When seeking disability benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans need to prove that their injury or illness is connected to military service.

An important source of evidence that can be gathered by veterans fighting for service connection or an increased rating is buddy statements.

Buddy statements, or buddy letters, provide firsthand information about the incident that caused the disability, as well as the disability itself.

A substantial buddy statement can be critical to a veteran’s VA disability benefits.

This guide will break down the basics of buddy statements, how to ask for one when making your VA disability claim, and how to write one for another veteran.