Larry Dandridge

More on what veterans should know about nexus letters, VSOs

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By Larry Dandridge


Editor’s note: This article is the second in a series of three.

Some medical specialists are familiar with the nexus letter requirements and understand the VA’s disability review process. When scheduling an appointment with a doctor or specialist, ask about their experience with Nexus letters. 

Since no one knows more about your military service, service-connected injuries, illnesses, wounds, conditions, scars, HAZMAT exposure/injuries, symptoms, pain level, pain frequency, disabilities, past treatments, witnesses, and medical history than you, it is wise for you to draft a nexus letter for the doctor or other medical specialist to use in finalizing their nexus letter. The doctor will know what technical terms and medical language to use in finalizing the letter.

What are the basic elements of a nexus letter?

According to the VA webpage “Evidence Needed for Your (Original) Disability Claim” (https://bit.ly/3w6YGAN), the VA requires veterans seeking service-connected disability compensation to meet three criteria.

  1. The veteran must have a currently diagnosed disability.
  2. The veteran must demonstrate that the disability was caused or aggravated by an in-service wound, injury, illness, trauma, event, scar, or hazardous material (HAZMAT) exposure/injury.
  3. The veteran must provide a medical nexus connecting their disability to an in-service trauma, event, wound, injury, illness, or exposure to hazardous materials (HAZMAT).

Note: In certain situations, the VA may conclude that there’s a link between a veteran’s military service and his or her disability even if there is no evidence. This usually applies to:

Ask a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for help

VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) services are free. Veterans should ask a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO), a VA-accredited Claims Agent, or a VA-accredited Attorney (Agent and Attorney services are usually not free) to help you understand your veterans’ (VA/federal and state) benefits, file for VA benefits, including help you draft and obtain a Nexus letter.

Veterans can find S.C. County VSOs at https://bit.ly/3qbLVSL or https://scdva.sc.gov/county-veterans-affairs-offices.

Find Georgia County/Regional VSOs at https://bit.ly/44KMVA7 or https://veterans.georgia.gov/locations/veterans-field-service-office-near-you.

Find North Carolina County VSOs at https://bit.ly/4ghZqHW or https://www.milvets.nc.gov/benefits-services/benefits-claims.

Search for VSOs nationwide

Veterans and their families can also search for VA-accredited representatives (VSOs, Attorneys, and Claims Agents) nationwide at the VA’s “Accreditation Search” webpage https://bit.ly/3QnCk5M or https://www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp.

VSOs at Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) Regional Offices

Veterans can also search for VA-accredited representatives (VSOs) at Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Offices at https://bit.ly/3WQp0e3 or https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/offices.asp.

Columbia, S.C., VSOs co-located with the VBA Regional Office frequently travel throughout the state to help veterans. Contact them at:

  • Disabled American Veterans (DAV) – 803-647-2422.
  • American Legion/SCDVA – 803-647-2434.
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) – 803-647-2443.
  • Paralyzed Veterans (PVA) – 803-647-2432.

Winston-Salem, NC, VSOs are co-located in the NC Regional VBA Office. Located at 251 N. Main Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101. Contact phone numbers are available online at https://bit.ly/4km48Yl. Contact them at:

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) VSOs can be found online using the VVA Service Officer Locator at https://bit.ly/4gfK0E8. The S.C./ N.C. VVA VSO is Paula Tuero-Flesch at 301-244-4980, email ptuero@vva.org.

American Legion (AL) VSOs can be found online at the AL’s FIND A VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER webpage at https://bit.ly/4kqeZjp.

  • The Department of S.C. AL VSO is Patricia Wortherly-Foye at 6437 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, S.C. 29209, Phone: 803-647-2434, Email: Patricia.Wortherly-Foye@va.gov.
  • The Department of Georgia AL VSO is Tonjala Moton Williams at 1700 Clairmont Road, Decatur, Ga. 30033, Email: tonjala.moton-williams@vs.state.ga.us, Phone: 404-983-5516.
  • The Department of N.C. AL VSO is located at 251 North Main Street, Room 410, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27155. The contact is Justin Nicholson, Phone: 336-631-5471.

American Veterans (AMVETS) VSOs can be found online at https://bit.ly/3PUOWno.

  • Al Malone is the S.C. AMVETS VSO at AMVETS-VA Regional Office 6437 Garners Ferry Rd. #1117 Columbia, S.C. 29209 Phone: 803-647-2421 Fax: 803-647-2308 Email: george.malone@va.gov.
  • Bobby Rand is the Ga. AMVETS Region 3/Georgia VSO at ARD 2-NGLNO AMVETS-VA Regional Office 1700 Clairmont Road #1-349 Decatur, Ga. 30033-4032 Phone: 404-929-5346 Fax: 404-929-5396 Email: bobby.rand@va.gov.
  • The N.C. AMVETS Region 3/Ft. Bragg VSO is Rebekah Covas at P.O. Box 71258, Fort Bragg, N.C. 28307, Phone: 910-396-6826, Email: rebekah.covas2@va.gov.
  • The N.C. AMVETS Region 3/Winston-Salem VSOs are Russell Woodall, Garry King, and David Turner at AMVETS-VA Regional Office 251 N. Main Street #470 Winston Salem, N.C. 27155 King: 336-251-0822 Woodall: 336-251-0823 Turner: 336-251-0787 Fax: 336-251-0858, King: garry.king@va.gov; Woodall: russell.woodall@va.gov; Turner: david.turner6@va.gov.

Disabled Veterans of America (DAV) VSOs can be found online at https://bit.ly/40RaPKz.

  • The DAV S.C. VSO is located in the VBA Regional Office in Columbia, S.C., phone: 336-631-5481.
  • The DAV Ga. VSO is located at the VBA Regional Office in Decatur, Ga., phone: 404-929-5956.
  • The DAV N.C. VSO is located at the VA Regional Office in Winston-Salem, N.C., Phone: 336-631-5481.

Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) VSOs can be found online at https://bit.ly/4mmHyA0.

  • The PVA SC VSO is collocated in the Columbia, S.C. VBA Regional Office at phone 803-647-2432 and email charlest@pva.org.
  • The PVA Winston-Salem VSO is located at the VBA Regional Office in Winston-Salem, phone: 336-251-0836.
  • The PVA Augusta VSO is collocated with the Charles Norwood VA Medical Center, located at 706-823-2219, and can be reached via email at jennifera@pva.org.

The bottom line

There is not enough room to include everything in one article about the essential things VSOs do for veterans. It is sufficient to say that military members, veterans, and their family members, caregivers, and survivors should always utilize a VSO to help them understand their benefits, file claims, and file appeals of VA and state decisions they disagree with. Next week’s article will provide a sample Nexus letter and conclude this three-part series.

Continued next week.

Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, a combat and service-connected 100% disabled veteran, an ex-Enlisted Infantryman, an ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and a retired Lt. Colonel. His over 250 articles on veterans’ benefits, leadership, logistics, hospice, law enforcement, and aeronautics have been published in over 20 magazines and newspapers in the USA, Germany, and England. Larry is a former Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at his local VA Hospital, a Fisher House Charleston Goodwill Ambassador, and the past Vice President for Veteran Affairs for his local Association of the US Army (AUSA) and Military Officers Association (MOAA) Chapters. He is currently the VFW Post 7378 Service Officer, the author of the award-winning and popular (over 250 five-star reviews) Blades of Thunder (Book One), and a contributing freelance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.

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