1. Go to your doctor at your next primary care appointment and discuss everything that you have issues with caused by military related services and obtain a statement from your provider in writing confirming that your conditions are likely due to your service. 

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-if you are well established already with your provider, you can call the care team and ask them to put a note in your chart in the form of a "NEXUS letter" (See menu) to provide to the VA with your records. - this is beneficial if many years have passed and secondary conditions have developed.

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**** Tip: you can work on step 1, 2, 5, 6, and start on 9 at the same time *****

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2.Request any (potentially all) civilian medical records revolving military related issues and issues secondary

- I recommend two copies of each. One for yourself to keep and one for the VA. 

- I believe separating them with sticky notes (ie mental health, knee pain, back pain, hearing, vision)​ is beneficial to the benefits office when filing. 

-Once your claim reaches the CNP exams - it's good to have these in hand to refer to.

 

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*** Tip: I have personally found that the CNP examiners don't always do their due diligence and read your records before examining. Having your records on hand and being able to quote the doctors notes is a great way to advocate for yourself***

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3. Obtain your dd214 (see menu)

- It should have an honorable-type discharge and not be blank. 

​- You can potetially request this if the veteran is a dependent or a severely disabled/deceased immediate family 

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4. Make an appointment at the VA benefits office (see menu for appt link)

- They will want your DD214 (at the minimum) and civilian medical records

- you do not need your service records yet to get the claim started, but they will need them. 

- You can technically sign a form for the VA to request your cavilian records, but you will not know 100% what they received. 

- Making an appointment will help you obtain face to face time with someone in the benefits office, there's usually a line of people. 

- Bring the blank forms with you. (see menu for these pdfs)

- Pre fill out your name and address etc- ask for help from the benefits office for the remainder. 

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5. Create ID.Me log in  

- You can do this during step one, but this is the great time to have this completed. (see menu)

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6. Download the VA app & get logged in. You will likely need your ID.ME. (see menu)​

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7. Immediately after step 6 - request your service treatment records

- watch your email like a hawk for a 7-10 days. 

- You can request these via snail mail too.

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8. It is easy to save the records as a pdf (yes, you can do this on a smart phone) and submit them to the VA digitally in the app or website. 

-If you requested or have these paper copy- you can drop them off at your VA benefits office 

-- consider making an appointment with them again in that case

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9. This would be a great time to submit a buddy witness lay statement if you have not already. -- Not required but they do assist your claim evidence. (see menu)

- If you can submit these with your records that is great, but really is only super necessary if you are needing to rely on it heavily as evidence.

- Family and friends can write you a buddy statement 

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10. keep an eye on your app

- The app will notify you if they are missing anything way before they snail mail you. 

- It will not actually send your phone direct notifications, log in to see.

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11. Call the VA weekly. Ask for "detail" updates and "any movement?"on your claim

- Ensure all your bank account, and personal info is correct. 

- You can set up a pin # for a veteran who needs someone to call on their behalf. (you will need info from your dd214 in hand to create a pin # with the call center agent) - This is really good for immediate family 

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12. Watch for CNP exams (see menu)

- They will come in as a unknown phone number, text, or email to schedule from a 3rd party the VA hires.

- It is helpful to respond to those promptly by calling the phone number. 

- Keep in mind these don't reschedule easily- and they usually are booked out. 

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13. After Finishing CNP exams and keep an eye on the app for rating updates. 

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