Thank you all for the advice. My background is - Gulf War Vet. Was discharged in 1991. 1992 finally went to VA in Atlanta for chronic sinusitis. Had surgery. Put in pain mess for fever and headaches. Filed claim. Was denied as not SC. Appealed and mom & dad wrote letters saying I never had problems before service in Persian Gulf and disease was related to burn pits and oil fires. Denied again. On and on and more medical evidence, now also secondary sleep apnea and more surgeries. Finally someone told me I needed doc to say more likely than not related to service in the Gulf. Got Dr Bash to write that letter. Re-filled claim denied again. Did not even mention Dr Bash letter and seemed to dismiss it outright. Now at Higher Level review. Not sure why they totally dismissed Dr Bash letter but they did. Hoping HLR overturns as that combined with lay statements from 1996 should be sufficient unless they now dismiss any medical opinions from Dr Bash. Guess I have to wait to see. Was hoping phone call could allow me to make sure they looked at total record from 1992 forward but not sure they will.