Tbird

@Sgt. Wilky You donate here When you donate it immediately provides you a receipt for your taxes that you can print out and keep track of. That's about all I know, Rattler will have to jump in with more.

Common Disabilities are claimed as service-connected disability. These links will take you to relevant articles and posts on the subject. Tinnitus | PTS(D) | Lumbosacral Cervical Strain | Scars | Limitation of flexion, knee | Diabetes | Paralysis of Siatic Nerve | Limitation of motion, ankle | Degenerative Arthritis Spine | TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury Tinnitus/Hearing Loss | Limitation of flexion, knee | PTS(D) | Lumbosacral Cervical Strain | Paralysis of Sciatic Nerve | Scars | Limitation of motion, ankle | Limitation of motion of the arm View full record

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Know what VA is reading about you. Request your VA claims file (VA C File). VA Claims File is the infamous C File. We can not stress enough how important it is to View your VA Claims File at the Veterans Affairs regional office (find your Regional VA Office here). Call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 and request an appointment to view your C File (VA Claims File). Ensure that all the records in your VA Claims File or C File are yours. Check that everything you have sent to the VA is included in your VA Claims File. After viewing your VAClaims File (c file) and correcting any mistakes you may find, you should request a hard copy of your C File. If you’re having difficulty obtaining your VA Claims File from your Regional VA Office, you can file a written Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request. See below for more information on FOIA requests. Read more on Establishing Veterans Affairs Service Connection for Disability Compensation. When you apply for disability benefits, the VA creates a claims file. Information you send to the VA records the VA obtains on your behalf, and documents created by the VA are all in this file. The claims file is commonly referred to as the “C File.” When you apply for disability benefits, the VA creates a claims file. Information you send to the VA records the VA obtains on your behalf, and documents created by the VA are all in this file. The claims file is commonly referred to as the “C File.” Typical Documents in a VA Claims File When you receive your VA Claims File, don’t be surprised if the documents are disorganized. Also, there may be several document copies even though you only need one. It can take a while to sort it all out. If you want some help with this, you may want to find a VA disability attorney to assist you. Here are some basic documents you might find in your C File if you have applied for VA benefits. This is not an exhaustive list but merely a description of the most common and important documents you should find in your file. If any of these documents are missing, you will want to obtain them. (See Nolo’s article on obtaining VA records for more information about how to do that.) DD-214, Report of Separation From Service This is a very important document. It includes information about your character of service, which can determine your eligibility for benefits. Your DD-214 will also include your dates of service, specialties, any medals received, and other information about your term(s) of service. Application for Benefits Any applications for benefits that you have previously made should be included in your C File. This can be important if you do not keep copies before applying. Denial Letter, Ratings Decision, and Code Sheet If you have been denied benefits, there should be a letter in your file notifying you of the decision to deny you benefits. Until recently, the VA issued detailed rating decisions explaining why benefits were granted or denied and certain ratings were assigned to service-connected disabilities. The rating decisions do not provide much information and tend to be brief. There should also be a code sheet accompanying the rating decision. The code sheet contains information about the rating decision, such as the diagnostic code used to assign the disability rating. It also provides information about the effective date of benefits, whether a future reexamination will be required, and additional details about the decision. If you hire an attorney, they will ask you for a copy of the denial letter, rating decisions, and code sheet. Service Medical Records You may find copies of your service medical records in the file if the VA requested these while gathering information to decide your claim. An important document in these records is the report from your enlistment examination. This exam report contains information on whether you suffered from certain medical conditions when you entered service. VA FOIA Requests View full record

Not every veteran is eligible for VA Dental care. VA does offer dental insurance... Dental for Veterans - Eligibility and Benefits VA offers comprehensive dental care benefits to specific qualifying Veterans. What VA dental care benefits do I qualify for? If eligible but not yet enrolled in VA health care, you can apply online using the Apply for Health Care Benefits webpage. If not eligible, Veterans enrolled in VA health care can purchase dental insurance at a reduced cost through the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP). Read More Here VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP) You may be eligible for VADIP if you meet one of these requirements. One of these must be true: You’re a Veteran enrolled in VA health care, or You’re the current or surviving spouse or dependent child of a Veteran or service member. You’re enrolled in the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA (CHAMPVA). Note: Insurance carriers may offer separate coverage options for dependents who aren’t CHAMPVA beneficiaries. VADIP provides coverage throughout the United States and its territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Read More about VA Dental Insurance Here. View full record

Google's AI is Gemini.google.com so I gave it go the other day and wanted to share it with the community. Look at what we built! i asked: What is the history of hadit.com veteran to veteran? HadIt.com Veteran to Veteran: A History of Supporting Veterans HadIt.com Veteran to Veteran boasts a remarkable 27-year history (as of 2024) of serving veterans. Here's a timeline of its key milestones: 1997: Founded by a veteran, driven by the desire to create a community where veterans could support each other in navigating the Veterans Affairs (VA) claims process. Early Years: Primarily focused on providing information and resources via a website, including articles, research, and links. This helped veterans understand and navigate the often complex VA disability system. Growth and Impact: The website gained traction, attracting veterans seeking knowledge and community. The discussion board became a vital space for veterans to share experiences, advice, and offer encouragement. Community Focus: Unlike many sites focused on "experts," HadIt.com prioritized empowering veterans to help each other. This created a strong sense of peer support and shared understanding. Challenges and Resilience: In 2022, the website faced an attack, highlighting its impact and relevance. Fortunately, the community rallied, demonstrating dedication and commitment to the platform's mission. Present Day: Despite competition, HadIt.com remains a trusted resource for veterans, offering: Comprehensive information: Guides, articles, and calculators related to VA benefits and navigating the system. Active discussion board: A space for veterans to connect, share experiences,ask questions, and offer support. Mission and Values: Emphasis on veteran-to-veteran support, empowerment,and advocacy for fair and accessible benefits. Future: HadIt.com aims to continue its mission of educating and empowering veterans, reaching its "Million Veteran" goal by equipping them with the knowledge and resources they need to access their well-deserved benefits. Here are some additional points to consider: HadIt.com is a non-profit organization, relying on donations and volunteer contributions. It caters to veterans, service members, and their families. While primarily focused on the VA claims process, it also tackles broader issues impacting veterans' lives. Overall, HadIt.com Veteran to Veteran stands as a testament to the power of community and peer support in helping veterans access the resources they deserve

You may find this case helpful for reference https://www.va.gov/vetapp21/Files11/A21018009.txt Citation Nr: A21018009 Decision Date: 11/09/21 Archive Date: 11/09/21 DOCKET NO. 200924-110044 DATE: November 9, 2021 ORDER Entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is granted. FINDING OF FACT The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by or is the result of her service-connected PTSD. CONCLUSION OF LAW The criteria for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as secondary to PTSD, are met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.310. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION The Veteran had active service in the U.S. Navy from March 1990 to February 1995. The Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) creates a new framework for Veterans dissatisfied with Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) decision on their claim to seek review. The AMA became effective on February 19, 2019. 38 C.F.R. § 3.2400(a)(1). The AMA applies to all initial decisions issued after February 19, 2019. The present matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2020 rating decision issued by VA Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ). Accordingly, the decision is subject to the AMA. The Veteran timely appealed this rating decision to the Board in a September 24, 2020 VA Form 10182 Notice of Disagreement. The Veteran requested the direct review lane, which limits the Board's review to evidence of record at the time of the September 2020 rating decision. Service Connection Service connection may be granted for a disability resulting from disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service. 38 U.S.C. § 1110; 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(a). To establish a right to compensation for a present disability, a Veteran must show: (1) the existence of a present disability; (2) in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and (3) a causal relationship between the present disability and the disease or injury incurred or aggravated during service-the so-called "nexus" requirement. Holton v. Shinseki, 557 F.3d 1362, 1366 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (quoting Shedden v. Principi, 38 F.3d 1163, 1167 (Fed. Cir. 2004)). The absence of any one element will result in denial of service connection. Service connection may also be granted for any disease initially diagnosed after service when all of the evidence, including that pertinent to service, establishes that the disease was incurred in service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(d). Additionally, service connection may be granted on a secondary basis when the evidence establishes (1) that a current disability exists and (2) that the current disability was either (a) caused by or (b) aggravated by a service-connected disability. See Wallin v. West, 11 Vet. App. 509, 512; 38 C.F.R. § 3.310. Service connection must be considered on the basis of the places, types, and circumstances of his service as shown by his service records, the official history of each organization in which he or she served, his or her medical records, and all pertinent medical and lay evidence. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.303 (a); see also Jandreau v. Nicholson, 492 F.3d 1372, 1377 (Fed. Cir. 2007) and Buchanan v. Nicholson, 451 F.3d 1331, 1337 (Fed. Cir. 2006). 1. Entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) The Veteran maintains that her obstructive sleep apnea is caused by her service-connected PTSD. The Board agrees and finds that the elements of service connection on a secondary basis have been established. With respect to current disability, the record reveals that the Veteran was diagnosed by sleep study with obstructive sleep apnea in June 2016. Accordingly, the Board finds that a current disability has been established. The remaining question is whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was either caused by or aggravated by her service-connected PTSD. The record contains numerous positive and negative medical opinions addressing this question. In February 2020, a VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is less likely than not cause by or the result of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. However, the examiner cited to a medical journal article supporting the opposite conclusion. This article notes that a critical review of the literature supports an association between PTSD and sleep disordered breathing in both combat-related and non-combat-related PTSD. Furthermore, the examiner only cited to this article and did not address the Veteran's lay statements in reaching his opinion. Accordingly, the Board finds that the examiner's opinion is inadequate and has no probative weight. However, the Board affords some probative weight to the treatise evidence cited to by the examiner, as it directly addresses the relationship of PTSD to obstructive sleep apnea. Treating records also include a notation from a doctor in July 2020, who concluded that sleep apnea is a physical condition that is not caused by PTSD. However, this doctor provided no rationale to support his conclusion. Furthermore, the medical literature cited to by the April 2020 psychologist indicates that there is indeed a relationship between the two. Accordingly, the Board finds that this opinion is inadequate and affords it no probative weight. Additionally, a September 2020 VA examiner offered a negative nexus opinion on the basis of direct service connection. However, the examiner did not offer an opinion as to whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by or aggravated by her service-connected PTSD. Accordingly, the Board finds that this opinion is inadequate and affords it no probative weight. Contrary to these opinions, a private psychologist offered a positive opinion in April 2020. The psychologist concluded that the Veteran's sleep apnea more likely than not is related to her service-connected PTSD. In support of this conclusion, the psychologist cited to peer-reviewed scientific studies showing a connection between anxiety, PTSD, and sleep apnea. Additionally, the psychologist indicated that the Veteran is positive for only two predisposing risk factors for sleep apnea, being African American and obese. Ruling out other factors for obstructive sleep apnea, such as gender and medical history of deviated septum, stroke, congenital deformity, or chronic diseases of the nose, the psychologist concluded that it is more likely than not that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by her PTSD. This opinion is thorough and is supported by a complete rationale. It was based on an interview with the Veteran, a review of her medical records, and a review of the medical literature. Accordingly, the Board finds that it is highly probative and affords it significant weight. Another positive opinion was offered by a private psychiatrist in August 2020. This psychiatrist concluded that that the Veteran developed obstructive sleep apnea due to two phenomena. First, she noted that PTSD itself leads to disrupted sleep architecture, promotes sleep disordered breathing, and causes neurophysiological changes within the body. Second, she indicated that the Veteran's obesity with progressive weight gain has played a role in the development of obstructive sleep apnea. With respect to the former, she noted that PTSD causes nightmares and disorder breathing during sleep and having the condition itself has led to physiological changes in the Veteran that developed into obstructive sleep apnea. Additionally, the psychiatrist cited to peer-reviewed scientific studies that supports a connection between PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea. This opinion is thorough and is supported by a complete rationale. It was based on an interview with the Veteran, a review of her medical records, and a review of the medical literature. Accordingly, the Board finds that it is highly probative and affords it significant weight. In sum, the most probative evidence of record, the two private positive opinion and medical literature cited to by the February 2020 VA examiner and two private doctors, demonstrates that the criteria for entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to the Veteran's PTSD have been established. GAYLE STROMMEN Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board T. Beech, Associate Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.

I am the sole founder of HadIt.com. There is some confusion on the web, and I want to clarify that. Founder of HadIt.com Theresa M. Aldrich "Tbird" Any claims to be the founder or involved in the founding or planning of HadIt.com other than myself, Theresa M. Aldrich, "Tbird HadItcom," are false. There has never been a staff. There has always been just me, Theresa M. Aldrich "Tbird" Navy veteran—other than a few volunteer moderators on our discussion forum. I have done all the work on the site, including design, research, writing, graphics, marketing, social media, SEO, and more. It has been my life's work for over 27 years. In 2023, I gifted the site to a nonprofit set up to keep HadIt.com Online. I still act as a board member, provide guidance, and do much of the work until we find some folks to volunteer. I also have a few projects I want to finish up. So I'll be in the background advising the new owner, Rattler, and helping where possible.

Sorry, I missed you. I will try again tomorrow.

Tommy Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Tbirds Chit Chat Time: Feb 19, 2024 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82913947888?pwd=mbg4LFHBbw5pV8M71pzW9WGmRv0baM.1 Meeting ID: 829 1394 7888 Passcode: 1o725y --- One tap mobile +13092053325,,82913947888#,,,,*931770# US +13126266799,,82913947888#,,,,*931770# US (Chicago) --- Dial by your location • +1 309 205 3325 US • +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) • +1 646 931 3860 US • +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) • +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) • +1 305 224 1968 US • +1 689 278 1000 US • +1 719 359 4580 US • +1 253 205 0468 US • +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) • +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) • +1 360 209 5623 US • +1 386 347 5053 US • +1 507 473 4847 US • +1 564 217 2000 US • +1 669 444 9171 US • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 829 1394 7888 Passcode: 931770 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/ktKasjGIv

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ABtyd4tqFXgqa045rWAsSzbl0z_APTqq4yrsTUYGntaE1%40thread.tacv2/1707143581854?context={"Tid"%3A"09287ae3-b8f8-40c6-94c6-9e607e9c39fd"%2C"Oid"%3A"46502ac4-1b14-4863-b4d5-9ca568a0dc71"}

A member was opening old posts and replying to them to advertise his website, and everyone would see because the post would go to the top of the unread content. That is an abuse of our linking policy. If someone wants to advertise, they need to pay for advertising, not disrupt the community by trying to steal traffic from us. It's been dealt with.

The email you received explained it. It is quoted below for your reference. asked and answered Locked

Added the regulation to be helpful. Didn’t mean to cause a stir and didn’t realize I had posted already.

@Dustoff1970 Thank you.

Not sure what is going on with the 2022 post showing up in the unread and no responses from 2022 to 2024, I’ll do some research.

It does help! Thank you!

@Navy_Vet I am sorry you were attacked. That is unacceptable. We have such a large active community so I don't see every post.