I am wanting to get a firearm but I've heard it's very hard for veterans here that have been to the VA and seen a psychiatrist.  I only saw one when they sent me years ago due to an illness and they think all veterans are depressed .  I've also heard there's a form that needs to be filled out by a doctor?  If so, does it matter what kind of a doctor? Just trying to get some info and if there's a way around any problems.  Thanks.

 Many have to see a psych before and after deployments. Anytime you are close to someone or something that goes boom, they want you to check in with a psych or Chaplain.

Thousands of war vets own personal firearms in Hawaii and the government is okay with it. There are have been a number psycho civilian felons that should not have had any in the first place. That is why they made the questionaire and release forms.

 Yes, you do have to sign a release form and put down your Doctor/Clinic Info, but I haven't had any problems with my permits. If you have been diagnosed with severe depression or behavioral problems, then it may be an issue.

If you are truly suffering from mental illness, then treatment is what you should be applying for and not a permit to acquire.

It's ultimately up to your VA Doctor to say "Yay or Nay".  I had concerns myself when I initially applied for one mainly because of my outlook in life with having to deal with a disability and the constant pain from day to day.  However I contacted my Doctor to give him heads up and he told me that I had nothing to worry about.  Maybe you should do the same?

Ive never been in the service but my pops was a Beret in Vietnam.. He very very rarely talked about it.....

He would talk about going to get checked up for Agent Orange..... You fight for us and you lose some of your freedoms....

Thank you guys and gals that fight on the front lines for my freedom..seriously, thank you.....

The only problem you could encounter is if the psychiatrist you visited felt you shouldn't own firearms.  If that happens to be the case, you'll need to find yourself a new psychiatrist, one who is willing to write a letter saying there is no problem with you owning firearms. 

As far as a form, that's a little bit misleading.  HPD will send a notification to your doctor that you have applied for a firearm, and ask them to reply if the doctor believes there is any reason you should not have a firearm.  If your doctor doesn't reply, the permitting process continues uninterrupted.  They don't have to fill out a form that allows you to proceed.

Tom is correct. Once you sign that release so the doctors or mental health professionals can release any pertinent data, the Docs can hold up your permit. If that happens, you will need to resubmit all your application documents along with a letter saying you are "no longer adversely affected."

If you are worried about it, I would suggest you discuss it with your primary doctor or care provider before going thru the permitting process. If you get the sense that your care provider is hesitant to say "yes" to you owning a firearm, ask for an explanation. If that doesn't satisfy you, start escalating your concerns up the chain of command.