What you should do right after your initial consult with SOS.

You MUST lean in to this. Seriously.

Take the 4138 we completed for you during your initial consultation and submitted for you and PRINT IT OUT.

HIGHLIGHT all the contentions placed on that 4138.

Call your primary care provider. (VA or private.)

Schedule an appointment to have that provider GIVE YOU A CURRENT DIAGNOSIS for EACH CONDITION and how these relate to your TIME IN SERVICE. (Service connection.) TAKE A WITNESS TO ALL EXAMS,

Now you have a “current diagnosis” with service connection.

This now becomes a “service-connected disability”. (Continuation of symptomology.)

These examinations now become a part of your permanent medical history which VA will obtain as we instructed them to obtain for you.(Remember? You don’t have to curate or provide your records. Truthfully, VA is required to make TWO attempts and advise you of same. If they are unable to obtain records, you will be advised to procure them and provide same to VA.)

Next, start writing your lay letter.

While you wait for the claims docs to arrive from us, please start free flowing your lay statement. Cover from the day of arrival for boot/basic to TODAY.

Essentially, “When I enlisted, I was 100% healthy. Today, and DAILY, I am not. This happened to me, here, there. I was exposed to this chemical, that toxin, that airborne stuff. Everything at my barracks was painted with lead-based paint, the ceiling and floor tiles were constructed with asbestos. I hurt my X while at X location, preforming my duties as an X. I suffer from X, X, X every daily and because of that, my daily quality of life has never been the same.”

Type it up on a word document and email it to us. We will place it on the proper VA form, then return it to you to sign and return to us to submit.

Get it?