526EZ Navigator — Your Claim, Built Right

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  DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) Your most essential document. Shows service dates, branch, MOS/AFSC, and character of discharge. If lost, request via the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) at archives.gov/veterans.
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  Social Security Number (SSN) / VA File Number Required to identify your VA records. Have your SSN card or a document showing your full SSN on hand.
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  Service Treatment Records (STRs) In-service medical records documenting injuries, illnesses, and treatments while on active duty. Request from NPRC if you don't have copies. VA will also attempt to retrieve these.
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  Current Medical Records / Diagnosis Documentation Records from your current treating physician confirming your diagnosis. A current diagnosis is a required element of every service-connection claim under 38 CFR 3.303.
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  VA Medical Records (if you use VA health care) VA will automatically retrieve its own records if you authorize it (VA Form 21-4142). List the specific VA facilities you've attended and approximate dates of treatment.
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  Private Medical Records (non-VA doctors, hospitals, specialists) Provide copies or complete VA Form 21-4142/4142a to authorize release. Private records showing diagnosis and treatment history are powerful supporting evidence.
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  Nexus Letter (if obtainable) A letter from a doctor, preferably a specialist, stating that your current condition is "at least as likely as not" related to your military service. Not required, but extremely helpful for direct service connection claims.
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  Buddy Statements / Lay Witness Statements Written statements from fellow service members, family, or friends who can attest to your in-service incident or continuity of symptoms since service. Use VA Form 21-10210 or plain paper (signed/dated).
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  Deployment / Assignment Records Orders, unit histories, or deployment documentation showing you were in a specific theater or location (e.g., Southwest Asia, Vietnam, Korea). Especially important for presumptive claims.
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  PTSD Stressor Documentation (if claiming PTSD) For combat PTSD, your DD-214 showing deployment is often sufficient. For non-combat PTSD or MST, you may need additional documentation (see Step 6).
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  Direct Deposit Information Routing number and account number (checking or savings) for your bank or credit union. VA pays compensation via direct deposit.

Under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act (VCAA) and 38 CFR 3.159, the VA has a legal duty to assist you — but only after you file a complete claim. VA must:

• Notify you of the information and evidence needed to substantiate your claim
• Assist in obtaining evidence, including VA medical records and service records
• Schedule a Compensation & Pension (C&P) examination if it is necessary to decide your claim

However, private medical records require your authorization — VA cannot obtain those without your Form 21-4142 release. Submitting records yourself is always faster than waiting for VA to request them.

List all periods of active duty service, including periods of National Guard or Reserve service that included federal activation (e.g., deployment orders under Title 10). Include:

• Entry date (first day of active duty)
• Separation date (last day of active duty)
• Branch of service (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force)
• Character of discharge (Honorable, General Under Honorable Conditions, etc.)

The following designations may qualify you for additional benefits or simplified evidence requirements:

VA uses your duty locations and unit assignments to verify:

• Whether you were in a presumptive exposure area (Vietnam for Agent Orange, Southwest Asia for burn pit/Gulf War, etc.)
• Whether your claimed in-service event is consistent with your unit's history (corroboration for PTSD stressor)
• Whether you were exposed to specific hazards (radiation, chemical agents, contaminated water)

Note your primary duty stations, overseas deployments, and MOS/AFSC/Rating on a separate sheet — you will reference these in your personal statement (Step 5).

Use specific, medically accurate names where possible. VA's rating system (38 CFR Part 4, the "VASRD") organizes conditions by diagnostic code — using the correct medical term helps VA find the right rating criteria for your condition.

If you do not know the medical term, write the best description you can — VA will often interpret it broadly in your favor. But ask your doctor for the formal diagnosis before submitting.

For each condition you claim, mentally verify that you have evidence addressing all three elements:

This means you do not need to prove your claim beyond a doubt — you just need to tip the scales to 50/50 or better. Your personal statement, combined with any supporting medical evidence, can create that balance. Use the phrase "at least as likely as not" explicitly in your statement.

A well-crafted personal statement addresses all five of these elements. Click each accordion to learn what to include.

Use this template for a condition directly caused by something that happened during your military service. Replace all HIGHLIGHTED PLACEHOLDERS with your specific information.

Use this template when you are claiming a new condition that was caused or made worse by an already service-connected condition. Under 38 CFR 3.310, this is a strong and often overlooked basis for claims.

Use this when you had a condition before service, and military service made it permanently worse beyond its natural progression. Under 38 CFR 3.306, the VA must presume aggravation unless it can clearly show the worsening was due to the natural course of the condition.

Example: Lower Back Condition

Example: Knee Condition

• Write in first person. "I experienced…" "I was treated at…" "I believe…"
• Be specific with dates, locations, and units. Vagueness invites denial. Even "approximately summer 2004" is better than no date.
• Use medical terms for your diagnosis, plain language for your symptoms. "I was diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation (lower back disc damage)" covers both bases.
• Always include the nexus phrase "at least as likely as not" — this is not optional language. It is the legal threshold.
• Describe functional impact. Rating levels (0%, 10%, 30%, etc.) depend on how your condition limits your ability to function. Document it explicitly.
• Be honest but thorough. Do not exaggerate — VA C&P examiners are skilled at identifying inconsistencies. But do not minimize your symptoms either. Describe your worst days, not your best.
• Address flare-ups. Many conditions are rated based on frequency and severity of flare-ups. Note how often they occur, how long they last, and what symptoms appear during a flare.
• Sign and date every statement. Unsigned statements may not be considered.

Special Stressor Categories

Required Additional Form: VA Form 21-0781

For PTSD claims, you should complete VA Form 21-0781 (Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD) in addition to the 526EZ. This form asks you to describe your in-service stressor(s). You are not required to provide excessive detail — you may describe the nature of the event without graphic specifics if doing so would be retraumatizing.

For MST-related PTSD, use VA Form 21-0781a instead. MST survivors are not required to identify the perpetrator, report the incident to law enforcement, or provide any specific type of evidence.

TBI claims are rated under 38 CFR 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8045. TBI is evaluated based on its residual symptoms — meaning you may be able to claim both the TBI itself and specific residuals (headaches, cognitive impairment, PTSD, sleep problems, etc.) separately.

Common TBI Residuals to Claim Separately:

• Chronic headaches / migraines (DC 8100)
• Cognitive impairment — memory, attention, processing speed (DC 8045)
• Sleep disturbance / insomnia
• Sensory deficits — visual, auditory, vestibular
• Emotional/behavioral changes (irritability, depression, anxiety)
• Seizure disorder (post-traumatic epilepsy)

A "presumptive" service connection means VA automatically accepts that a specific condition is related to your service if you meet the service criteria — no nexus letter, no personal statement establishing causation required. You still need a current medical diagnosis.

If you served in Vietnam, Thailand, certain Pacific Islands, the Korean DMZ, or other locations where herbicides were sprayed, you may qualify for Agent Orange presumptives.

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 established presumptive service connection for veterans exposed to burn pits, particulate matter, and other airborne hazards during post-9/11 service.

PACT Act Presumptive Respiratory & Other Conditions

The following conditions are presumptively connected for veterans with qualifying burn pit/airborne hazard exposure:

• Constrictive bronchiolitis / obliterative bronchiolitis
• Constrictive/obliterative bronchiolitis
• Head cancer (skull, face)
• Neck cancer
• Respiratory cancers (larynx, trachea, bronchus, lung)
• Reproductive cancers (male and female)
• Melanoma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Other specified cancers under PACT Act expansion
• Glioblastoma and other malignant brain tumors
• Gastrointestinal cancers (esophageal, stomach, small intestine, colon)
• Lymphatic cancer (including Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma)
• Urinary cancer (including bladder cancer)
• Endocrine cancer (thyroid)

Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990 to present may qualify for presumptive service connection for "medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness" — known as Gulf War illness or Gulf War syndrome.

Common Gulf War Illness Symptoms Cluster

• Chronic fatigue (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
• Functional gastrointestinal disorders (irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia)
• Fibromyalgia
• Undiagnosed illness with symptoms in specific organ systems
• Neurological conditions (headaches, cognitive impairment, peripheral neuropathy)

Veterans (and their family members) who resided or worked at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 may be eligible for presumptive service connection for any of 15 specified conditions related to contaminated drinking water.

Qualifying conditions include: Bladder cancer, Kidney cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Leukemia, Multiple myeloma, Parkinson's disease, Aplastic anemia, Neurobehavioral effects, Hepatic steatosis, Miscarriage, Female infertility, Scleroderma, Esophageal cancer, Breast cancer, Lung cancer, and others.

File using the 526EZ and indicate Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure in Section VI. No nexus letter is required for the listed conditions.

VA cannot obtain your private medical records (non-VA doctors, private hospitals, specialists) without your written authorization. Complete VA Form 21-4142 (Authorization to Disclose Information to the VA) and list each private provider.

Also complete VA Form 21-4142a (General Release for Medical Provider Information) for any additional providers. Submit with your 526EZ.

Fellow service members, family members, and friends who can attest to your in-service incident or the continuous nature of your symptoms are valuable lay witnesses. Their written statements are legitimate evidence under 38 CFR 3.303.

What a Good Buddy Statement Includes:

• The writer's relationship to you and how long they have known you
• Their direct, first-hand knowledge of your in-service event (if they witnessed it), or of your symptoms since service
• Specific observations — "I observed [Name] limping after ruck marches," "He/she declined social invitations due to pain," "I noticed personality changes upon return from deployment"
• The statement must be signed, dated, and include the writer's contact information

When filing the 526EZ, you choose between two tracks:

Qualifying Ratings for TDIU

File VA Form 21-8940 (Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability) along with your 526EZ (or separately if you are already service connected). On the 526EZ itself, check the box indicating you are unable to work due to service-connected conditions.

Information VA Will Request on Form 21-8940:

• Work history for the past 5 years
• Date you last worked full-time
• Why you stopped working (which conditions, specific limitations)
• Employer information (current or most recent)
• Education level

VA pays all compensation by direct deposit (electronic funds transfer). Have your bank information ready:

• Account type — Checking or Savings
• Routing number — 9-digit number found at the bottom left of a check
• Account number — Your bank account number (not debit card number)

Certain situations qualify your claim for priority processing — expedited handling by VA. Check all that apply on Section VIII of the form:

1. Claim Received (Day 1): VA assigns a claim number and sends written acknowledgment.
2. Initial Review: VA verifies your service and determines what evidence is needed.
3. Evidence Gathering: VA requests records it is responsible for (STRs, VA medical records); you submit private records via 21-4142.
4. Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exam: VA may schedule an independent medical examination to evaluate your claimed conditions. Attending is critical — missing a C&P exam without rescheduling can result in a claim denial.
5. Rating Decision: A VA rater reviews all evidence and issues a rating decision letter. Processing typically takes 3–6 months but can vary widely.
6. Notification: VA sends you a rating decision explaining each claimed condition, the assigned rating, and the reasons for the decision.

A denial is not the end. Most veterans who pursue appeals ultimately receive benefits. You have several paths:

• VA.gov: va.gov — file claims, check status, manage benefits
• VA Benefits Hotline: 1-800-827-1000 (Mon–Fri, 8 AM – 9 PM ET)
• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then Press 1 (24/7)
• eBenefits: ebenefits.va.gov — access to many VA services
• MyHealtheVet: myhealth.va.gov — VA medical records and appointments
• National Personnel Records Center: archives.gov/veterans — request service records
• Calumet County Claims Assistance: Contact your state Veterans Affairs office for local help