Buddy Statement Or Letter

[carlie]

Has anyone got a good example for this ?

I just finally tracked down a buddy for my friend that needs

this information to show combat -- boy we are both elated !!!

How much weight will be provided to buddy statement or letters.

carlie

[Berta]

GREAT advise from all here-

I agree on the notarization part-as Philip said this reaises the level of authenticity.

One other thing- if the buddy gets SC for the same incident or IED or incoming-etc-they might be willing to tell the VA that.

When a buddy helped a vet I helped-he even put his own C file # into the statement as he got PTSD SC for the same incident.

The vet succeeded in his claim- and so did 3-4 other vets who were all tracked down and were all disabled by the same incident in Vietnam.

The internet has made finding a buddy by far easier than ever.

[carlie]

Let me clarify something,

If the buddy has proof of being in combat

and the buddy can prove in his statement that

you were there with him while the VC were being killed

Will that bring in the rule to be relaxed for Combat Vet/ PTSD ?

BTW - the buddy we have finally gotten hold of does not use VA for anything

has and desires no SC - he was fortunate enough to have become extremely

successful in life.

§ 3.304 Direct service connection; wartime and peacetime.

(d) Combat. Satisfactory lay or other evidence that an injury or disease was incurred or aggravated in combat will be accepted as sufficient proof of service connection if the evidence is consistent with the circumstances, conditions or hardships of such service even though there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation.

[Pete53]

My Dad who graduated from Georgetown University with a Doctor in Law was absolutely ruined by his Wartime experience. We did not know anything about PTSD but he had it in spades. He earned a Bronze Star with Valor and was wounded by shrapnel so he also got a Purple Heart. He never showed me his Bronze Star but he displayed his Purple Heart. He never joined any Service Organizations and only used the VA in his later years. His Purple Heart at that time got him priority service at Houston VARO.

I am sure that the VA knew he had PTSD but they never helped him. I do not consider the VA as doing their job if they know a Veteran should file a claim and they don't help them. I think that part of being a Veteran should be an interview with a Guidance Councilor to help them get earned benefits.

In reality I believe most Veterans are poorly served by the VA

[trailblazer]

I had to get a buddy statment when I filed my claim. I had to prove I was in vietnam. Lucky for me I was able to find two buddies who wrote statments. It was clearly on my records, DD214 and 201 file but va would not accept that as proof of vietnam service. Dealing with the va is like fighting fire with a garden hose in hell, it takes time and a lot of work. Hang in there vets.