The Veteran's son, O.M., is recognized as a helpless child due to his permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching the age of 18, primarily attributed to autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

The Veteran's adult child, L., was added to his VA compensation award as a dependent on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining the age of 18. The Board denied an earlier effective date due to lack of claim within one year of L.'s eighteenth birthday.

The Veteran's claim for permanent incapacity for self-support for his child, S.C., dated on October 8, 2015, is granted with an effective date of October 8, 2015.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for recognition of his son, R.W. III, as an adult dependent due to permanent incapacity for self-support prior to age 18 based on evidence showing he was permanently incapable of self-support by reason of mental or physical defects prior to reaching the age of 18.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder was denied as the severity, frequency, and duration of his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for PTSD was denied because the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran has PTSD related to service.,Asperger's Syndrome was denied due to lack of evidence supporting its presence during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than major depressive disorder was denied as there is no evidence linking such condition to service.,The Veteran's claim for a pain disorder was also denied, with the Board finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for service connection.