Buddy Letters And Combat Or Non Combat Claims

[Cm Burns]

Is using (lay evidence) buddy letters, nexus ect only for combat veterans or does this apply in claims for all vets. I was just reading here on hadit.com/forums about evaluating evidence and making decisions and It says lay evidence is for combat soldiers. Is that they case. I have several buddy letters ect in my claim due to no smr's if thats the case then I amnot getting approved. I worked in a hospital and we say a lot of people hurt in war I never went to a combat site however. We also treated injuries in ftx's done at Ft Stewart. I say ever thing from Hand gradnade injuries to women thrown off balcanies by they active duty husbands.

Any help would be appreciated.

[john999]

Buddy letters are even more important in non combat PTSD claims. Get as many letters as you can describing what incidents you witnessed. If you are a combat vet you often have combat badges. These verify stressors. Non combat PTSD stressor has to be proved with evidence. Buddy letters are evidence.

[Chuck75]

Is using (lay evidence) buddy letters, nexus ect only for combat veterans or does this apply in claims for all vets. I was just reading here on hadit.com/forums about evaluating evidence and making decisions and It says lay evidence is for combat soldiers. Is that they case. I have several buddy letters ect in my claim due to no smr's if thats the case then I amnot getting approved. I worked in a hospital and we say a lot of people hurt in war I never went to a combat site however. We also treated injuries in ftx's done at Ft Stewart. I say ever thing from Hand gradnade injuries to women thrown off balcanies by they active duty husbands.

Any help would be appreciated.

Buddy letters may be necessary when military record evidence is lacking. They can help prove that you were at a certain place and time, or witnessed some event.

The VA will usually try to discount them any way it can. A notarized letter/statement may help if the case goes to appeal. The same general issues exist when non medical professionals

write a letter that is favorable to a claim. The letter writer must be careful to not give an opinion, and just state things that a "layman" might see or understand.

[Hoppy]

I talked to a service officer about this topic yesterday. You should also talk to your service and compare any info you get from a service officer with the info you get here.

The SO told me yesterday that a single buddy letter about stressful events is not winning claims. He said to get as many as you can. This also applys to secondary evidence of a stressor. Secondary evidence includes statements you made to other individuals at the time of the event and their observations of any chamge in behavior in you mood or behavior around the time of the event.

Also statements as to the types of injuries you worked with at the hospital could be used to support your job duties relative to your MOS or other known identification of your actually specialty in the military.

A single letter from someone in your chain of command would really help. If you need help finding active duty members I think there is a process where the military will get a letter to anybody you can remember if they are still on active duty.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Hoppy

[Cm Burns]

I talked to a service officer about this topic yesterday. You should also talk to your service and compare any info you get from a service officer with the info you get here.

The SO told me yesterday that a single buddy letter about stressful events is not winning claims. He said to get as many as you can. This also applys to secondary evidence of a stressor. Secondary evidence includes statements you made to other individuals at the time of the event and their observations of any chamge in behavior in you mood or behavior around the time of the event.

Also statements as to the types of injuries you worked with at the hospital could be used to support your job duties relative to your MOS or other known identification of your actually specialty in the military.

A single letter from someone in your chain of command would really help. If you need help finding active duty members I think there is a process where the military will get a letter to anybody you can remember if they are still on active duty.

my former cast clinic ncoic is listed as a witness. I will ask him for a letter in his own words. he agreed to be a witness but is in school and was unable to get me a letter so i enters a statement in support of cliam listing him. I am waiting on hime now. to contact me back.. i think he is in airborne school

[carlie]

CM,

Here's a link to M21-1MR that you might want to study, especially # 9 on Lay Evidence.

Hope this helps a vet,

http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?/topic/34154-evaluating-evidence-and-making-a-decision/

[Philip Rogers]

Any letters, you get, should be in the form of an affidavit. This is merely a notarized statement that states that this is a true statement and that it is signed under the penalties of perjury. Evidentiary wise, affidavits carry more weight. jmo

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