You've Served, Now Let the VA Serve You

You served your country. Now claim the benefits you earned, without the confusion.

Thousands of veterans never apply for benefits they qualify for. Others give up after a denial, miss a deadline that costs them months of back pay, or pay for help that should have been free. You've Served - Now Let the VA Serve You is a plain-language guide that walks you through the VA system one step at a time, so you can stop guessing and start filing.

In this updated Second Edition, you'll learn how to:

• File an Intent to File today and protect your effective date, even before your paperwork is ready
• Build a disability claim with your DD214, medical records and buddy statements, and know what to expect at your C&P exam
• Write a strong personal statement, using sample statements for PTSD and a back injury that you can adapt
• Understand disability ratings, combined ratings, TDIU and Special Monthly Compensation
• Enroll in VA health care and mental health services, including care available even without a disability rating
• Use the GI Bill, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), VA home loans and adaptive housing grants
• Appeal a denial through Higher-Level Review, a Supplemental Claim or a Board Appeal
• Avoid the common mistakes that delay or sink claims
• Find free, accredited help from Veterans Service Officers, county offices and legal aid

Checklists throughout and quick-reference appendices for VA forms and phone numbers put everything in one place. It's written for veterans, for service members preparing to separate, and for the spouses and family members who help them.

You've done your part. Let's make sure the VA does theirs.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.