VetStrong Services

03/16/2026

Veterans: You Can Now Schedule Your Own Higher-Level Review Informal Conference

If you requested a Higher-Level Review (HLR) and asked for an informal conference, you can now schedule your call directly online.

During the informal conference, you or your representative can speak directly with the VA reviewer and point out errors in your decision based on the evidence already in your file.

📅 Schedule your conference here:
https://waitwhile.com/locations/droc388/welcome?registration=booking

✔️ Choose a time that works for you
✔️ Speak directly with the VA reviewer
✔️ Explain errors in your VA decision

⚠️ Reminder: No new evidence can be submitted during the conference — it’s only to discuss errors in the existing record.

If you know a fellow Veteran waiting on an HLR informal conference, please share this post so they can schedule their call.

03/13/2026

After reviewing your case, it appears that submitting a Nexus letter may be necessary to help establish a secondary service connection—for example, tinnitus causing or aggravating anxiety, or chronic sinusitis contributing to sleep apnea. Our goal is to ensure you are in the strongest possible position to have your claim approved.

While Nexus letters are provided to you at no cost, they represent an ongoing expense for us as we continue working to help veterans win their claims. If you’d like to pay it forward, please consider making a donation to VetStrong Services. We are an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.

VetStrong Services provides free, expert support to veterans and their families navigating VA disability claims, healthcare enrollment, and survivor benefits.

03/06/2026

VetStrong Services is dedicated to helping veterans access the VA benefits they earned through their service. Our team works directly with veterans and their families to navigate the VA system, advocate for their claims, and ensure they receive the assistance they deserve.

We’re proud to introduce our new website: https://vssbenefits.org

The site provides an easy way for veterans to request world-class assistance accessing VA benefits, and for supporters to help advance our mission. VetStrong Services is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax deductible.

If you or a veteran you know needs help accessing VA benefits, please visit the website to learn more and connect with us. If you would like to support our work helping veterans and their families, you can donate here:

https://vssbenefits.org/support

VetStrong Services provides free, expert support to veterans and their families navigating VA disability claims, healthcare enrollment, and survivor benefits.

03/06/2026

Many veterans receive VA ratings for their primary service-connected condition, but many secondary conditions often go unclaimed or overlooked. Secondary conditions are disabilities that develop as a result of an already service-connected condition, and they can significantly impact your overall health and VA rating.

For example:

• Knee injuries can lead to hip, back, or ankle problems due to changes in gait and weight distribution.
• Chronic pain conditions often contribute to depression or anxiety.
• Tinnitus is frequently linked with migraines, sleep disturbances, and anxiety.
• Orthopedic injuries can lead to radiculopathy (nerve pain) in the arms or legs.
• Diabetes may cause peripheral neuropathy, vision problems, or kidney disease.
• Sleep apnea can contribute to hypertension and heart issues.
• PTSD is commonly associated with sleep apnea, migraines, GERD, IBS, and hypertension.

These connections matter. If a secondary condition is properly documented and linked to a service-connected disability, it may qualify for its own VA rating and increase your overall combined rating.

Many veterans live with symptoms for years without realizing they may qualify as a secondary condition.

If your health has changed because of a service-connected disability, it may be worth taking a closer look at what could be connected.

02/25/2026

If you’re filing a VA disability claim for tinnitus or hearing loss, the Duty MOS Noise Exposure Listing can play a critical role in your case.

When your MOS is listed as having a high or moderate probability of noise exposure, the VA will often concede hazardous noise exposure as the in-service event. That satisfies one of the key elements required for service connection — proof that something happened during your military service that could have caused your condition.

Tinnitus and hearing loss are also unique because they can be established through lay evidence. Veterans are considered competent to report ringing in the ears and decreased hearing, since these are conditions observable without specialized medical training. Your personal statement about when symptoms began and how they have continued since service can carry significant weight.

If your MOS falls into a moderate or high noise category, that listing can help establish the in-service event — and your own credible statements can help connect your current condition to your time in uniform. VetStrong Services is here to help you understand how these pieces fit together in your claim.

02/14/2026

Great news!! Attention AZ Property Owners:

100% service-connected disabled veterans qualify for a full property tax exemption on their primary residence (subject to the statutory cap).
• Veterans with less than 100% disability ratings receive a prorated exemption. A base exemption amount is set in statute and multiplied by the veteran’s VA disability percentage to determine the exemption.
• The home must be the veteran’s primary residence.
• Surviving spouses may continue receiving the exemption as long as they do not remarry and remain in the home as their primary residence.
• The law takes effect immediately and applies to the current tax year.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Thursday signed bipartisan legislation to expand property tax exemptions for disabled veterans.

01/15/2026

My name is Thomas Ghrist. I’m the Founder and Executive Director of VetStrong Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. I’m also a real estate agent serving the Phoenix, AZ area - specializing in helping veterans turn the dream of homeownership into a reality.

VetStrong Services is a mission-driven organization dedicated to strengthening the lives of veterans, service members, and their families. We provide practical support, advocacy, and connection to resources that promote stability, independence, and long-term well-being.

Our services focus on helping veterans navigate complex systems, such as VA Disability Benefits and Healthcare, and overcome barriers that often prevent access to earned benefits.

Through personalized guidance and a veteran-centered approach, VetStrong Services works to ensure no veteran has to face these challenges alone.

We are committed to meeting veterans where they are—honoring their service by delivering reliable support, trusted expertise, and meaningful solutions that help them move forward with strength and confidence.

01/14/2026

The Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is not publicly available. If you would like to review the exact form VA examiners use to evaluate tinnitus and hearing loss, send us a message and we will provide a copy.

Refer to our previous post for tips on how to prepare for your exam.

01/13/2026

Tinnitus C&P Exam: What to Say, What NOT to Say

Why VA Tinnitus Claims Get Denied (and How to Avoid It)

Tinnitus is one of the most common VA claims — and one of the most commonly denied. Most denials aren’t because tinnitus isn’t real. They happen because of how the claim or C&P exam was handled.

Here are the most common reasons we see tinnitus claims denied:

1. No current tinnitus documented on the examiner's report (DBQ)
If the examiner marks that you do not have recurrent tinnitus, VA will deny the claim. Minimizing symptoms or saying “it’s not a big deal” can hurt you.

2. Examiner says tinnitus is less likely than not related to service
This often happens when:

Onset is unclear or inconsistent

The Veteran can’t explain how military noise exposure caused it

The examiner blames aging or post-service noise exposure

3. Inconsistent statements in your records
VA compares what you say at the exam with:

Past medical records

Prior VA exams

Previous claims

If your story changes, credibility becomes an issue.

4. VA does not concede hazardous noise exposure
If VA doesn’t believe your service involved significant noise, tinnitus is harder to grant. This can happen even with non-combat MOS jobs if noise exposure isn’t clearly explained.

5. Tinnitus blamed on a non-service cause - they are looking for something else to blame it on.
Examiners may point to:

Civilian jobs

Recreational noise

Head injuries or ear problems after service

Without evidence tying tinnitus to service, VA usually denies.

6. Veteran minimizes functional impact
Examiners must record how tinnitus affects daily life and work. Saying it doesn’t affect you at all can weaken the claim, even though tinnitus is capped at 10%.

7. VA relies on one negative C&P exam
If the only medical opinion is negative, VA will almost always deny unless the exam is challenged or countered with other evidence.

Bottom line:
Most tinnitus denials are preventable with proper preparation, consistent statements, and a clear explanation of military noise exposure.

At VetStrong Services, we help Veterans understand how VA exams really work — so you don’t lose benefits over avoidable mistakes.

If you have a tinnitus C&P exam coming up or a tinnitus claim denied, reach out before your next move.

01/03/2026

Are you under the impression that a past VA loan foreclosure or short sale permanently disqualified you from using your VA loan again?

• Yes
• No
• I wasn’t sure

Post your answer in the comment section.

Many veterans are surprised to learn that they are STILL eligible with NO down payment.

01/03/2026

Based on the last two posts, were you surprised to learn that your disability was listed as a presumptive condition - linked to the year(s) and location of your military service?

01/03/2026

Presumptive Disabilities – Vietnam & Agent Orange Veterans

Presumptive disabilities are conditions the VA automatically considers service-connected based on where and when a Veteran served. This means the Veteran does not have to prove a direct link between military service and the condition.

The VA concedes Agent Orange exposure for Veterans who served in:
• Vietnam (including inland waterways and qualifying offshore service)
• Thailand (at or near certain military bases)
• Laos
• Cambodia (specific locations)
• Korean DMZ (1 APR 1968 - 31 AUG 1971)
• Guam (9 JAN 1962 - 31 JUL 1980)
• American Samoa (9 JAN 1962 - 31 JUL 1980)
• Johnston Atoll
• Certain C-123 aircraft crews

Common Agent Orange presumptive conditions include diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, prostate cancer, Parkinson’s disease, bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and several cancers and blood disorders.

Many Vietnam-era Veterans are still underrated or denied simply because these presumptions were never applied. If you or a loved one served in one of these locations and has a qualifying condition, it may be worth reviewing the claim to ensure all earned benefits are being received.

This is a FREE SERVICE.