Advice please...

[BoatsFFG37]

I don't know how to ask this so I will just post and see how it goes.  I had an experience in service and it stuck with me, I don't want to ask service buddies for a buddy letter (the guys that were actually there are all successful and I feel shame asking them to help me).  I recently post on our ships facebook ( hey you guys remember that time) group and 47 people responded to that post and confirmed the story.  Would the facebook response be good enough for a buddy letter? 

Took me a six pack to build the courage to make this post.  I'm thinking I might just give up on trying to make a claim as its taking so much energy to actually talk about this.

V/R,

Boats

Edited August 18, 2018 by BoatsFFG37

[broncovet]

You posted, 

Quote

 I had an experience in service and it stuck with me,

Well, I had many "experiences" in service, but I currently have no diagnosis, and no symptoms.  While its possible, if you printed something out from facebook (that others had a similar experience), that could serve to prove a stressor, but it wouldnt make no difference if you did not have the other 2 legs of the Caluza Triangle:  

Current diagnosis

Nexus. 

     If you are "in treatment" for this experience and you have a diagnosis by a doctor, then this claim may go somewhere.  But the VA isnt gonna pay you for an "experience that stuck with me", even if 50 other guys wrote a letter that the same thing happened to them.  

     Im gonna guess here you did not include what the experience was for a reason.  You dont have to tell ME what it was, but, if you exepct compensation, you will have to tell your Doctor what it was, and what your symptoms are today.   

Edited August 18, 2018 by broncovet

[Guest L]

@BoatsFFG37 I would think that "Bookface" aka "Facebook" would NOT be a reliable source for any credable statement. It is a social media platform, where any name, within reasons can be utilized - so verification of who is actually on the other end is suspect.... aka "Catfish" 

I suspect that the ppl you served with are more compassionate that you think. 

[Berta]

I would consider that as evidence ( the Facebook post and replies) BUT I bet you could easily contact some of those veterans ,because a buddy statement or two or three is what the VA would really have to consider.

If you want service connection for this incident, you need at least one  eye witness account that  a buddy is willing to describe and then give their contact info to the VA as well, and also tell  VA they were in the same unit, same time, same place. Then the Facebook posts would be probative and compelling "corroborating" evidence.

Why be ashamed of asking if this is what you need to get service connected.

I asked the director's office of my VARO a question I was ashamed to ask- long ago-

it sounded ridiculous  ..

but when I got the answer I Never expected to get- I called my Congressman right away and he called the local VAMC right away and raised Hell with them.

 

 

 

[Buck52]

Also if you can give your lay statment as to when and where the event took place  the VA can check on this as to what you say, from unit reports or unit records that it actually did happen as to what you said in your lay statment.  the date and location of the event  I think they give a 10 day interval  to see that your credible in your lay statment.  And use that as credible evidence.

[Berta]

I dont do Facebook but isn't there a way. like hadit, that you can find their email addys? If they want them public?

My daughter ,a vet, helped  4 or 5 vets corrobrate their stressor many years ago..

One of the vets had already been awarded SC PTSD for  this  same event , same unit, same time and place, and he sent them all a buddy statement with a copy of his VA award letter and also gave the VA his contact info in a buddy letter. 

Oddly enough it was not solely the buddy letter that awarded their claims- it was something else my daughter did for them. .....they all got additional combat awards for what she did. One sent me the newspaper clipping of the DFC he got and a beautiful photo of the Citation/and medal.

 

 

 

 

[BoatsFFG37]

Thank you everyone for your advice...   I think I'm just being silly and need to just talk to the guys that were actually there with me.  Berta- that's a nice story!

V/R,

Boats