Gulf War General Medical Exam C&P

[chamilton]

Hello vets! 

As some of you might remember I put in a claim for lower back (service connected ) Si joint, arthritis and chronic pain back in Sept of 2019. I called the VA to get update and I now have a C&P exam for gulf war medical exam. What is that and why did I get called in for that. I did not serve in the Gulf War I've done 2 pumps 0311 Marines to Iraq. 

Has anyone ever had this exam what is it good or bad what to expect. They said it could take 5 hours. 

Thanks 

Carson 

[broncovet]

I will speculate the VA calls "Iraq" part of the Gulf War.  

There is something called a "presumptive SC" for certain Veterans, and it sounds like you meet that criteria.  I would say its likely good.  

However, your alternatives to going to the C and P exam are "not favorable" to you.  Yea, you could reschedule if you have a conflict, but if you miss a C and P exam, that pretty much means a denial.    It says somewhere in the regulations that you have to cooperate, and I have heard dozens of Vets that missed an exam, and all resulted in a denial.  

So, if you want to persue benefits, go to the exam.  

I suggest you "know what you are going to say".  

First, don't lie about anything.  But do tell the VA how things are "on your worst day".

Example:  You go to the exam and you feel fine that day.  The doc asks, "How are you?"  You

Respond, "Fine, how are you sir?"

Bad idea.  

Much better:

(In response to "how are you?")

    "Better, today, sir.  On Thursday, I  ........(now tell him what happend on Thursday, reminding you that was your worst day.) got in a fight with my wife, police were called...had to go to ER, etc."  

     Remember, use your real examples not mine.  Just tell the doc what happened on a very bad day which happened recently.  If you were sick in bed tell him.  

 

[El Train]

They call it a C&P, but it really is just an examination and questionnaire for you.  Same with burn pit registry exam.  It will be in your VA record.  If you have any of the Gulf War symptoms, then let them know.  I have IBS and Fibromyalgia (catch all diagnosis for wide spread body pain).  Hopefully you don't have to drive to far for this.  But you do want it on record.

[ShrekTheTank]

So I have done this exam before and they will run you through all sorts of tests.  Breathing for burn pits.  They will talk to you about if you had a TBI.  They will try to learn everything which could have happened while you were in the Gulf War.  They will do a blood draw and a lot of other crap. Just be honest like Bronco said above.

you may find you have more issues than you thought