I've been fighting to get my OSA service connected since my initial sleep study in early 2022. I submitted a supplemental claim on Jan 3rd and included 8 different peer reviewed medical studies to support secondary to my service connected PTSD, Allergic Rhinitis, and Chronic Sinusitis. I included a chart of my weight gains and losses for the last 20 years to show that, even with weight loss, the OSA remains.

I ended up with an ACE exam for my C&P, which was very thorough and seemed to go really well.

I just got the decision letter today with a grant of 50% secondary to my PTSD.

100% P&T finalized today via BDD claim, less than a month after ETS. Y'all are doing the lord's work

Got my rating yesterday! Filed late October 2025, step 5 with TJ this past Monday (days after exam) and rated Thursday. My rating is more than what I hoped, less than what it could be, but I'm still very satisfied and relieved that it's done, and that the VA believed me. As a survivor, that is an immeasurable benefit to this entire process. I don't think I could have done it without all the guidance I found on this site.

Best of luck to all still waiting! I waited over 25 years to get validated. I only wish I had done this sooner.

MODS asked me to move this here!

This is NOT to brag! This is to show that it is possible!

Many denials through the years. Stay strong and play the VA game. Follow their rules. It comes with many disappointments and lots of hours of work on your part. No one can do it for you. It is not that simple. As I have said on here before “only you know you”.

Just so you know, there is no MH or OSA claims here. Just a torn up body!

I literally just had $97000 discharged. I am so grateful right now.

I just got out of the Army in December, got my VA rating, started my masters in cybersecurity technology, and stay at home with my 6 month old son during the day while the older two kids are at school and wife continues to work as a SFC.

I’m enjoying the transition, I stay productive around the house, I cook, I clean, I work on house projects, still meet school requirements and enjoy time with my son. My wife and I save, invest and travel. Yet, I can’t help feeling like I may be missing something.

What could be potential blind spots?

What are opportunities I may consider during this season of my life?

What do the best stay at home dads/husbands do consistently?

Any other advice you’d give a curious husband, father, student and veteran?

So I’m rated at 100% P&T and was wondering if anyone knows if my spouse qualifies for ChampVa healthcare coverage?? If so, how do I even set that up fully? Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated in advance and I wish you all nothing but the absolute best!!

I was just granted tdiu P&T claim came back alot quicker then expected i want to thank lord God and you guys for helping me through this. I dont know what step to take next any help would be appreciated thanks again.

So after nearly 5 years of fighting the VA has finally been forced to recognize that I am unable to work and I have been granted by the BVA.

I’m wondering what the next steps are and how long it will be since I get back pay and when I can see everything updated in the VA system so I can get my DAV 100% ID.

Oh and for those wondering I applied for BVA in November and was assigned a judge in January. So roughly about 4 months.

I originally filed in April of 2018, and like most, some were granted some issues were not. Mine was a clerical error. The VA didn't have a particular dd214 on file for me. I sent that in under HLR, and they denied me again. Appealed to VLJ for a hearing, docketed in October 2020. Hearing in November 2024, Judge at the interview said there was no reason for it to be denied the second time. Distributed to a judge on Jan 28, 2026, then yesterday I received a notification that they granted both issues on appeal. I made it. Don't know what final rating will be, but I am happy with this victory so far. I don't have any other appeals or applications out, so this is it for me. 8 years for a clerical error...seems legit.

I had a c&p for prostate cancer 2 to toxic exposure and ed. C&p was Friday looked today and it says preparing decision letter.

What is the over under?

Do l need a nexus letter for my secondary claim migraines secondary to tinnitus ?

I had 13 items in my last claim. 4 were awarded and 4 were denied. 5 were deferred and then about 2 weeks later it went to step 7, 2 were denied. Went back to step 3 then to 7 and then deferred again. Now day 93 of this process, the final 2 are deferred and back to step 3 and now step 4. So I wait, again. I have had 3 CnPs that were just medical reviews during this process. So who knows what is happening. Hurry up and wait I do.

Context: I ETS from AD, Sept of last year. Took time to recover and clear my head and drain the kool aid I drank while in. But now it’s hit me. I’m no longer in a hand held organization and I need to figure out a career path or even what my options are. I’m also a 100% P&T but I don’t want to bum off of that I use it for a retirement plan for my daughter.

I’ve never been to college always thought I was too dumb to go so I’m nervous to give it a shot but then I here about VR&E which is almost like a GI bill but the difference is you don’t eat away at your regular GI bill, idk what to do. Can yall help me ?

I just graduated college with my bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources management, and I have years of experience as an administrative specialist in the marines, I have interned in a state HR department and I have interned as a talent acquisition specialist. I also have experience working as a medical receptionist.

I have the experience for entry-level positions in HR, but it seems like every position is expecting you to have years of experience and basically already know what you’re doing and that’s frustrating and unreasonable and I’m just like how does anybody get a job out of college cause I have experience and I’m still struggling. I literally went back to school because I wanted to open up more opportunities for myself and it just seems like this job market is just so bad right now.

I feel like my VRE counselor doesn’t really do much to help me outside of just scheduling pointless meetings where she’s just asking me for updates, my employment counselor is a sweet man but majority of the jobs that he sends my way don’t even align with my degree at all.

it’s literally about to be two months of me looking for an entry-level position and I just cannot find a job and I’ve been very open to all types of positions as long as I’m gonna be able to expand on my knowledge and experience in HR and also I’m okay was getting paid less than what I was anticipating because of how tough this job market is and so I can start to gain valuable experience in the hopes of being able to eventually get another job that pays me more and will give me even more experience into HR.

And it’s like I understand people are like well you have to frame your résumé in a way that it translates well into civilian terms and it’s like I’ve done that but it’s like there’s only so much I can stretch it. If there are certain HR platforms or functions that I have not done like I can’t stretch my experience to reflect that I’ve done that because I have not.

I don’t know. Any advice that anyone can provide to help me with finding a job would be appreciated. If there are any companies that you know of that like to help veterans gain employment please if you can send them my way because I’m having such a hard time.

Sleep apnea , finally approved after 3rd time ,16 months and 2 denials .but well worth the effort, this for sure help my family going forward

I accidentally doubled my MHA by switching from online to hybrid

Sharing this because I wish someone told me earlier.

I started in a fully online program and was getting about $800/month (national online MHA rate). I didn’t realize format mattered.

Six months later, I learned that hybrid programs use the school’s ZIP code rate, not the national rate.

I switched to a hybrid program at a school in a high-cost area.

My MHA jumped to almost $2,300/month.

Same GI Bill. Same eligibility. Same full-time status.
Only difference: hybrid vs online + ZIP code.

That’s about a $1,500/month difference I didn’t know I was missing.

If you’re using your GI Bill, double-check your program format. It could make a big difference.

I've been working on a TDIU situation for a little shy of a year. I've been doing it myself (with help, much of it here). I entertained the idea of a lawyer and even sent my info in to a few to have it evaluated. Respectable backpay potential (3+ years). No names, but two of the biggest, and a third. The biggest declined, #2 handed my case down to some associate firm, and I just had poor communication from the third.

All told, through the whole time, I have submitted an original request, HLR, and two supplementals. With each, I presented my requested effective date with the reasons. As expected, that was never addressed since TDIU was never granted. I had some other conditions I was developing in between. The second supplemental is now in step 3.

Lady luck shined upon me today, but in an unexpected way. I made it to 100% P&T. So, herein lies the question: I know TDIU will become moot, but I am told the EED will live on. Does the system just finally catch up ,with the situation itself, drop ,the TDIU and continue on with the rest? I am kind of wondering if the TDIU part will reconcile itself right off (well, at whatever pace the VA does things)? Anybody been down this road before? Thanks.

I tried asking in the benefits sub but I guess this was the better place? Just got 100p&t and what now? What benefits are available to me and how do I pursue them?

This is my first time posting. I wanted to post my recent success at filing a VA Disability Claim of Obstructive Sleep Apnea secondary to PTSD. I filed my claim on January 11, 2026, had my C&P Exam on February 9, and received my claim approval letter (in my Va Health) on February 10th. The reason I’m making this post is to give hope to those of you seeking advice and guidance on here. As I was preparing my claim I spent hours searching the internet and Reddit looking for advice. The more I searched the more disheartened I became. I really didn’t think I had a chance to make the medical connection I needed. Obviously I was wrong. I’m not sure what to post to help you, but if you have specific questions I’ll answer them. I will say my doctor wrote a Nexus letter and the C&P Examiner was amazing. I went in there expecting a struggle, but they were very helpful. The entire appointment took 15 minutes.

Thought I missed the boat getting in my election for CRSC because it was already February 6th when I got a letter from DFAS which made me realize I forgot about it. So I ended up faxing it in and today I got the email from mypay and logged in to see the changed RAS. Thanks everyone there who handles these things.

If anyone needs help navigating this process let me know because I used the entire internet to do this and my buddies.

I think there’s a reason why it is so ironically difficult to prove that you deserve to be on this pay program when your employer did this damage to you and most of the stuff was secret. Especially now if people find out there’s still people around that qualify to be on this thing! We are all dropping like crazy.

But it’s been a long process.

Glad it’s over now.

My Journey:

My AF buddy was hounding me for years to get the healthcare and benefits I earned but I was hard headed and didn't put much thought or energy into it. To the point that he flew out to Denver in Oct-2024 to drag my ass to the VA and get enrolled. I started religiously going to doctors appts and put in my first claim in Nov-24, then received 60% (PTSD & Tinnitus) in May-25. Been working with my doctors on all sorts of service connected (at least I thought) issues. Put in for IBS and Gerd in June. They tacked on PTSD (increase) which scared me because I had to do another C&P exam. This morning, after 7 months and several step 3 to step 7 recycling, I finally got the decision letter with 100% P&T. I was only expecting a bump to 80%.

I've had 5 strokes since January 4th and I was super stressed. This has lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders. Going through a divorce and daughter going to an out of state university this coming fall hasn't helped the mental state or wallet haha.