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Additional Notes
Full Body Inventory
Full Body Inventory
As veterans, we get used to pushing through. We normalize pain, stiffness, ringing in the ears, bad sleep, headaches, breathing problems, and the small things that slowly become part of daily life. But “normal to you” does not mean normal. This step is about slowing down long enough to take an honest head-to-toe inventory of what has changed.
Head and Face
Think about headaches, migraines, scalp scars, hair loss from injury, vision changes, dry eye, floaters, light sensitivity, tinnitus, hearing loss, vertigo, chronic sinus issues, jaw pain, TMJ, dental damage, numbness, or facial nerve pain.
Neck, Shoulders, and Back
Think about stiffness, reduced range of motion, clicking, grinding, pain turning your head, pain raising your arms, upper back tightness, lower back pain, bending trouble, twisting pain, and pain that shoots into the arms or legs.
Arms and Hands
Think about elbow pain, wrist pain, numbness, tingling, grip weakness, dropping objects, hand fatigue, and limited motion during work, typing, lifting, or repetitive use.
Chest and Internal Systems
Think about shortness of breath, asthma, chronic bronchitis, reflux, stomach pain, IBS, high blood pressure, chest tightness, sleep-related breathing issues, and any heart-related symptoms that started or worsened during service.
Hips, Legs, Knees, Ankles, and Feet
Think about hip pain, numbness, weakness, knee clicking, instability, stair pain, ankle rolling, plantar fasciitis, burning, neuropathy, and pain with standing or walking.
Skin and Scars
Look at your full body. Think about scars from injuries, surgeries, burns, rashes, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin changes that developed during or after service. Document every area.
The Aches and Pain Journal
- What happened? Sharp pain, ringing, numbness, flashback, headache, breathing issue, or flare-up.
- When did it happen? Write the date and time.
- What were you doing? Sitting, driving, sleeping, lifting, working, climbing stairs, or trying to relax.
- How bad was it? Rate it in plain language or on a 1–10 scale.
- How did it affect function? Had to stop, slow down, lie down, leave work, change position, or avoid the activity.
Body-Region Guide
Mental Assessment
This is, for many veterans, the single highest hurdle in the entire claims process. The fear you felt about not having a perfect paper trail is not just common; it is practically universal.
Military culture, for better or worse, trains us to internalize our struggles. We are told, directly or indirectly, “Don’t go to Mental Health,” “Suck it up,” and “Don’t let this ruin your career.” So, you did what you were trained to do: you kept it secret.
The VA understands this. The C&P examiners who will assess you have heard this story thousands of times. Now, your mission is to unlearn that training for a little while and provide the evidence in a different way.
1. Become an Expert on Your Own Symptoms
Your memory and current experiences are your most powerful evidence. Grab a notebook and start writing. Do not judge what you write down; just get it out.
Are you constantly irritable or angry? Do you have sudden mood swings? Do you feel numb or disconnected from others? Do you feel persistent sadness, guilt, or hopelessness?
Do you feel constantly on edge or “keyed up”? Do you have panic attacks? Do you avoid certain places or situations? Do you have an exaggerated startle response?
Do you have unwanted, intrusive memories of the event? Do you have vivid flashbacks where it feels like it is happening all over again?
Do you have trouble concentrating or focusing? Do you have memory problems, especially related to the traumatic event?
2. Track Your Day-to-Day Struggles (The “Functional Impairment”)
The VA needs to know how your condition affects your life. For one week, keep a simple log.
Monday: Took me two hours to fall asleep because my mind was racing. Woke up at 2 a.m. in a cold sweat from a nightmare about the convoy attack. Could not get back to sleep for another hour.
Felt exhausted and irritable when I woke up. Snapped at my wife when she asked what I wanted for breakfast. Had to sit in my car for 10 minutes to calm down before walking into work.
During the morning meeting, I completely lost focus and could not remember what my boss asked me to do. Felt a wave of anxiety when a car backfired outside. Had plans to go to my son’s baseball game, but the thought of the crowd was too much. I stayed home instead and felt guilty all night.
3. Gather Evidence of the “Stressor” Event
- Police or Military Police reports
- Buddy Statements (crucial for MST or combat events that were not officially documented)
- Combat awards or deployment orders to a hostile area
The Biggest Hurdle: Overcoming Your Training
The hardest part is giving yourself permission to be honest.
For years, your survival and career success depended on keeping this information locked away. Admitting it now can feel like a betrayal of your training, a sign of weakness, or a breach of your own pride.
Remind yourself the examiner is not there to judge you. They are a clinician whose job is to listen, document what you say, and compare it to the diagnostic criteria for conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
That is it. They are a temporary, neutral tool in your process.
You will walk out of that room and likely never see them again, but the information you provide in that hour can impact the rest of your life. Do not let a lifetime of support be blocked by one hour of discomfort.
GRID LAYER ONLINE // SCANNER RUNNING
Mission Briefing
Mission Briefing
Think of yourself as a detective building a case for your own well-being. This step is where you gather the foundational evidence. The goal is to draw a clear line from your time in the military to the health condition you have today. The more specific you can be, the stronger your case will be. For every single condition on your list, you need to brainstorm and try to answer the core question: “How is this related to my military service?”
These are for injuries or conditions that started because of a single, memorable incident.
- Accidents: Were you in a vehicle accident, on or off base? Did you fall from a truck, downstairs, or off a piece of equipment?
- Training Incidents: Did something happen during Physical Training (PT)? Did you injure yourself on an obstacle course? Was there an incident at the rifle range or during combative (hand-to-hand combat) training?
- Combat or Field Operations: Were you near an IED blast? Did you take a hard fall during a patrol? Did you have to carry a fellow soldier or heavy equipment, causing a strain?
- Non-Combat Injuries: Did you get hurt playing sports for your unit’s team? Did you slip on a wet floor in the barracks or dining facility?
Many conditions are not from a single event, but from the slow grind of your daily duties. This is especially important for joint pain, back problems, and hearing loss.
- What was your MOS / AFSC (your job)?
- Infantry / Special Operations: Did you regularly carry heavy rucksacks? How much did they weigh? Did you do dozens of parachute jumps?
- Aviation / Flight Line: Were you constantly exposed to jet fuel, exhaust, and deafening noise? Were you an aircraft mechanic using vibrating tools all day?
- Mechanic / Maintenance: Were you always on your feet on hard concrete? Were you exposed to solvents, grease, and other chemicals? Did you lift heavy parts and tires?
- Artillery / Armor: Were you exposed to repeated blasts and concussive forces? Were you cramped inside a vehicle for long hours?
- Medical Personnel: Did you have to lift and move patients, causing back strain?
- Desk Job / Admin: Did you develop back or neck pain from sitting in a poor chair for 8+ hours a day? Did you develop carpal tunnel from constant typing?
These are for conditions that appeared over time, including mental health and illnesses.
- Mental Health (PTSD, Anxiety, Depression): When did you start feeling different? Was it after a specific deployment? Was it due to the high stress of your job? Was it related to a specific traumatic event, even if you were not physically injured? Did you experience military sexual trauma (MST)?
- Illnesses (for example, skin conditions, respiratory issues): Did you serve in a location with burn pits? Were you exposed to Agent Orange, contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, or other toxins? Did you start having breathing problems after a deployment to the desert?
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears): When did you first notice the ringing? Was it after a loud event like a gunshot or explosion, or did it just gradually appear after years on the flight line or at the range?
- Personal Life in the Military: Did you go through a traumatic event while in service, such as the loss of a child or a difficult divorce, that led to a mental health condition? Yes, this can be service-connected if the stressor occurred during your service.
It is completely normal not to remember the exact date and time of an injury from 5, 10, or 20 years ago. Do not let this stop you.
- Write Down What You Do Know: Even if it is vague, write it down. For example: “My left knee started hurting sometime during my first deployment to Iraq in 2007. I do not remember a single event, but I remember it aching after long patrols.”
- Use “Before and After” Logic: If you cannot pinpoint the event, describe the change. “Before I joined the Army, I could run for miles without any issue. After my four years as an infantryman, I can barely run a single mile without sharp pain in my knees and back.”
- Talk to Your Buddies: This is where a Buddy Statement becomes incredibly powerful. Call, text, or email a friend you served with. Ask them, “Hey, do you remember when I messed up my shoulder during that training exercise at Fort Polk?” Their memory might fill in the gaps for you.
- Look Through Your Records: Sometimes a clue is hidden in your old performance reports (EPRs / OERs / NCOERs) that mention a specific project or deployment. Old photos or letters can also jog your memory.
The VA needs to understand the real-world consequences of your condition. They call this “functional impairment,” and it is how they measure the severity of your disability. You cannot just say, “my back hurts.” You have to paint a picture of how that back pain steals your quality of life.
This category is about how your condition affects your ability to be the partner, parent, and family member you want to be.
- Spouse / partner: “Because of my disability, how has my relationship changed?”
- Does your pain, anxiety, or medication affect your ability to be intimate? This is a direct factor for many ratings.
- Can you no longer go on long walks, dance, or do other activities you once enjoyed together?
- Does your irritability or depression cause arguments or emotional distance?
- Has your partner had to take on more household chores or responsibilities because you are physically unable?
- Children: “Because of my disability, how has my ability to be a parent been affected?”
- Can you no longer get on the floor to play with them?
- Can you not lift them up?
- Does your pain or fatigue prevent you from coaching their sports team or attending their school events?
- Does your PTSD or anxiety make you less patient or emotionally available?
This is about how your condition isolates you and takes away the things you do for joy and relaxation.
“Because of my disability, what have I stopped doing?”
- Have you given up hobbies like hunting, fishing, working on cars, or playing sports because of physical pain or limitations?
- Do you avoid going to restaurants, concerts, or parties because of anxiety in crowds, loud noises (tinnitus), or the inability to sit or stand for long?
- Has your circle of friends shrunk because you constantly have to turn down invitations?
- Does your depression make you feel like you have no energy to socialize?
This category measures how your condition impacts your ability to earn a living and perform your job duties.
“Because of my disability, how has my work life been impacted?”
- Have you had to take a lower-paying job because it was less physically demanding?
- Do you frequently miss work for doctor’s appointments or on bad days?
- Are you less productive at work? Do you need help with tasks you used to do alone?
- Have you been passed over for promotions because you cannot handle the extra duties or travel?
- Does your lack of sleep or focus cause you to make mistakes?
This is about the fundamental tasks of self-care and how your primary condition affects your mental state.
- “Because of my physical disability, how has my mental health suffered?”
- Does your chronic pain make you feel depressed, hopeless, or irritable?
- Does the constant ringing from tinnitus cause anxiety or make it hard to focus?
- “Because of my disability, how are basic daily tasks affected?”
- Does it hurt to do simple things like shower, get dressed, put on socks, or cook a meal?
- Do you struggle with personal hygiene on days when your depression is severe?
- Are you unable to do household chores like laundry, vacuuming, or mowing the lawn?
This must be done for each and every claimed condition. Create a statement for each one. Follow this simple formula:
- The condition: “My service-connected tinnitus...”
- The limitation: “...causes a constant, high-pitched ringing in my ears that makes it difficult to concentrate in quiet environments.”
- The real-world impact: “Because of this, I struggle during meetings at work and have been reprimanded for not paying attention. It also makes it nearly impossible for me to fall asleep at night, leading to chronic fatigue and irritability with my family the next day.”
Before starting this process, I always thought that it had to be something cut and dry to be service connected. In my mind, it went something like this: you fell off the top of a Humvee while on a mission in the desert = service connected.
When doing my research on claims and how I should file mine, I found that there are different types of service connection.
This is the most straightforward type of service connection. It applies when a veteran’s current disability is a direct result of an injury, illness, or event that occurred during active military service. This could include incidents in training, accidents, combat deployments, or job-related stress. For instance, if a veteran develops Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from experiencing rocket and mortar attacks during a combat deployment, the PTSD is directly linked to military service.
A secondary service connection is established when a new disability develops because of a condition that is already service connected. According to 38 CFR § 3.310, if a service-connected disability causes or aggravates another condition, the second condition can also be service-connected.
For example, a veteran with service-connected tinnitus might develop migraine headaches as a result. In this case, migraines can be claimed as a secondary condition. To establish a secondary service connection, a showing of causation is required, meaning the veteran must prove that the new disability is caused or worsened by the primary service-connected condition.
A common example is sleep apnea developing secondary to PTSD. The hypervigilance and disrupted sleep patterns associated with PTSD can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea. Similarly, chronic pain from a service-connected injury can lead to mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, which can then be considered secondary conditions.
A Nexus Letter is highly recommended for secondary VA claims to help you prove a primary and or secondary service connection under the law. There is a section on the AFL website that goes into further detail on Nexus Letters and Buddy Statements.
Certain disabilities are presumed to be caused by military service if they meet specific criteria set by Congress. This means the veteran does not need to provide direct evidence linking the disability to service.
Examples of presumptive conditions include certain chronic diseases, diseases related to radiation exposure, and conditions associated with herbicide agents, service in the Persian Gulf War, or at Camp Lejeune. The specific diseases and criteria are detailed in 38 CFR § 3.309.
There is a section on the AFL website that goes into further detail for the PACT Act.
This type of service connection applies when a pre-existing condition is worsened by military service.
For example, a veteran who had flat feet before entering the military may find that wearing military boots and prolonged standing worsens the condition, leading to plantar fasciitis. This aggravation can be considered for disability compensation.
Additionally, a service-connected condition can aggravate a non-service-connected condition. For instance, if a veteran has a service-connected knee injury that worsens a non-service-connected back problem, they may be able to get service connection for their back based on aggravation. However, it must be proven that the condition was worsened beyond its natural progression by military service.
This type of service connection is for disabilities or death that result from VA medical care, treatment, or vocational rehabilitation. If a veteran is injured or their condition worsens due to VA hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, or participation in a VA program, they may be eligible for compensation under this statute. This type of claim is less common and requires proof of VA fault or an unforeseen event.
Often overlooked, because it may not have happened in the service but is now a problem, are secondary conditions.
The most common secondary disabilities are related to primary conditions such as PTSD, back pain, diabetes, and tinnitus. This is not an all-inclusive list.
These can include sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, migraines, hypertension, nerve damage (radiculopathy), GERD, and erectile dysfunction (ED). These secondary issues arise when a service-connected problem disrupts normal bodily functions or mental states. For example, PTSD can lead to sleep apnea, or back problems can cause nerve pain.
- Mental Health Conditions (PTSD, Anxiety, Depression)
- Sleep Apnea — frequently secondary to PTSD
- Hypertension — another common secondary condition to PTSD, anxiety, or depression
- Migraines — can be triggered or worsened by PTSD and other mental health conditions
- GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) — stress and medications for mental health conditions can lead to digestive issues like GERD
- Substance Abuse — may develop as a way of coping with a mental health condition
- Back Pain and Spinal Issues
- Radiculopathy (Nerve Pain) — a common secondary condition to back injuries, where nerve damage causes pain, numbness, or tingling in the limbs
- Hip, Knee, and Ankle Problems — changes in gait due to back pain can strain other joints
- Sciatica — a specific type of radiculopathy that affects the sciatic nerve
- Peripheral Neuropathy — another type of nerve damage that can be secondary to back problems
- Diabetes (Type 2)
- Peripheral Neuropathy — a common complication of diabetes, causing nerve damage in the extremities
- Erectile Dysfunction (ED) — diabetes can affect blood flow and nerve function, leading to ED
- Kidney Issues — diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease
- Vision Problems — diabetic retinopathy is a common complication that can affect vision
- Tinnitus
- Hearing Loss — often paired with tinnitus, as both can be caused by damage to the auditory system
- Migraines — tinnitus can trigger or worsen migraines
- Balance Disorders — conditions like Meniere’s disease can include tinnitus and vertigo
- Insomnia — the constant ringing in the ears can make it difficult to sleep
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Migraines — a frequent secondary condition to TBI
- Sleep Apnea — TBI can contribute to the development of sleep apnea
- Balance Issues — vertigo and other balance problems are common after a TBI
- PTSD — TBI and PTSD often co-occur
- Common Secondary Claim Examples
- Sleep Apnea — often claimed as secondary to PTSD or TBI
- Depression / Anxiety — can be secondary to chronic pain or PTSD
- Migraines — often secondary to TBI, neck injuries, or PTSD
- Hypertension — commonly claimed as secondary to PTSD, diabetes, or anxiety
- Radiculopathy — usually secondary to back conditions, such as a pinched spinal nerve
- Erectile Dysfunction (ED) — often secondary to diabetes, prostate issues, or psychological factors like PTSD and depression
Of note: it is not the end of the world if you do not have paperwork for a claim. You can still put a claim in for it.
Current Objective
Draw a clear line from service to condition.
Focus Points
- Specific event or injury
- Job and environment
- Exposure and gradual onset
Field Reminder
Even if you cannot remember the exact date, write down what you do know and use before-and-after logic.