitled to a copy of your ADF medical record. Request it formally before your discharge date. Also request your complete service history document — the official record of your postings, deployments and service. This becomes a core piece of evidence in any DVA claim.
-
Get civilian medical reports for any conditions managed outside the ADF system
Some members have conditions — particularly psychological ones — managed through civilian providers or personal arrangements rather than through the Defence health system. Get formal written reports from those providers documenting your condition and its history before you transition.
-
Speak to an advocate before your discharge date
A VAPSA-accredited advocate can review your service history and conditions, identify what should be lodged and when, and make sure your medical documentation strategy is aligned with what DVA will need to assess your claim. This conversation is free and it significantly changes outcomes.
"The veterans who struggle most after discharge are not the ones with the worst conditions. They are the ones whose conditions were never formally documented while they still had access to the system."
Kelliegh Jackson — CEO, Advocates OnlineYour pre-discharge checklist
Work through this before your discharge date. Tick each item off as you complete it. Share it with a mate who is also getting out.
- All physical and psychological conditions formally documented in ADF medical record
- MO appointment booked to review and document any informally treated conditions
- Full ADF medical record requested and received
- Service history document (postings, deployments, service record) obtained
- Civilian medical reports obtained for any conditions managed outside Defence health
- Registered for MyService using a personal (non-Defence) email address
- NLHC mental health treatment accessed or eligibility confirmed
- VSO appointment completed or DVA claim lodged for current conditions
- Free advocate consultation completed — conditions, claim options and timing reviewed
- Copies of all records stored securely in a personal location (not on Defence systems)
Share this with a mate
If you know someone who is getting out soon, send them this page. The pre-discharge window closes on discharge date. There is no equivalent access to the ADF health system after you walk out the gate.
Frequently asked questions
The questions still-serving members ask us most. If yours isn't here, ask it in Ask An Advocate.
Yes. DVA confirms that you can lodge a claim at any time, including while you are still serving. From 1 July 2026, all new claims lodge under MRCA. The sooner you lodge, the easier it is to gather the evidence needed — particularly while you still have access to the ADF health system and your service record.
No. DVA is a separate government department from Defence. Lodging a claim does not notify your commanding officer, does not appear on your ADF service record, and does not affect your security clearance assessment. Your DVA dealings are confidential between you and DVA.
Non-Liability Health Care (NLHC) is free lifetime mental health treatment available to any ADF member who has completed at least one day of continuous full-time service. You do not need to prove your ADF service caused the condition, and you do not need to lodge a compensation claim to access it.
Conditions covered include PTSD, anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, alcohol and substance dependency, and other mental health conditions. If you have completed at least one day of CFTS, you are eligible. Contact Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or speak to an advocate about how to access it.
Veteran Support Officers (VSOs) are DVA staff located on over 56 Defence bases across Australia. They are not part of your chain of command — they are DVA employees whose role is to help serving members understand their DVA options.
You do not need to be transitioning or leaving service to access their support. They can explain what you may be entitled to, help you register for MyService, and guide you through the claims process. Ask your base administration section how to contact your VSO.
Any condition that is related to your ADF service can be claimed under MRCA — physical or psychological, whether it happened on deployment, in training, or during everyday service. The key requirement is that there is a connection between your condition and your service.
Common conditions claimed by still-serving members include musculoskeletal injuries, hearing loss and tinnitus, psychological conditions including PTSD, and conditions related to specific operational exposures. An advocate can assess your full service history and identify what may be claimable.
If DVA accepts liability for your condition while you are still serving, your rehabilitation authority remains the Chief of the Defence Force — meaning Defence retains responsibility for your rehabilitation needs while you are in uniform. DVA can still provide certain treatment and support in parallel.
When you discharge, the rehabilitation authority transfers to DVA and your full range of entitlements becomes accessible. Having an accepted claim in place before discharge puts you in a significantly stronger position from day one after leaving service.
Yes — especially with a year left. A year is enough time to document conditions, lodge a claim, and potentially receive a decision before you discharge. Even if the decision has not been made by your discharge date, having a claim in progress is better than starting from scratch after you leave.
More importantly, a year gives you time to take the medical steps that will strengthen your claim: getting conditions formally documented, seeing your MO, requesting your records, and speaking to an advocate about what to lodge and when.
You can lodge a DVA claim yourself. But veterans with professional advocacy support consistently achieve better outcomes — higher acceptance rates, more complete claims, and fewer rejections that require costly reviews.
An advocate knows what evidence DVA needs, how to present a claim effectively, which conditions to lodge and in what order, and what medical documentation is required. A free first consultation with AO costs you nothing and takes the guesswork out of a complex system.
Talk to an advocate before your discharge date.
The window to gather documentation and lodge claims while still in the ADF system closes on your last day in uniform. A free conversation now changes what's available to you after.
First consultation is free. We provide advocacy support, not legal or medical advice. No hidden costs. Remote support available across Australia.