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Military Officer Personal Statement Examples

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Words: 600 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 600 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Example 1: "my journey to serve", example 2: "leadership in action", example 3: "resilience in the face of adversity".

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Navy Officer Candidate: Motivational Statement Examples

Last Updated on August 30, 2023

Becoming a Navy Officer Candidate is a highly competitive and prestigious goal. It requires not only physical fitness and academic excellence but also a strong motivation and dedication to serve your country.

Writing a motivational statement is an essential step in the Navy Officer application process, as it allows you to showcase your passion and commitment.

If you are seeking inspiration or guidance to craft your own motivational statement, look no further.

In this article, we will provide you with some examples of motivational statements from successful Navy Officer Candidates. These candidates have been selected for the officer designator of their choice.

Some information below has been redacted for privacy. But otherwise, these motivational statements are unedited.

Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) #1

I’m interested in becoming a Naval Officer because of the top-notch training and opportunities that the Navy provides. As an officer I know that I will receive the training and guidance needed to achieve a successful career in the military as well as opportunities for a prosperous career in the civilian world after I have completed my service. I am always looking for a challenge. Whether it be physical or mental, the Navy is the best opportunity to prove to myself and others that I can do whatever I set my mind to. Also, as an officer I can put to good use the values and skills that have been taught to me since a young age. There is a strong tradition of military service in my family, and several members have been in the Navy, including my brother who is currently serving. I have always considered myself a leader and use the values my family has instilled in me to help myself as well as others to reach their goals. As a Navy officer. I know I can utilize these leadership values in addition to the training I will receive to achieve my highest aspirations and help those I am leading to do the same. I would also consider myself a hard worker and someone who knows the value of a good work ethic and time management. Since an early age I have done odd jobs for neighbors and friends such as babysitting, house sitting, and grooming horses. Since I was sixteen, have consistently had a job and on several occasions have had more than one at a time. In high school I was able to work 10-20 hours a week and show horses as well as actively participate in FA and maintain good grades, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Training and competing my horses, which I have been doing for ten years, has required a minimum of 15 hours a week. This included training with my instructor and practicing on my own, caring for the horses both before and after each lesson, and traveling to local horse shows at least one weekend every month. While attending college, I was able to continue riding and competing with my horses while taking 15-20 class hours a semester and working 10-20 hours a week, and I made the Dean’s List of Academic Achievement on three separate occasions. I was also able to participate in several on-campus organizations such as the Walter P. Webb Historical Society, Hall Council, and the Kat Krazies (a student spirit organization). In addition, I was able to effectively manage my class schedule to complete my degree in three and a half years. Graduating early was important to me so that my parents would not be spending too much money on my education and I would not have as many loans to pay back after graduation. Since graduating college, I have been working full time as a Recreation Supervisor at a resort while continuing to ride and train horses and participating in the Citizens’ Police Academy, which is a twelve-week course that gives ordinary citizens an insight into the inner workings of the local police department. Overall, I have always managed my time and put forth all of my effort to ensure that I was making the most out of every hour of every day. I wish to continue this tradition of hard work and time management in a career with the Navy. Being a positive role model is also extremely important to me. Through horseback riding I am around many younger girls of all ages. My mother has taught lessons for several years and I often help her students get ready and teach them how to care for the horses. I feel it is very important to be a positive role model for these girls and I try to always set a good example for them. Also, as a Bearkat Camp counselor (Freshmen Traditions Camp) and New Student Orientation Leader at Sam Houston State University as well as a supervisor at my past two jobs, I often work with individuals who are either younger than myself or are simply looking to me for advice and counsel. Because of this, I always try to set a good example and point them in the right direction. It is also my firm opinion that one should never expect anyone to do something for them unless they are willing to do it themselves, and I often implement this philosophy at my work. I plan to utilize the skills I use both at work and with those younger than myself to be an effective officer. Overall, I would consider myself an excellent officer candidate and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to prove my abilities. I know that with the skills I already possess coupled with the training and opportunities that the Navy will provide, I can become an extremely effective and competent Naval Officer.

Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) #2

I was not born with the innate conviction to be an officer in the United States Navy or any other career path. But my experiences growing up ideally prepared me for a future as a Naval Officer. Beginning in junior high, I came to realize that my classmates would do as I did, and would listen when I spoke. While in Mexico on a mission trip in 2005, I embraced this new-found attribute and led my friends in word and example as we built a house for an impoverished family in just one week. The same leadership attitude would exude each summer that followed, only in a different geographic location. I finally discovered a potential career path in the summer of 2008 at Texas Boys State. Following a riveting speech from retired CIA agent Jim Olson, wherein he highlighted his challenging career in intelligence and his beginnings as a Surface Warfare Officer , I knew my leadership skills had a future. Now graduating from college, my desire to lead others defending the United States combined with experiences in my past has brought me to pursue a fulfilling career as a Naval Officer. I began my studies as a freshman Business major at Texas A&M University with the thought process that such a degree would help me land a profitable job upon graduation. But after just a few months, I found what I was learning and working towards to be so unfulfilling that I changed my major. Once I switched to International Studies, and refocused my attention to the world instead of on myself, everything seemed to make sense. My GPA skyrocketed to a 3.71 and I have since made the Dean’s List. In addition to my studies I have kept busy working in the community for profit and not for profit. During my junior and senior years I have worked at a textbook store, volunteered as a tutor for struggling third grade students at a local elementary school and led a team of workers at the largest student-run service project in the nation, The Big Event. For recreation and exercise at school, I am a member of the Texas A&M Men’s Ultimate Frisbee club team. I was one of two freshmen to make the team, and by the end of the year, in a physically demanding sport where fitness is the foundation of success, I was an example of what can result from work and dedication I broke through to the regular playing rotation. In addition to playing on the traveling club team at school, I also began playing for a traveling club team based out of Houston, which I still play for. In my second year on the team at Texas A&M I took on the leadership position of Safety Officer. In this role I served as an intermediate between the team and Texas A&M Recreation Sports. In this role I prepared travel itineraries prior to tournaments and was responsible for the team’s compliance with the Recreation Sports Office. During my time as Safety Officer, the team was never sanctioned or suspended as had occurred in previous years. Balancing training, practice, and travel to tournaments as far away as Georgia, while maintaining my GPA, has taught me the importance of self-discipline and time management. These acquired and polished skills were especially beneficial this past semester as I embarked on the experience of my life. In January 2012 I departed Texas for an academic semester abroad in Granada, Spain that lasted until May. I chose Granada because, as a smaller Spanish city, there are very few English speakers that I could talk to, thus forcing me to develop my Spanish. This was undoubtedly the hardest academic semester of my life as four of my classes were Spanish speaking and writing only. In addition to the language barrier, I went to Granada with a group of strangers, requiring me to go out and socialize in Spanish. In an unexpected pairing, I got that opportunity when I joined a local Ultimate Frisbee team in Granada. Speaking Spanish in a fast paced, athletic setting was very important to the growth of my language ability and I made many new friends and traveled across the country playing in tournaments. As the most dynamic athlete on the team, I became an unofficial team captain and led the team to its best-ever finish at the tournament in Madrid. While in Spain I also took advantage of travel opportunities and planned international trips to Italy, France, and Morocco. In between trips I volunteered with the reforestation of the “Generalife” Meadow in Granada to plant new trees after a destructive wildfire. My semester abroad took me farther out of my comfort zone than I had ever been, but I returned from it with a new understanding of myself and the knowledge that I could survive, and even flourish, while taking twelve credit hours in a foreign language, thousands of miles from home, while knowing no one. One of the most unexpectedly formative experiences of my life was working as a counselor at Camp Ozark for two consecutive summers. As a Christian sports camp for kids ages 7-17, this was one of the fastest paced job environments imaginable. Camp Ozark is one of the largest summer camps in the nation, and to run effectively it needs a clearly defined and obeyed chain of command. This is especially important because with high powered boats, shooting ranges, and high wire ropes courses where I worked, failure to follow orders can result in the death of a child. In my first summer I was recognized as the SWAT Team member of the first session of camp as the outstanding service member of the session. During my second summer I was recognized as the first male Order of the Arrow winner of the summer as the counselor who best displayed maximum effort, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship. Both of these were important leadership roles, but both were ultimately less important than the hardest task at camp: serving as a full-time role model to young boys and teenagers in a high stress environment. Working as a cabin counselor for twelve year old boys at Camp Ozark showed me the true meaning of having full responsibility for something that is truly valuable and how to excel working in a twenty-four hour, seven days a week job atmosphere. Despite not being born into a military family, through my life experiences I have come to the conclusion that a military career as a Naval Officer is the best way to use my acquired knowledge and talents for the benefit of the United States. I have a natural inclination to help others and serve the community around me, wherever in the world that may be. In my experiences, I have grown as a leader of others and acquired valuable skills such as time management, self-discipline, and public service to compliment my already embedded sense of commitment to serve my country as a United States Naval Officer.

Naval Aviator (Pilot) #1

Extraordinary, that is my desire for my life. Albeit a worthy existence, I want more than just a regular nine to five job, four kids, and a picket fence to surround my suburban home. Honor, respect, dependable, hard-working, responsible are just a few of the attributes I hope to further develop. The development of such attributes will help me to have the kind of positive impact on the world I desire. The United States Navy will definitely provide me ample opportunity to grow in these areas. From an early age, my parents have instilled in me strong moral values, including hard work, integrity, and a desire for excellence. Having served as a leader in my youth group at my local church for the majority of my childhood and during high school, I learned a lot about manhood from older role models in the church. Another area that helped shape my character was my involvement in team sports. Playing baseball, soccer and football | learned the importance of working as a team to achieve our common goal of victory. Persevering in the face of adversity during competition on the gridiron helps to prove what the old proverb says “as iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another.” While participating in team sports, I learned not only the importance of physical fitness but how to interact with others in a group setting to accomplish our objective. For example, I was expected to show leadership to the younger players when I was a senior year on the varsity baseball team. In addition, my involvement with sports has taught me the importance of discipline and maintaining a positive attitude and a desire for success in everything I do. My desire to succeed led me to pursue a college degree. However I didn’t want just any degree, I wanted to learn challenging and practical skills. Years of study and hard work paid off as I am near receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Construction Science, a technical management degree specific to the construction industry. During my college years, I assumed a variety of different leadership roles including a volunteer position at my local church, vice president for a Christian fraternity, and a treasurer for a prestigious academic organization. During my four years at Texas A&M, I have been a member of a Christian fraternity for the duration of my time here. It has been an incredible experience, providing me with a social break from my studies and providing me with great leadership opportunities. For half of my sophomore and junior year, I served as the vice president for this fraternity. My responsibilities included planning the social events, communicating and delegating tasks, and coordinating a community-wide outreach concert that cost over twenty five thousand dollars. Communication and preparation skills, I have learned, are an important part of college and life. Both as bible study leader and vice president, I was charged with setting a vision for the group and charting a path to help us navigate successfully the challenges before us. Whether it was leading our small group in prayer or blazing a trail of excellence for the fraternity, my preparation and communication proved invaluable. Amongst the most valuable attributes I have come to appreciate is time management. Finally, I have come to appreciate that if I do not manage my time my time will manage me. The second semester of my junior year I was honored to be selected for a coveted internship position offered through the College of Architecture of which my degree is a part. So, I moved to Austin, Texas and worked for a construction company, Harvey-Cleary, while going to Texas A&M part- time for the first seven months of 2013. During this time, I learned a lot about myself, including the development of some excellent work habits. My direct supervisor made a point to mention that I was a tireless worker pursuing my goals with tenacity and conviction and thus trusting me with even greater work responsibilities. In the workplace, there were plenty of times when I did not know how to complete an objective given to me, so I had to figure out the correct solution to the problem. It was on this internship when I learned that I am very task-oriented. My superiors observed that I am a quick study and demonstrated their approval by giving me additional responsibilities. I thrived in the alpha-male, high-expectation culture that encompasses the construction industry. These challenging situations I encountered on my construction internship will help me to be successful as a Naval officer. Over the course of my lifelong journey, my experiences have helped me develop many of the attributes that make me a strong candidate as an officer for the United States Navy. Moreover, my work ethic and tenacious nature will ensure that I achieve my goals. The opportunity to serve my country and lead sailors as an officer are the types of challenges I welcome and the reason I am applying for a commission. The mission of the United States Navy is to train, maintain and equip combat ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas. This mission coincides with my desire to change the world. I believe it is my destiny to become a Naval Officer and have the kind of impact most have only imagined.

Naval Aviator (Pilot) #2

Leadership. It is the cornerstone on which all organizations are built, maintained, and improved. It is through a legacy of superior leadership that the United States Navy has established itself as the single dominant naval force in the history of the world. It is this legacy of superior leadership that I feel compelled to join. Throughout my life I have been a natural leader. Through training with the Boy Scouts as a youth, the Marine Corps as a young adult, and while working and studying as a student at Texas A&M, I have taken my natural abilities and carefully honed them through classroom studies and application. As a youth I found encouragement from my father to join the Boy Scouts. Though at first I was resistant to the program, I soon found value in the lessons I learned about citizenship, loyalty, service, and leadership from Troop 600 of the Sam Houston Area Council. Through self determination, I steadily progressed through the scout ranks; earning friends and respect along the way. As a Life Scout, I took up the mantle of Patrol Leader, making me responsible for 10 other boys. After another year, I earned the title of Eagle Scout. I attended both Junior Leader Training Camp (JLTC) and National Junior Leader Training Camp (NJLTC). After completing NJLTC I served on the staff of two JLTC programs. My first, as a Camp Quartermaster, in charge of food and supplies for all staff and campers, and my second as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of the Camp, the equivalent of an XO. In this role I was in charge of programs and staff presentations. During this time, I was also voted to become the Senior Patrol Leader of my home Troop, and now responsible for conducting our meetings, camping trips, and setting the example for over 40 young scouts. Soon after this I was inducted into the Order of the Arrow where I learned about cheerful service to God and Country. Overall I feel that I had a very successful career as a Boy Scout and that it has prepared me very well for the many challenges yet to come in my life. After one year of college, I found that I had no definitive direction on where I wanted to go in life. I decided at that particular time, college was not my motivation. I needed something that would allow me time to challenge myself outside of the classroom while providing the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. After careful research and planning, I decided to enlist with the Marine Corps as an aviation contract option. After arriving at MCRD San Diego and completing in-processing I classed up with India Company and began my training. After two weeks I fell ill and was transferred to a recovery platoon where I spent two months and was offered a medical discharge. I refused the discharge option and set about ensuring the return of my health and preparing for my return to training. My determination paid off with my return to a training platoon in Golf Company where I spent the majority of the rest of training as the Guide. As the Platoon Guide I provided direct leadership to my fellow recruits and led by example. Helping my fellow recruits with studying Marine Corps Knowledge or with physical training was commonplace. I graduated from MCRD San Diego as a Platoon Honorman. After completing Marine Combat Training I was then transferred to CNATT (Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training) where I graduated with exceptional marks. I was then assigned to HMLA-169 where I served as a Huey/Cobra power plant mechanic. As a Lance Corporal there was very little I could do in the way of leadership aside from encouraging my peers to better themselves. I acquired my Cobra Plane Captain certification before our first deployment and my Huey Plane Captain certification shortly after our return, seven months later. I attended Corporals Course at Del Mar on Camp Pendleton where my leadership skills were further sharpened. Shortly after I earned the rank of Sergeant and was assigned eight Marines to guide as a mentor. As a Sergeant, I earned my Collateral Duty Inspector certification which allowed me to inspect and sign off maintenance performed by junior marines as correct and safe for flight. After five years with the Marine Corps my enlistment was up and I had decided that I needed to complete the college education that I started. Returning to college after working for so long was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Returning to college at Texas A&M was a greater challenge than I had anticipated, but not so tough that I have not excelled. While attending classes full time I also worked part time at Easterwood Airport as a line and fuel technician. Though I did not serve in any official leadership role, I made sure to set the example for junior technicians and hold them accountable for actions taken. Balancing my class load and work at the airport was difficult but rewarding, I have maintained an excellent grade point average while continuing to provide for my family. All of these events, and others, have helped to shape me into the man I am today. Through my experiences with the Boy Scouts, the United States Marine Corps, and as a student at Texas A&M I have sharpened the natural leadership abilities that I already possessed. I am ready to continue serving my country and look forward to facing the challenges that I know I will find as a Naval officer. Being intrinsically motivated, I am certain that my drive for excellence will be a great asset as I find a place among the superior leadership that comprises the United States Navy.

Naval Aviator (Pilot) #3

I have wanted to serve my country for as long I can remember. I have had 4 Uncles in the Navy with each of them serving in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. They have inspired me since I was very small that serving one’s country is the greatest honor any man can have in his life. This country was founded on the principles of challenging freedom and spreading our freedom to the people that needed it the most. My uncles were ecstatic when I told them I am applying to join the U.S. Navy, I hope to make them proud by serving my country. One of my late great, great uncles, was killed in the Battle of Cape Esperance in 1942 aboard the USS Duncan. I had another great uncle who served as the Commanding Officer of the USS Roark. Before he died, he sent me several inspiring notes and memorabilia. He always told me not to give up my dream of becoming a Navy officer. I have been in leadership positions since I was a young teen. My first leadership position was when I was the captain of my 8th grade football team which grew into being captain of my sophomore football team. Later, I started working at a YMCA camp when I was 17 and was the youngest counselor employed that summer. Within 2 weeks of being there, I was thrust into being the head lifeguard at the pool which made me in charge of other counselors that were 4-5 years older than I was. This continued the next summer when I became a head counselor. My 4th summer there I became Water Front director which put me directly in charge of 25 people in and around the lake. I became the Captain of my Swim team my senior year of high school. I continued my swimming career in college and once again was chosen to be captain my junior year all the way to my senior year in college. Being a captain of the swim team, I had direct influence on my teammates. I was the liaison between the coaches and team. I mediated several conflicts and improved the relationships of the coaching staff with the team. My senior year we were Conference runner-ups in the Summit League which is a drastic improvement from coming in 5th my first year in college. I left college with 1 team record in the 800 freestyle relay and many wins. I chose to swim for South Dakota State University because I wanted a challenging college career. Being a normal student would not have been enough for me. I wanted the competition and the team atmosphere in my life. Being a college athlete taught me numerous lessons in my 4 years. The first was time management. This is a skill that I think is crucial to being a Naval Officer and Pilot . I also learned how to network with others. I needed to be able to communicate with my professors and coaches on my swim and school schedule and what needed to be done so I can be the best student athlete. I needed to be in the best physical and mental shape while I was competing and going to class. Getting up for 5 am swim, going to class all day then back in the pool by 2 p.m. which demanded my full attention everyday. Swimming for 4 years in college gave me the life skills to be a successful and hardworking American. I can bring the skills I have already learned and improve on them in the United States Navy. I have been flying for 3 years now and have flown with numerous Military pilots from different services plus many professional pilots with the Airlines. They have all taught me that while I seem to be “a natural” at flying, I need to constantly seek to improve my skills as a pilot. I appreciate your consideration and would love to have the opportunity to serve in the United States Navy. This would allow me to serve my country, hone my leadership skills, improve my motivational skills and continue to fly. I believe that all of the above traits and the content of my packet make me a strong candidate to become a Naval officer. I would be honored to be considered for the United States Navy Officer Candidate Program.

Naval Aviator (Pilot) #4

Following graduation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, many of my fellow classmates have been perfectly content to move back home and start their careers. I, on the other hand, feel that there has to be more to life than just working for the next forty years in the busy suburbs of Chicago. I want to be able to proudly look back and say that I have been a part of something greater than myself. I know without a doubt that serving my country as a Naval Officer will give me that opportunity. I grew up in a family that looked upon military service as a higher calling. My father, cousins, uncle, and grandfathers have all served this country with distinction, and I always dreamt of following in their footsteps. This seed was planted early on. One day as a young boy, I went with my mom on a visit to see my dad at Barksdale Air Force Base. I can still vividly recall looking out over the tarmac and marveling at the majesty of those big B-52s. From that moment on I knew I wanted to pursue a career in military aviation. As I grew older, I continued to feed my hunger for all things military aviation with countless books about WWII. I was particularly inspired by the story of how our Navy rose from the dark days following Pearl Harbor to soon wield, within 4 short years, the most formidable Navy the world has ever seen. It was around this point in my life that I knew that I didn’t just want to be a pilot, but I wanted to be a Naval Aviator. I have never been one to sit idly by and let life just happen to me. Whether it was in the classroom or out on the field, I saw to it that I would never shy away from making that extra effort to ensure success. I trace all this back to my parents, who instilled in me the belief that if you want something in life you must pursue it with unwavering commitment. Throughout high school I continually pushed myself to succeed academically. I eventually finished third in my class, was accepted to the nationally ranked chemistry program at the University of Illinois, and won several scholarships along the way that enabled me to graduate from college completely debt-free. I also saw some athletic success at the varsity level in football, wrestling, and baseball. Participating in high school athletics taught me many important life lessons, such as the recognition of how much more our bodies are truly capable of, as well as the necessity of teamwork. During high school I was also fortunate enough to have served in numerous leadership roles. I was elected Student Government Vice President by my peers and performed duties ranging from organizing dances to collecting money for charitable organizations. As Student Government Vice President I learned how to set aside my differences and make compromises with others for the good of the student body. An additional leadership opportunity I had while in high school was as the captain of my wrestling team during my senior year. This leadership role taught me how to motivate others to achieve what they didn’t believe was possible – a very rewarding opportunity. My experiences in high school were very influential in making me the kind of person I am today. They taught me a great deal about the values of education, teamwork, and leadership – all essential qualities for becoming a successful Naval Officer. My years at the University of Illinois were a period of further refinement for me as an individual. I continued to take on leadership roles, namely as a Resident Advisor (RA) for a private dorm on campus. As an RA I found myself learning how to manage the fine line between being friendly with residents while also being an authority figure. The lessons learned from this experience would be immensely helpful to me during a career as a Naval Officer. I also strove to apply the knowledge I was gaining in the classroom through an experience as an Undergraduate Researcher. My time as an Undergraduate Researcher made me realize that I relish opportunities to continually learn and then utilize this knowledge in a practical setting. A career in the Navy would enable me to live a lifestyle full of such opportunities. Academically things were no longer quite as easy as they had been in high school, and thus I found myself working harder than I ever had before. It was under such pressures that I learned the priceless skill of time management. Initially I had trouble adjusting to the rigorous course load, but from the second semester of my sophomore year through graduation, I saw my GPA increase each successive semester. Due to my hard work during those four years, I was fortunate enough to gain admittance to the well-regarded Materials Science and Engineering graduate program at Texas A&M University. An integral part of my graduate studies in engineering at Texas A&M has been learning how to not just become an expert researcher in my field of study, but also how to share this knowledge with others through presentations and papers. Due to my program here at Texas A&M being quite international, I have had to make adjustments to reach across cultural and linguistic barriers. Learning how to relate to others from different backgrounds has been an enriching experience – one that would serve me well in a career as a Naval Officer. A career in the Navy would be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. I realize that it will have its share of challenges to overcome, but I can think of no other lifestyle more suited for me. I am confident that the experiences I’ve had during high school, college, and graduate school have helped me develop the traits necessary to become a good Naval Officer. Becoming a Naval Officer would be a privilege I won’t take lightly. I look forward to the opportunity to help others, develop my leadership skills, and make my country a safer place. I would be extremely honored if you will consider me for the United States Navy Officer Candidate program.

Naval Aviator (Pilot) #5

The U. S. Navy represents the strength, the honor and the freedoms of this country. These are the personal traits of military service men and women that I admire and will obtain. I learned of these traits as a student in high school and developed a strong interest in the Navy. As I near graduation from Texas A&M University, I have developed a strong motivation to rise to challenges and my own strength and confidence have increased to the point where I believe that I will become a commissioned officer of the U. S. Navy, representing American courage and values. Courage which has met all challenges and values that has helped surpass all roadblocks of the past. Starting my studies as a chemistry major it became apparent that the level of intelligence required to complete the studies was advanced. As I attended classes and balanced my volunteer activities, my workload required a high level of commitment and my time needed to be balanced. Each class required me to adapt my technique to solve the problems presented. As the years passed my ability to effectively solve complex questions, in the lab or classroom, increased and the time it took to apply this ability decreased. Studying as a chemistry major at Texas A&M University did not allow for me to give anything but my complete focus to the studies. Handling the course load for the major also required many hours of focused study for each class and an ability to solve the varied problems presented. In my leadership roles I have learned that the most important quality of leadership comes from following, first and foremost. Leadership does not come from the ability to bark orders at subordinates; it comes from a desire and ability to motivate people to complete a common goal. During various mission trips, I supervised inexperienced and younger members. I developed an ability to organize and focus the different personalities and accomplish the goals of repairing a hurricane damaged roof and putting together a frame for a house. In the heat of south Texas and the island of Haiti, tempers have a short fuse and personalities tend to clash. Being able to motivate people to work also involves focusing people with different traits and skills on tasks that are most appropriate for them. With these concepts in mind, I was able to lead a combination of individuals that effectively completed multiple tasks. Another trait important to leadership roles is the realization that sometimes those who follow you may have a better solution to a presented problem and that your own choices are not always right. As a team leader in the MiniPharma program in college, I managed people who sometimes had a better grasp on the scientific method or concept we were using at the time. Being a leader does not mean you are the smartest person in the room, but it does mean that you are accountable for the success of the organization. I also realized that these roles, given to me by elders who believed that I had potential to fulfill them, came with a motivation to continuously make personal improvements. My grandfathers both are military veterans with one serving as a career Army officer for 30 years. Through them, I have seen all the leadership characteristics that the military builds in the Americans that serve and how leaders can be honed. I hope to be a commissioned officer with service oriented goals that are something greater than the individualized trivial pursuits that have overrun our world. In the Navy consistent physical and mental improvements in my life are obtainable goals. The U.S. Navy is a symbol that humanity does not have to become stagnant, leading to the inability to change and grow. As a U. S. Navy officer I will be part of an organization that not only demands improvement from its members, but helps to advance others and provides protection for this wonderful country and citizens of the world. As I become an officer of the United States Navy, I will have the ability to influence others and motivate them to rise to the next challenge.

Naval Aviator (Pilot) #6

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by aircraft and spacecraft. Attending the Fort Worth Alliance air shows became an annual family activity and quickly became my favorite; watching the high maneuverability aircraft zip through the air was intoxicating. Having had my interest piqued, I spent hours upon hours learning about various aircraft. Throughout my life, my father always tried to instill in me the importance of hard work and the value of the dollar. Despite my parents’ comfortable, middle class income, they insisted that I get a job and work for what I wanted. By age fourteen I was working for a small, local electronics business. Before I turned sixteen I had saved up enough money to buy my own vehicle. I continued to work regularly throughout my high school and college years. Because of these experiences, I have developed a strong sense of drive, responsibility and work ethic. I welcome jobs and tasks I am given and take very seriously the effort and work I need to apply to stretch myself beyond what I consider my best. During high school I developed as a leader through my time in athletics, as a math tutor, and working. I regularly coached my football teammates to work harder both in the weight room and on the field. During cross country practices, I collaborated with the team to set running goals, meeting early in the mornings to practice during the summer and motivating one another. During workouts, I frequently ran back after completing the circuit to run with anyone struggling to stay motivated. During the years I spent working in restaurants, I was often given the responsibility of training new employees since I was adept at our computer systems and considered very good at teaching and leading people. I provided tutoring services in mathematics to fellow students as community service during my junior and senior years; I even coached a young lady who was preparing for a placement exam to enter a college-level physical therapy program. Academically, I did phenomenally well in high school. I graduated in the top 5% of my class and received top honors for having the highest SAT score in my graduating class, even while participating in athletics, tutoring and working 20+ hours a week. These high achievements provided me with choices and opportunities to attend university, including Texas A&M, a competitive and prestigious school, well known for their rigorous Aerospace Engineering program. A decade after my first air show, working with advanced aircraft was and still is a primary motivator. Unfortunately in my beginning years at the university, I made textbook freshman mistakes and finished my first year with a much too low GPA. During the following years, I largely lost sight of my goals. I hit the metaphorical “rock bottom” when I was twenty-two years old, during my fourth year in college. I was on a five year plan for graduation because the GPA requirements for initial entrance into upper-level classes forced me to repeat prerequisite courses. I could have viewed this time in my life as a failure, but instead I stayed focused, continued my studies and decided I needed to make changes to my goals and aspirations. I had allowed myself to become physically out of shape during those first few years as well. This failure led me to a sudden epiphanic urge to get my life back on track. During the last three semesters of my college career at Texas A&M University, I transformed my life. I began waking up every morning before summer classes to run, bike or swim. I began sitting at the front of every class and paying close attention. I picked up extra shifts and worked more hours as a lifeguard at the university recreational center. My GPA for my last three semesters steadily improved from 3.2, to 3.4, to 3.75, all while working 25-35 hours a week and regularly working out. More important than the increase in my academic marks, however, was the palpable increase in my happiness. I had a new-found interest in my studies and my general satisfaction with life had improved by leaps and bounds. It was at that time that I learned the most important lessons of my life. One receives from life what one puts into it, and it’s never too late to make changes. I now live by these beliefs. While my time at university may have missed the stellar academic mark I once desired, it provided me opportunities for self-improvement, to learn from my mistakes, and to set rigorous expectations and goals for myself. I had to balance my time between school and jobs, but learned to sharpen my leadership skills. I worked hard and trained new people. I had numerous opportunities where I chose to take charge. I remember an incident where the manager did not show up and there was no one to open the pool. I took charge, called our director to make sure she was aware, and proceeded to run through all of the most important procedures, ensuring that lifeguards were properly distributed to each pool and the pumps were working. I also regularly performed community service work. While in the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, I led pledge classes in a multitude of service projects including running a hospice fund-raiser, running blood drives, cleaning up a cemetery, working Big Event (a community wide project done annually in College Station), and helping some of the locals with landscaping. During my senior design project for my degree, during which we designed an aircraft and then produced a working scaled down model, I was head safety officer and manager for my group. It was my responsibility to delegate important tasks and to ensure that all the information required was obtained and ultimately presented during our biweekly reviews. This gave me great insight into managerial leadership in the professional world. as our professor was a former test pilot for both industry and the U.S. Air Force and did his best to try to emulate that type of environment into our class curriculum. Now that I have graduated, my desire to work with aircraft is stronger than ever. I believe my background in aeronautics could be a great boon to our country’s military and would be honored to be given the opportunity to use my knowledge and drive to help defend our country. Thank you for your consideration.

Nuclear Propulsion Officer (Nuke) #1

“The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive. to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all.” This quote by Leo Rosten has always influenced me greatly, and illustrates a major reason that I want to become an officer in the Navy. I have always wanted to join the armed forces and becoming an officer is a great opportunity to see the world, to be a leader of men, to help others and to distinguish myself. Growing up around my grandfather and uncle has also influenced my desire to become an officer in the Navy very greatly. My grandfather served as a navigator, commissioning through ROTC and my uncle served as an aircraft repair technician on a carrier. Listening to their stories is always one of my favorite parts about visiting them. They became role models to me as I grew up hearing about their exciting, worthwhile and often humorous adventures and I have long wanted to emulate their example and join the Navy. As a college student, at Texas A&M University, I am part of the NROTC program and a member of the Corps of Cadets. Through NROTC I have learned about all of the different career paths and opportunities in the Navy and learned about the NUPOC program. I realized how beneficial the NUPOC program would be to me because it gives me the opportunity to see the world, realize and develop my leadership skills and to serve my country. I believe that I possess many skills and attributes that will help me succeed in the program and as an officer. Throughout my life I have been involved in the Boy Scouts of America, rising all the way to the rank of Eagle Scout. The experiences that I have had have made me a better person and helped me to become a leader. In the Boy Scouts I held many different leadership positions such as head troop instructor, troop guide and patrol leader. The responsibilities of these positions helped to develop me as a leader, especially the head troop instructor position because I was responsible for not only teaching the younger scouts how to tie knots and all of the other skills but also the other troop instructors, making sure that they were doing their jobs correctly and planning when and what we would teach. I also had many opportunities to test myself and experience some unique situations, like going to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and backpacking through the mountains. On these treks I hiked 90 miles up and down the mountains with a heavy backpack, while carrying my own food and purifying my own water and was really able to challenge myself. I realized that I could reach higher and force myself to accomplish anything. These experiences in the Boy Scouts have inspired me to want to continue to challenge myself by becoming an officer in the Navy and the leadership and time management skills I learned will help me become a very successful Navy officer. Throughout my high school career I was able to excel academically, while participating in many organizations. I graduated top ten percent in my class of over 600 people from -_-_-_. I took many different advanced placement classes, like physics and calculus, and was involved in the Latin club, the chemistry club, the National Honor Society and the Boy Scouts. I was also a member of the school lacrosse team, playing midfield. All of these activities taught me how to manage my time and gave me opportunities to be involved and become a leader. Especially trying to balance playing lacrosse, being involved in scouting and excelling academically have taught me exceptional work ethic and how to achieve my goals. I am currently a student at Texas A&M University, studying mechanical engineering, where I am a member of the Corps of Cadets, as well as many other organizations throughout campus. I have excelled academically throughout my time at Texas A&M; I am a member of the Engineering Scholars Program, a honors program for engineering, and have above a 3.4 GPA, all while being an active member of the Corps of Cadets and a member of the NROTC Battalion. Being in the Corps has taught me many important leadership skills and has developed me as a leader more than any other organization I have ever been a part of. In my freshman year, I learned how to be a follower and I learned that in order to be a leader you must first learn how to follow. Because I excelled as a follower, I was selected, out of many people, to become a leader in my sophomore year. I am currently holding the positions of Fire Team Leader and Scholastics corporal in my outfit and these positions have taught me so much about what it takes to be a leader. As a Fire Team Leader I am responsible for the training and management of the new freshman in our outfit and as the scholastics corporal I am responsible for helping everyone maintain good grades. These positions and the fact that I am also working very hard to excel academically have taught me extremely good time management skills, which I believe will be very beneficial to becoming a Naval officer. Outside of the Corps of Cadets, I am a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and of Class Councils, which is our student government organization that I was selected for my sophomore year. Being so successful in all of these organizations and academically have made me a very well rounded individual, with superb time management skills. Growing up in a Christian family, I have learned to put other people before myself and to help those in need. During recent years I have participated in many service groups benefiting the homeless, I have helped at many Eagle Scout Projects and have been active in my church youth group. These activities have shown me the satisfaction of helping other people and I would like to continue this feeling and make it part of my future career. As a Naval Officer I will have the opportunity to serve and protect the country that I love. I know that becoming a Naval Officer will be very difficult: I know that I will be forced to make sacrifices and I understand that there is a possibility of dying in the service. Despite all of these things I have always wanted to challenge myself and I believe that I can overcome these trials and distinguish myself as a Naval Officer. I believe that my past experiences, intelligence and leadership skills will help me excel as a Naval Officer and in the NUPOC program.

Nuclear Propulsion Officer (Nuke) #2

My decision to apply for the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program began over the Christmas holiday after my first semester at Texas A&M. I enjoyed studying Calculus and Physics in high school and researched enough information to know I wanted to be an engineer when I entered college. It was difficult to decide which major was the best choice for me so I decided to look at jobs each major led to upon graduation. When I saw Nuclear Engineering I thought about how important that energy source can be when needed in the right situations and I was intrigued by the thought of so much energy from such a small source. I looked into the job field for Nuclear Engineering and saw the Navy was the largest player when it came to Nuclear Energy needs. Immediately, I went to the Navy’s website and there on the front page was a link to careers involving Nuclear Energy. I read the entire article about the NUPOC program and it seemed as if everything I was searching for added up. The leadership responsibilities, the efficient and disciplined environment, and the opportunity to work with an outstanding group of trained men and women who have all volunteered to be a part of something much greater than themselves. I have enjoyed working with other people for as long as I can remember. Whether I am leading or following, I am always keeping the team together and focused on achieving our goal. In high school, I challenged myself by taking advanced placement classes and competing on the golf team. My class work was difficult but I knew that hard work was the key to a bright future. I looked to golf as my outlet from class work and I became seriously competitive after just a few months of picking up the game. I feel that I offered a strong sense of pride and work ethic to our team during the season and after three years of hard work it resulted in the school’s first ever advancement to the regional tournament. In step with success during the golf season, I was nominated into the National Honors Society resulting from exceptional display of character and competitive grades. Elections were later held for President, Vice President. Treasurer, and Secretary. I ran for Vice President and was elected over 4 running mates. During my time as Vice President our organization coordinated a fund raiser and set up peer mentoring sessions after school for those who were struggling with their school work and wanted to receive extra help. These two events taught me a great deal about what it takes to be a successful leader and also allowed me to deal with great responsibility. I have been raised under the attitude that success requires a level of efficiency and discipline. Without discipline, boundaries are not set and things can get out of hand quickly. My parents have instilled the value of discipline and respect in me and I believe these traits have carried over and shaped me into a respectful, disciplined young man. I want to work for a team who holds me to high standards and expects positive results. I know the Navy will carry out these standards and results because of the importance they hold for the security of the United States. I am currently practicing strong levels of discipline during my studies at Texas A&M. It is imperative to stay disciplined during the semester in order to produce adequate results the university and the NUPOC program expects from its students. I have met some extraordinary people who have been in the Navy and who are currently serving. I understand the Navy is a voluntary service and I would be honored to work with a group of men and women who have willingly devoted their lives for the greater good of our nation. The opportunity to become an officer in the United States Navy is something I have taken to heart and I believe this opportunity has been presented in front of me because it is my duty to take responsibility, express leadership, and one day be a part of the Navy’s elite submarine force.

Nuclear Propulsion Officer (Nuke) #3

Life is complex. We were all born the same, but at life’s completion we are all very different. We make choices that will affect our lives in unforeseen ways, causing us to stray from an otherwise common path. Which path we select is unknown to us until we observe and ponder it fully- oftentimes many years after its choosing. We may find ourselves one day wishing we had done something we were too scared or nervous to – perhaps hoping we had taken a risk, tested our limits. For me, the option is a simple one. I want to be different, do something few people have ever done or will ever know. It’s not about glory or fame; I want to join the United States Navy to distinguish myself from others as a leader of men, a living embodiment of character and respect. Currently I am studying chemical engineering at the University of Texas A&M, and am aware that upon my graduation, the opportunity for financial success will be within sight. However, I don’t want to take a mundane desk or industrial job; I want to do something bold. I know a lot of people who barely know me may think of myself as someone who always plays it “safe.” and to a certain extent they are correct. But those who really know me understand that nothing will ever satisfy my hunger to prove myself. While in high school I enjoyed success in many facets of life, I could not have obtained them without hard work, dedication, and people who truly believed in me. There was a lot of adversity for me to reach my high school goals. I overcame a lot of personal and physical barriers of which included the Boy Scouts. I had entered as a young middle school adolescent but through the process and hardship gained invaluable leadership skills that will stay with me for the rest of my life. While in the boy scouts I obtained several leadership positions like patrol leader and troop instructor, where I would mentor the younger scouts, help facilitate their growth in the program, and really just serve as a role model. These were truly rewarding experiences that instilled in me the values of responsibility, morality, and obedience. Finally in 2012 all of the ideals the Boy Scouts instilled in me were tested during my Eagle Scout project, in which I proved to the adult leaders my transition from one who followed obediently to one who leads passionately. Additionally, I finished in the top 10% of my high school class, played the Viola in the symphony orchestra, and was an active member in NHS and student council. On top of that, during my senior year I was chosen to lead a group of 28 middle schoolers and 7 peers through a program that fosters team-building and group camaraderie. Though my patience was tested, ideals challenged, and buttons pushed, I navigated the team through unforeseen adversity and significant obstacles. In the end my team of 35 weathered the week and came through as more cohesive, understanding individuals. But what I am personally most proud of, and what really sums up my persona as an individual, was my rise to a starting role on the soccer team. From the onset I was perceived as almost useless. I was only kept on the varsity team because I had “played” four years in the program – and I use the word “play” lightly because really I was always a bench player, sometimes not even playing a single minute in the big JV games. They saw me as weak and simply not good enough. I remember sitting on the bench the entire first game of my senior season, utterly humiliated. But this did not make me fold and crumple, but rather made me stronger. I used it as motivation to get better, faster, stronger, and left everything out on the practice field everyday hoping for just one opportunity. I literally was the first one out and the last one in, as being a varsity soccer player was something I had always wanted, and I was not taking no for an answer. Finally, on a cold Friday night, an opportunity presented itself. The team was trailing and the momentum was favoring the opposition. One of our starters was hurt on a vicious tackle and the coach told me to warm-up, telling me that if I could emulate what I had learned in practice, that nothing could stop me. He was right. I scored a goal within my first ten minutes of stepping onto the turf, and the rest was history. I ended up starting most every game and the team reached the state-semifinals. Granted, this story is one based on a high school experience and may not carry weight to some people, it means a lot to me. I could have written this essay about coaching a youth soccer team, about how I am a first generation American, or maybe even about how my faith represents a unique blend of Hinduism and Buddhism. However, life is full of different paths and choices; And I believe this story of personal triumph best embodies the person that I am becoming. In a world characterized by so many paths, my most wholehearted goal is to choose that which never deviates from my moral compass. So when asked what motivates me to become a naval officer I think of all the things that have led me to this point – I think of all the triumphs and heartaches I have endured, and know that this is something I was meant to do. The opportunity to be a leader of men and to serve something greater than myself is simply something that I cannot pass up. I want my path to run through the navy, I want to experience things few have ever had the audacity to do. I know the path will be difficult and full of great hardships, but I also know that anything that means anything in this world is something we have to fight for, something that we must earn.

Nuclear Propulsion Officer (Nuke) #4

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by a military atmosphere: from my father being a Sergeant in the Army and my grandfather being a 1st Lieutenant in the Army to my Uncle who was a Nuclear Mechanic for the Navy. I was brought up to believe that serving in the United States Military was one of the most honorable and rewarding events a young man could do with his life. My family also instilled in me that earning a college degree was more important than any other priority. So as I started applying to college, my thoughts of serving in the military became a secondary goal to getting a good education. However, I ended up being accepted to Texas A&M, the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and the number two Nuclear Engineering program in America. It was here that I was introduced to the NUPOC program and becoming an Officer for the greatest Navy in the world. I recognize all of the opportunities this program has to offer from the world class reactor operations to its leadership potential. I believe every leadership position, activity and school hour I have taken has prepared me to become a candidate and eventually an officer for the United States Nuclear Navy. My high school career has had multiple achievements with my most notable being my Eagle Scout award. I have been in the scouting program from cub scouts beginning in kindergarten, and from there crossing over to Boy Scouts in 6th grade where I eventually worked my way through the scouting ranks. I soon became Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 430, and during that time I led over 80 scouts. Even though I am currently in college. I still actively participate in my troop back in Las Vegas and I also help with my cousin’s troop in Dallas. As I progressed through scouting, 1 learned my core values and learned the importance of integrity and honor. I was dedicated to completing my Eagle Scout project which allowed me to earn the highest award in scouting. In addition to those attributes I also held a leadership role very few people get to experience, so I consider earning my Eagle Scout to be the cornerstone of my current leadership traits. I do not have any difficulty with bringing people together to accomplish a common goal due to my leadership experience in scouts. I focus on mentoring the older scouts through their Eagle Projects and I teach backpacking and camping to the younger scouts. This allows me to give back to the organization that taught me so much about life while at the same time continuing to help me learn how to communicate my ideas more effectively since I am dealing with multiple ranges of age groups. While in high school I also actively played varsity lacrosse. For my senior year I was named defensive captain, MVP of the team and was 2nd place for Scholar Athlete for the lacrosse district I played for in Las Vegas, Nevada. While playing lacrosse I was not the fastest or strongest player, but I did have the best technique. I could take command on my side of the field during games and lead practices without supervision. I worked hard to get my team to be the best they could be and pushed myself and the rest of the team to meet higher expectations. Throughout high school I cemented my values and beliefs of honor and integrity but I also formed habits such a determination, commitment and a strong work ethic which will serve me greatly in my future endeavors. Currently attending Texas A&M, I am challenged every day, especially majoring in Nuclear Engineering which more than doubles the challenges I face daily. The traits that I have learned from my high school career have allowed me to succeed academically and in the Corps of Cadets. Throughout my entire college career, I have had one difficult semester and that was spring 2012. Due to an accumulation of events I pulled a subpar GPR which did not meet my high expectations I set for myself. However, instead of doing what many of my classmates have done, which was drop out, I buckled down and fixed my problems. As a result of my determination, work ethic and time management, I earned a 3.25 with five engineering classes, two of which were nuclear engineering based. From here on out, I predict a rise in my GPR even though I am taking classes such as Reactor Theory which heavily emphasizes the transport equation. While also in college I participated in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets as well. This has taught me how to be a follower, a direct leader and an indirect leader. Currently I am learning about executive leadership. All of this has taken place in a controlled military setting, where I receive training from former military officers who have experience in similar issues. Currently I am a Cadet Master Sergeant in charge of scholastic achievement for cadets. I have had to learn how to give orders, receive orders; and probably the hardest part is instructing my own peers on how to accomplish a given assignment. Last summer, I received an internship as an associate engineer for National Security Technologies at the Nevada National Security Site. While there I was able to demonstrate my engineering abilities but most importantly I was able to further develop my personal work ethic. Even though I was given low priority work, I was still able to find mistakes in as built engineering drawings that would have cost the company thousands of dollars to finally recognize and fix. I also learned how to discuss technical issues with responsible cognizant engineers and since many of these engineers where former Navy Nuclear Engineers, I know I learned from the best. Near the end of my internship, I was given a project to draw piping diagrams in the facility by myself with little assistance. In the end, after I taught myself the correct way to complete the project by following company engineering manuals, I had to present these drawings to the engineering team. At the end of my internship, I was offered the same engineering position when I returned to Las Vegas during my winter break and for the following summer of 2013. Since my father and grandfather work at the Nevada Test Site, I have been exposed to the nuclear field my entire life, and for that reason I chose to obtain a Nuclear Engineering degree from Texas A&M. I am dedicated to achieving goals in the things I am passionate about which is both a career in nuclear engineering and the work opportunities offered in the nuclear Navy. More importantly though, I have learned how to recover from difficulties and work harder to excel in achieving my goals. I do not quit on any of my endeavors, and I always put forth my core values of excellence, integrity, discipline and selfless service in all things that I participate in. If I am in a leadership position as well, I work to hold others to a higher standard to obtain the expected goal. For those reasons. I believe I would make an outstanding officer in the Nuclear Propulsion Program.

Navy OCS Guide for Officer Applicants (2024)

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how to write a personal statement for military

Sharing my journey through Air Force Officer Training School (OTS) and beyond.

Application
Career Fields

Drafting your Personal Statement

Air Force Decorations Part 2 of 2

FY2020 Line Officer Board Schedule

AF Portal Announcements – 7 Mar 19

I get a lot of questions about Personal Statements (PS) so I decided it is time to do another post. I believe your PS is your best chance to make an impact on the board. The PS should not be a bland recap of your career experience or qualifications because the board is going to get this from your OTS applicant profile. IMO your goal for the PS should be to tell the board a personal story about how you were inspired to apply to become and officer in the United States Air Force. It should be so captivating it must be read to the end, and reading it should fill the board member with emotion and move them to tears. If you do not do this (or attempt to do this), I think you are missing a huge opportunity to catch the board’s attention. Over this past year I have ran this blog I have probably read two or three PSs which met my own personal criteria for this, so it is possible. If there are any selects out there who would like to contribute their PS to my blog, I would love to post it.

I am not sure what criteria recruiters are pushing out there for civilian applicants, but active duty applicants are required to fit their entire PS into a form called the Air Force Form 56 (AF56). This form (like many other AF Forms) is an “xfdl” file which requires specific software to open. The software is designed for windows but I have heard it is possible to use it on Mac, it can just be a little buggy. Instructions for obtaining the software and form:

Proceed to the Air Force E-Publishing web site. This is the official master archive for all Air Force forms and publications, so it should already be your best friend. I always get to it by Googling “af epubs” but here is the link: http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/ .
Once the software is loaded you can open the form. To download the AF56, from the main page type “af56” in the search block.

The PS block is on page 4. For the AD side we are to write the PS in this block and copy/paste it onto the OTS applicant profile. The xfdl forms are a little quirky with spacing but you will figure it out.

General Guidelines

The official label as listed on the AF56 for your PS is as follows:

WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES AND REASONS FOR DESIRING AN AIR FORCE COMMISSION? (Include what you have to offer the Air Force. Confine comments to this space. Attachments ARE NOT authorized) (MUST BE TYPED).

The approximate length for the form is 450 words, but your results may vary.

Personal Opinion/Advice

I am not or have never been a member of the OTS board, but I have written (with the help of my mentors) a PS and have been selected for OTS. As the owner of this blog, I have also reviewed the PSs of many of my readers who have and have not been selected. I believe can see the difference between an effective and not-so-effective PS. Here are some of my own personal opinions and advice which you can consider as you author your PS and decide what is best for you.

I personally believe you should tell your story. Why do you want to become an officer in the United States Air Force? Why an officer and not enlisted?
What inspired you to apply to serve your country as an officer? Why the Air Force and not another branch?
If you know or have known Air Force officers, what about them has inspired you to want to follow in their footsteps?
Avoid overusing quotes. It good to show you are educated but I believe relying too much on quotes can remove a personal aspect to your PS.
Try to avoid rehashing your career or experience. Speak from the heart, not the mind.
Demonstrate you are educated through your writing. Keep your ideas clear and concise, use an expanded vocabulary, but still be yourself. Don’t use big words just to use big words, use big words because they are your words.
What does it mean to accomplish an Air Force mission, and how can you contribute to the accomplishment of these missions?
Instead of telling the board what the Air Force Core Values or mission are (trust me, they know), tell a personal story about how one or more of the core values has deeply impacted your life.
Consider telling the board about one of the most valuable leadership lessons you have learned in your life.
Tell the board about how much of an honor it would be to serve your country. Capture the feeling of pride and service, not the verbiage.
If you don’t have a story I mentioned above, tell the board any story about a life or career lesson you have learned.
‘ Perspective ‘ is key. Show the board you not only know where you are, but you know where you are going and how where you are going aligns with the future needs of the Air Force.

Tying it Together

The PS, along with your entire application, should flow, not be a disjointed discombobulation of catch phrases or concepts. After the board reads your PS or reviews your application they should know who you are as a person, what makes you tick, and that you will be the perfect addition to the Air Force. Put your heart into it, re-write it as many times as it takes, have some English majors and Field Grade Officers review it, and let it happen.

airforceotsguy

FY2021 Line Officer Board Schedule

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Alejandro Luna

would you be able to look over my PS? If so how would I get a hold of you?

Sure, you can email it to me. My email is at the top of the page. airforceotsguy@gmail.com

Great point. I don't think there is any right or wrong answer, I think it is just a matter of effectively getting your message across. I didn't get any guidance at all about mine, my CC let me do my thing and only did his part. Most PSs I have seen seen fill the space. I know I wouldn't have been able to communicate my message without filling the block so thats what worked for me. I would love to read yours.

What is the direction people are getting about white space? I applied and was accepted back in 2000. White space wasn't a factor. I filled up maybe a third of the block. For me, if I were on the board, I agree with everything you said. You gotta be inspirational; however, I prefer quality over quantity. If you can inspire with half the block filled then that is great. I'd rather read a short, clear, concise, inspirational PS than a long PS that meanders on just to fill that block. Anyway, just wondering what people are being told these days.

So I’m trying to commission as an Officer in the 2018 Boards. Still not entirely certain what all this is supposed to look like, but I got a rough draft that I think its really solid. Would you mind giving it a quick once over?

Sure you can email it to me at airforceotsguy@gmail.com .

I’m a recent ABM select, from the 18OT03 Civilian board. My AFOQT scores were adequate, but not as competitive, compared to the others that I saw, and this worried me (DON’T LET IT). So somewhere in my package, I believe they saw more than just the scores, hopefully a strong point was my personal statement. I sat down thinking I could do this during my morning routine, but with little guidance, writing something so personal takes more time than that, and I’m glad I took my time. All of these points mentioned were spot on! My favorite being, make it personal by telling your story. And tell a story about leadership experiences. I found my inspiration in family, my grandfather, and my brother. I would be happy to share mine with anyone if you need another one to reference. So THANK YOU, for all of this wonderful information. I can’t seem to get enough of it.

Thanks for the comment!!!

Sabrina Rabbani

Hello. I am applying for ots this year at the 21OTCAD board. I would love to get a second reference and read how you wrote yours. I still have to write my AD LO personal essay. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sorry I couldn’t help!

Anybody still reading this in 2019? Thank you for sharing – it’s super helpful! I’ve re-written mine about 5 times. Would you be willing to give it a quick glance to see if I’m on the right track? Thanks in advance!

Hey Brittnie yes shoot me an email at airforceotsguy@gmail.com . Sorry for the delay!

Lailany Machado

Hello, I was wondering if you would be willing to read my PS for my OTS application?

Sure, shoot me an email at airforceotsguy@gmail.com

I would love someone to take a look at my PS if possible! If anyone is still doing that. This website has been so extremely helpful.

Sure, check out my “app review” page and/or send it to my email at airforceotsguy@gmail.com . I’m back in classes so please just let me know when you want/need it back by. Thanks for the feedback!

Hello. I am applying for ots this year at the 21OTCAD board. I would love to get a second reference and read how you wrote yours in Gorm 56. I still have to write my AD LO personal essay. I would also like to send you my essay for review. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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March 19, 2021

VA Statement in Support of Claim Example (4-Step Process)

Last updated on March 7, 2024

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.

If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free.

In today’s high-value blog post, I’m going to share a real VA Statement in Support of Claim Example to include our 4-step process used by thousands of veterans so you can write powerful personal statements to support your VA disability claims.

What’s the bottom line?

A competent and credible personal statement in support of a claim can be the linchpin between winning and losing your VA disability claim and getting the appropriate VA rating for your disability.

Personal statements are immensely powerful and important for your VA claim strategy and should be written carefully.

You must be open, honest, and uncomfortably vulnerable when writing your VA statements in support of a claim.

Think LESS is MORE.

Keep it short and sweet.

And you do NOT need to describe every detail.

A VA Statement in Support of Claim should be 3-5 paragraphs max.

VA Raters are very busy and don’t have time to read a novel.

But first things first: You might be wondering what the heck is a Statement in Support of a Claim (VA Form 21-4138)?

What is a VA Statement in Support of a Claim?

Statement in support of a claim sample: 4 critical sections explained, should i write a statement in support of a claim for each disability condition i’m claiming, step #1: list the name of the disability you’re claiming in the first section of the va form 21-4138, va personal statement examples step #2: explain the approximate timeframe your disability began along with why it should be service connected (or why your va rating should be increased for conditions already service connected), statement in support of claim sample step #3: list the current symptoms of your disability in terms of frequency, severity, and duration over time, how to write a va statement in support of a claim step #4: explain how the disability negatively impacts your work, life, and social functioning., how to write a winning va statement in support of claim, statement in support of claim sample, deserve an increase in your va disability we got you covered, about the author.

A VA Statement in Support of a Claim is a 3-5 paragraph written narrative that details the facts and circumstances of an individual VA disability condition.

Personal statements can be very powerful in filling in any gaps between your military service and present day, including things like service treatment records, doctor visits for treatment (or lack thereof), severity of your symptoms over time, and how your disability is negatively affecting your work, life, and social functioning.

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The best VA Statements in Support of a Claim include the following 4 sections with specific examples tailored to you:

#1. List the Name of the Disability You’re Claiming in the First Section of the VA Form 21-4138

#2. Explain the Approximate Timeframe Your Disability Began Along with Why It Should Be Service Connected (or Why Your VA Rating Should Be Increased for Conditions Already Service Connected)

#3. List the Current Symptoms of Your Disability in Terms of Frequency, Severity, and Duration Over Time

#4: Explain How the Disability Negatively Impacts your Work, Life, and Social Functioning (Use a Couple Examples).

The official VA Form 21-4138 is still the preferred document to use to write a personal statement or if you want to submit a VA “Buddy Statement” from someone with firsthand knowledge of the facts and circumstances to support your VA disability claims.

VA Statement in Support of Claim VA Form 21-4138

In our experience, you should write a detailed personal statement for each disability you’re claiming.

For example, let’s say you’re going to file one VA disability claim with three separate conditions: An increase for your service-connected PTSD, an increase for your service-connected GERD, and a new secondary condition for Migraines secondary to Tinnitus.

You should personally write three separate VA Statements in Support of a Claim for each disability condition.

Statement #1: Statement in Support of a Claim to Increase Service-Connected PTSD VA Rating , which should explain how your PTSD limits or affects your work, life, and social functioning, to include your current mental health symptoms, and why you should have a higher rating.

Statement#2: Statement in Support of a Claim to Increase Service-Connected GERD , which should explain how your GERD limits or affects your work, life, and social functioning, to include your current GERD and acid reflux symptoms, and why you should have a higher rating.

Statement #3: Statement in Support of a Claim for Migraines Secondary to Tinnitus , which should explain why you think your Migraines were caused or aggravated by your Tinnitus, how your Migraines limit or affect your work, life, and social functioning, to include your current Migraine symptoms.

How to Write a Powerful VA Statement in Support of Claim (4-Step Process)

VA Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD Example

Before we begin, make sure to download the official VA Form 21-4138 Statement in Support of a Claim and save it to your computer.

In part one, you’ll want to list the name of the VA disability condition you’re claiming.

I recommend that the name of the condition matches the actual medical diagnosis in your medical records.

For example, if you’re a first-time filer of PTSD, you would name the disability in the header as follows:

DC 9411, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Due to Combat Deployment to Iraq

Expert Tip: Insert the Diagnostic Code (DC) of the condition you’re claiming from CFR Title 38, Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities .

In part two of your Statement in Support of a Claim, you should explain the approximate timeframe (month and year) that your disability condition and symptoms began.

If you’re filing for an increase on a disability that’s already service connected, go ahead and explain how long you’ve been service connected and why you’re filing for an increase, paying close attention to the frequency, severity, and duration of your symptoms over time.

If you’re filing for direct service connection, explain to the VA Rater the in-service incident, injury, or disease that led to the development of your disability.

For example, if you’re claiming PTSD due to a combat deployment, be sure to explain this to include any PTSD Stressor Events (e.g., you feared for your life and safety) to the VA Rater in your personal statement, along with the location, month, and year.

If you’re filing for secondary service connection, explain to the VA Rater why you think a current service-connected disability caused or aggravated the new secondary disability condition.

Let’s say you’re filing for Migraines secondary to Tinnitus.

You could write something such as:

“I’ve had service-connected Tinnitus since 2006. The near-constant ringing in my ears has led me to develop severe Migraine Headaches roughly 2-4x per month. Because of this, I think my Migraines are secondary to Tinnitus. I’ve also included an Independent Medical Opinion from a private provider along with medical research to support this conclusion.”

Expert Tip: You want to explain the “Nexus” (e.g., why you think the condition should be service connected) to the VA Rater very clearly in two sentences or less. List the page numbers in your records where the VA Rater can find the condition quickly.

In part three, you should list the current symptoms of the disability you’re claiming.

Explaining your current disability symptoms in detail is critically important because VA disability ratings depend upon your frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms over time.

If you suffer from severe symptoms of PTSD that cause major impacts, be sure to write down all the symptoms with examples so the VA Rater gets an accurate picture of your approximate symptoms and level of impairment.

Here is an example of how to write this section:

I suffer from severe symptoms of PTSD and now have hyper-sensitivity to lights and loud noises, near-constant anxiety and depression, suicidal thoughts, near-constant panic attacks, sweating, heart racing, ringing in my ears, tingling in my arms, mouth, and lips, dry mouth, headaches, severe insomnia, significant impairment of my short-term and long-term memory, severe anger issues, and paranoia. These symptoms affect me constantly, and I have no control over them. I was referred to a VA Mental Health clinic and have begun regular therapy with a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist. I was formally diagnosed with PTSD in 2006 (see pages 22, 35, 47, and 68 of the attached VA Medical Records).

Expert Tip: Pay close attention to the symptoms based on the rating criteria of the condition you’re claiming from CFR Title 38, Part 4, Sched ule for Rating Disabilities . You should have a basic idea of what your eligible for by law by looking at the VA rating criteria for your disability.

In part four, you should explain how the disability negatively affects your work, life, and social functioning.

A best practice is to explain at least two specific examples of how your disabilty is limiting or affecting you in negative ways.

My PTSD has negatively affected my work and life in many ways. I’ve been divorced twice and don’t have relationships with my children anymore. I lost my job because I can’t get along with my co-workers and supervisors, could not concentrate on my work, took too many sick days for depression and anxiety, and I had angry outbursts at my boss, co-workers, and customers. I often forget people and places, suffer from severe memory loss, forget where I’m driving to and from, I have severe depression, chronic anxiety, constant panic attacks, and constantly check windows, doors, and locks out of OCD-like paranoia. I’ve tried vet centers, medications, mindfulness, etc., and receive little to no relief.

In this video, I show you “How to Write a Winning VA Statement in Support of Claim” using our simple 4-step process with examples.

I also share a real VA Statement in Support of Claim Example with on-screen tips, strategies, and lessons learned.

***VA Statement in Support of Claim – Video Timestamps & Resources***

⏩ 00:00 Brian Reese VA Insider Welcome Message

⏩ 02:12 VA Disability Benefits Basic Eligibility Explained!

⏩ 05:36 Why Write a VA Statement in Support of Claim?

⏩ 07:44 The 4 Essential Parts to a Winning VA Personal Statement

⏩ 16:20 VA Ratings Depend on Frequency, Severity, and Duration of Symptoms

⏩ 22:08 VA Statement in Support of Claim Example for PTSD

⏩ 24:00 Statement in Support of Claim Example for Migraines (Headaches)

⏩ 25:20 VA Claims Insider Elite Program Overview

⏩ 37:22 Unlock FREE VA Disability Resources at: https://vaclaimsinsider.com/

⏩ 42:17 How Does VA Claims Insider Work?

VA Statement in Support of Claim Example

Here’s a real VA Statement in Support of Claim Example for Migraine (Headaches) with sections from the VA Form 21-4138.

This was a re-evaluation, and the Veteran was already service connected at 30% for Migraines but didn’t feel an increase was warranted to the higher VA rating level of 50% for Migraines.

#1. DC 8100, Migraine Headaches
#2. My headaches have remained largely the same (static/permanent) with occasional increases and decreases in severity. My headaches have been service-connected since 2012.
#3. When I’m having a migraine, I experience pain on both sides of my head, which last anywhere from 30 minutes to 1-2 hours. These episodes occur once every 2 weeks on average. I take Tylenol OTC and Motrin OTC in varying doses to help with the pain. I do take frequent naps 3-5x per week, to include 15-to-30-minute rest periods during the workday, especially when the headaches occur. I also practice regular mindfulness meditations and calming music to include noise-canceling headphones.
#4. I’ve worked from home since 2014, which helps me maintain control of my surroundings to include the environment, sounds, lights, space, etc. My migraines do affect my work as I’m less productive due to napping and frequent breaks.

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Brian Reese Author of You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You've Earned

Brian Reese is a VA disability expert, former military officer, and founder of VA Claims Insider – “The Most Trusted Name in Education-Based Resources for Veterans.”

His frustration with the 8-step VA disability claims process led him to create “VA Claims Insider,” which provides U.S. military veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim in less time.

Brian is also the CEO of Military Disability Made Easy , which is the world’s largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability, and has served more than 6,000,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013.

He is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy , Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).

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August 31, 2023

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Cm Step 5 Make Your Case Written Statement

Step 5: Make Your Case: The Written Statement

Make your case: the written application, legal standards for an upgrade, discharge review board (drb).

The first part means that the military got something wrong with the facts or the reasoning behind your discharge. The second part means that there must be reason to believe, if the mistake had not been made, that you would have received a different discharge.
This means that you should be able to point to a change in official policy since you were discharged. The new policy needs to apply retroactively (meaning it declares that even things that happened in the past should have followed this new policy).
you were discharged because of policies that are different in important ways from the current policies, and
the current policies are better for veterans who are being discharged, and
Is there some better policy in place and do you have reason to believe that policy would have helped you when you were discharged? An example of this might be the Kurta Memo (see page 6), which provides special consideration for servicemembers who show signs of Post-Tramautic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). If you had a documented history of mental health problems or symptoms and were discharged despite those symptoms, you may be able to say that the discharge was “inequitable” under current policies.

Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR)

Tailoring your written statement to the legal standards, for a drb (which reviews if a discharge is “proper” and “equitable”):.

Be sure to write that your discharge was “improper.”
Mention any errors made in your discharge process. Explain why your discharge would have been different if these errors had not been made.
Note: To apply to your case, a new policy must say it applies retroactively (meaning it applies to past discharges).
Be sure to write that your discharge was “inequitable.”
Identify how relevant military policy has changed since your discharge to give service members more rights.
Show that there is “substantial doubt” that your discharge would have been the same under the new policy.

For a BCMR (which corrects “errors” and removes “injustices”):

Be sure to write that your discharge process involved “errors.”
Explain the errors made in your discharge process.
Show why the outcome would have been different had no errors been made.

My General discharge involved error because [ here, discuss the mistakes made in your discharge, like if the wrong law was applied or your commanding officer described your behavior inaccurately ]. I would have received a different discharge status if these errors had not been made. My discharge status should therefore be upgraded to [ status you are requesting ].

Be sure to write that your discharge has resulted in “injustice.”
Explain the injustice that your discharge status has caused you and how it has affected your life.
If a relevant military policy has changed since your discharge to give service members more rights, mention that new policy.

Note for veterans with mental health problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, or traumatic brain injury

5 Tips Every Veteran Should Keep In Mind When Writing Their College Admissions Essays

In honor of the start of college admissions season, I’m offering some tips I learned during my time as an...

By Joy Turner | Published Sep 7, 2018 7:37 PM EDT

Military Life

In honor of the start of college admissions season, I’m offering some tips I learned during my time as an admissions application reader and writing consultant tailored to help veterans write college application essays that actually stand out.

Answer the question

In the military, we’re taught to write memos and SOPs in a straightforward and technical manner. Still, I’ve read dozens of college admissions personal statements from veterans that tell a wonderfully engaging story about their time in the service, but fail to answer the questions asked in the essay prompt.

This issue comes up a lot especially for applicants using an essay template to apply to multiple colleges. Don’t focus on telling me about a personal challenge you overcame while in the military if I asked you to talk about why you chose to apply to X school. As a good practice, go back and read the essay prompt after you’ve written your personal statement or essay, then underline each instance in your essay where you directly answer the prompt. This will tell you if you’re on track or not.

Show, don’t tell

Use every opportunity to tell a story. Admissions staff aren’t interested in reading a list of your accomplishments as if they’re on a promotion board perusing your military personnel file. Instead, tell a story that leaves them wanting to know more about you and what you accomplished during your military service or in your personal life.

As with job interviews, I recommend applicants implore the STAR method – which will provide details about the specific situation, task, action, and result of the story you are telling in a logical order. Reading a list isn’t necessarily interesting, but reading a story can be. Being interesting is what gets you an invite to the next cohort. Give the admissions readers a reason to want to meet you in person by telling them a story that is personal, engaging, and thought-provoking.

Start with bullet points

If you’re having trouble figuring out how to tell your story, I also recommend starting with bullet points. When it came time to write evaluations for my soldiers as a platoon leader, I often started the process by listing 3-4 bullet points under each section on the evaluation form which allowed me to concisely articulate the soldier’s accomplishments and begin to create a narrative about their performance.

For personal statements, outline the story you want to tell from beginning to end using bullet points. Creating an outline will allow you to clarify your thoughts and identify where information might be confusing to the reader (remember most people have not served in the military and have no concept of rank or MOS).

Often, college admissions applications serve as the first-time veterans have an opportunity to write about their service and it can be daunting to get started. The content of the bullet points can become the skeleton for your essay paragraphs and allow you to easily connect ideas and shape your story.

Don’t repeat information

Admissions readers know you have a lot of awards and have traveled to various countries over your military career because they can easily read this type of information on the resume that is submitted with your application. Don’t repeat it over again in your personal statement and supplemental essays. The admissions staff wants to know how you differ from the other 100 applicants who have also won awards or worked in foreign countries, what makes you unique? Talk about what you can bring to the incoming cohort as a veteran and individual that’s going to make an impact and increase the knowledge base, culture, and prestige of the institution.

Colleges are as interested in what benefits you can provide them as you are about what you will get out of the deal. Communicate in your personal statement what distinctive role you will fill, what value you bring to the classroom and your future profession, and how you will enrich the experiences of your classmates.

Be specific and stand out

Most applicants say at some point in their college application essays that they are “hardworking” or “passionate about making the world a better place”. Neither of these attributes is unique to veterans or servicemembers, nor do they particularly stand out as demonstrative of a person’s character to application readers who are reviewing 1000s of applications. To succeed in college, every student SHOULD be hardworking and passionate about their studies or a broader cause. Instead of relying on generic application clichés, write about your personal motivation for joining the military, how your identity and life thus far have informed your professional goals, or about what impact you personally hope to have on the world around you outside of your military service.

Remember, it’s perfectly fine to discuss your military service in your personal statement despite the stigmas veterans sometimes face in our society today. The important thing to keep in mind is that the application essay is a representation of you on paper and one of the only opportunities you get to make an impression before you arrive on campus. Just like in a job interview, it’s essential you demonstrate your unique value and why you deserve a seat in the (class)room.

This is a part of a series on hacking higher education in partnership with Service to School , a non-profit that provides free college application assistance to transitioning service members and veterans

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We need more examples. Examples can be contributed by using the form below.

How to Write a Character Statement

Introduction.

Normally a single paragraph of a couple of sentences explaining who you are (rank, place of work, etc) and your relationship with the subject (co-worker, friend, supervisor, etc). This is important. The reader will automatically assign a certain level of credibility to the letter based on the relationship. The more distant the relationship, the more credible the letter will be perceived to be.

The body is the majority of the letter. It can be one or several paragraphs. Here is where you make the case for the subject by describing your experiences with him or her and giving examples of the subject's good qualities. The first sentence should state your overall opinion of the subject and everything else written should support that statement.

Ask the subject of the character statement if they have any information that could help project a positive image such as a list of accomplishments, organizations that he or she belongs to, or any other relevant information. Ask your co-workers too. This is important.

Address Specific Traits

If someone has been accused of insubordination, a character statement for that person should address your direct knowledge of that person's respect for authority and willingness to follow orders with examples if possible. List incidents that you observed where he accepted orders or even punishment without argument.

Of course, along with this focused description, you should also include your subject's other positive attributes. If possible, these additional positive attributes should overlap with or complement your main assertion. For example, a central theme of respect for authority and a natural willingness to follow orders would be supported by additional positive attributes of dedication to duty, an understanding of the need for order, and a positive attitude.

Overlapping positive attributes

Character statement examples.

RYAN P. FASANO SFC, USA Platoon Sergeant

SUBJECT: CHARACTER STATEMENT FOR STAFF SERGEANT TREJO, MARIO EDIPI: 1298475886/USMC

T. M. DEKINDEREN

I am SSG Ricky Bobby and am writing on behalf of CW3 Walker Texas-Ranger. I have served over eleven years active duty service in our great Army. I am currently a Recruiter in Talladega and an active member of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.

I first met CW3 Texas-Ranger in August 2004, when he served as an AIT Drill Sergeant at Ft. Gordon, GA. CW3 Texas-Ranger was never assigned as my Drill Sergeant or Senior Drill Sergeant. Despite this, he had an extremely positive impact on me and the unit. CW3 Texas-Ranger never failed to uphold the Army Values and consistently embodied technical and tactical proficiency. Witnessing CW3 Texas-Ranger s superior leadership and mentorship qualities in such a diverse environment, certainly groomed me into the Leader I am today.

Furthermore, I served with CW3 Texas-Ranger in Fort Hood, TX, and Bagram, Afghanistan. CW3 Texas-Ranger and I were never assigned to the same section at either location. CW3 Texas-Ranger fortified the image of the Leader I knew him as during AIT, as he continuously mentored Soldiers at all echelons. His technical prowess was steadfast and contributions to the G6 team guaranteed overall mission accomplishment.

I aware of the pending review of CW3 Texas-Ranger s advancement to CW4 due to an investigation while he was assigned as a Drill Sergeant. The investigation came as quite a surprise to me, as CW3 Texas-Ranger has never portrayed a Soldier that would derelict his personal or professional responsibilities.

For these reasons, it is my humble recommendation that CW3 Texas-Ranger is advanced to CW4. If you would like for me to elaborate prior to your final decision, I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to speak further on CW3 Texas-Ranger's behalf. I can be reached at any time on my personal cell, 800-SHK-NBKE, or government cell, 800-BBJ-ESUS.

My name is SSG Smith and I am writing on behalf of SGT Jones. I have been in the Army for over 11 years and I am currently the NCOIC of Personal Property at the Installation Transportation Office.

I first met SGT Jones in April 2011 at WLC, on Ft Stewart. I had the opportunity to get to know SGT Jones as a peer and as a friend. I know SGT Jones has dedicated her life to the Army is an integral part of it. She embodies her job as assignments manager and places her job and the Army first in her life, and wouldn't have it any other way.

I have been informed by SGT Jones about the situation that she is currently in. In regards to this situation, I can tell you that this was a one-time mistake and out of character for her. While TDY with her at Ft Meade, I had the opportunity to witness her instructing other NCOs about the GTC, its purpose, and its proper use. Despite numerous TDYs and dozens of uses, she has never misused her card before this instance. And, in her defense, she had the integrity to immediately acknowledge her mistake and take care of it immediately.

I am aware of the punishment that SGT Jones could be given. However, I do not believe the fullest extent of the law should be applied when determining her final punishment. What I have personally witnessed of SGT Jones' character does not indicate a person that poses a threat to the professional image and integrity of our Army. It is my belief that people of her character and work ethic are too rare to risk losing over a one-time, out-of-character incident and I earnestly recommend suspending any punishment. If you have any questions or concerns, or if I can be of further assistance, I can be reached at DSN 123-4567.

MARY M. BELLA, CPT, USA ASF Admin/Occupational Health Element Chief DSN 530-XXXX

10 Oct 2012

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How to Write a Waiver Letter for Military – Step-By-Step Guide

Written by Everett Bledsoe / Fact checked by Brain Bartell

As part of military applications, you may have to submit a waiver letter. In that case, knowing how to write a waiver letter for military is a must. You can learn just that in our article here. We will take you through all the necessary steps, which are briefly as follows:

Table of Contents

1. Age Waiver

2. medical waiver, 3. felony waiver, 1. use the right program, 2. use the right block format, 3. include an opening or introduction, 4. provide a detailed reason for the body, 5. attach any supporting evidence or letters, 6. wrap up neatly with a clear closing/conclusion, military waivers.

Before we dive into what has to be done, let’s revisit the idea of military waivers.

Military waivers are “special permissions” granted to an applicant who is in one or more disqualifying situations. Waivers are necessary in order for an applicant to be accepted and become a recruit. A waiver will “clear” your criminal profile or medical history, and thus, allow you to qualify for the military.

There are different types of military waivers, which we will look at more closely now.

The military has a minimum and maximum enlistment age limit. So, if you are not within this age range and want to enter the military, you will need to submit an age waiver. The minimum age to enlist is 17, but you must have written consent from your parents. For enlisting without parental consent, 18 is the minimum age.

At the end of the spectrum, the maximum age to enlist is from 27 to 40, depending on the specific military branch.

For active-duty Coast Guard, the cap is at 27 years old.
Marines are 28 years old and Marine Guard Reserves are 29.
Coast Guard Reserves are also capped at 29 years old.
Active-duty Navy and Air Force Reserves are capped off at 34 years old.
Active-duty Army and Army Reserves or Army National Guard are 35.
Finally, the Air National Guard Reserve’s maximum age limit is 40.

Within each branch, there are certain programs that also have an age requirement. For example, Navy Pilots must start the training program at 27 years old.

Military age waivers are available for when you want to join the military at a certain age. However, these are usually only applicable for prior-service enlistment. Approvals are usually granted for applicants who started the enlistment procedure before reaching the maximum age limit.

Age waivers are typically considered case-by-case, and candidates with outstanding or in-demand skill sets are more likely to be approved.

For prior-service enlistment wanting to re-enlist, the military adds the time a candidate has served to the age limit. For instance, if you have served the Army for three years and want to enlist in the Marine Corps, your age limit will be 31 instead of 28,

However, each branch has a limit to the amount of prior-service time a candidate can be “awarded”. For the Marine Corps, the maximum enlistment age is 32 and for the Army or Air National Guard, the age is 59.

There are no official waiver templates for any branch, so sadly, there won’t be a marine corps waiver guide or sample of an age waiver request letter that you can take a look at for reference. However, there are plenty of other forms of assistance that you can avail of. We will discuss them in the section after this.

Medical waivers are exactly as the name suggests. They clear out certain conditions so that you are eligible to join the military. Conditions that need a medical waiver include aids, asthma, cirrhosis, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, HIV, hepatitis, heart defects, ear infections, poor hearing, loss of a limb, and scoliosis.

Moreover, you need to get a waiver for mental illnesses like anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, drug or alcohol use, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and schizophrenia.

You can also get waivers for crimes that you have been convicted of. However, your chances of approval will be influenced by many factors, such as the severity of your crime(s), and your present legal status.

Unfortunately, not every offense can be “cleared out” with waivers. If your record has:

Intoxication, drug use, or possession of illicit substances
A currently pending offense during the enrollment
More than five misdemeanors before the enlistment application

You CANNOT be in the armed forces. Serious civil convictions that are committed over 3 times, theft, rape, and sexual crimes are other problematic offenses.

Acceptable offenses are minor offenses, misdemeanor crimes, and juvenile offenses:

6 or fewer minor traffic offenses with fines from $100 each
3 or fewer minor non-traffic offenses
Any offenses charged when you were under 18-years-old
Including those dismissed, pardoned, expunged, or sealed
2 or fewer DWI/DUI (You must wait for 12 months from the convicted date)
2 to 4 civil charges or dispositions

A few less severe convictions do not require a waiver at all. For example, jaywalking, driving with no license or seat belts, and speeding.

After submitting the waiver letter(s), it can take 3 weeks to 3 months before you hear back about the results. Unfortunately, not all waivers will be accepted. Whether or not your waiver letter gets approved depends on many factors.

However, writing a good waiver letter and properly submitting it will give you an edge. So, make sure you do so by reading the next section featuring step-by-step instructions carefully.

Writing a Military Waiver Letter

Here are six things that you should do to complete a good military waiver letter.

To start your letter, make sure you use the appropriate word-processing program. Your best option is Microsoft Word. Do not use an online poster tool or anything along that line. The letter is text-based, so choose accordingly.

Once you have the right word-processing program to write your letter, format it in a business style, trust me, formatting is an important step to make sure that your letter looks neat, professional, and “well-written”.

Start by setting the margins to 1-inch. Then, align the paragraphs on the left side of the page. At the top, type out the name of the recipient, the address, and the date. Do not forget to outline your own name and address.

Now, begin your letter with a succinct opening. Be to the point and express the type of waiver you are seeking. For instance, if you did not meet the age limit, type:

“I am writing this letter to request an age waiver. I failed to meet the age requirement of the Army/Navy/Air Force/…)” Remember, you do not need a lengthy introduction; it will only bore the reader or make it confusing.

This is the bulk of your letter. Make sure you give a detailed and convincing reason as to why your waiver should be approved. In other words, you must clearly justify the waiver request. This should be the lengthiest part of your letter. Even so, it is best to keep the letter “short and sweet”; do not ramble!

Include any other evidence or letters that can support your waiver request. This is especially crucial for felony waivers.

End your letter with a short, preferably one-line closing. This informs the reader that your letter is complete and makes your letter, as a whole, appear professional.

Tip: If you want to ask for more detailed guidance before you start your waiver letter, consider reaching out to your local recruiters.

That’s it! Everything you need to know about military waivers and writing one has been covered. Did you find this article on how to write a waiver letter for military helpful? If yes, let us know! Also, feel free to share this with anyone you think will benefit from the content.

I am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for The Soldiers Project. My purpose in this project is to give honest reviews on the gear utilized and tested over time. Of course, you cannot go wrong when checking out our package of information and guide, too, as they come from reliable sources and years of experience.

The VA Disability Advocate

HOW TO WRITE A COMPELLING STATEMENT TO SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM

Crafting a compelling Statement in Support of Claim for your VA disability application involves detailed storytelling and clear articulation of how your service-related disability impacts your life. A well-structured statement can significantly enhance your claim by providing the VA with a vivid, personal insight into your experiences, challenges, and needs. Below, we expand on each section of your statement to ensure a comprehensive and persuasive narrative.

Start with a detailed introduction of your military service. This should include:

Branch of Service and Unit: Clearly state your branch and unit, providing a foundation for understanding your military background.

Service Duration and Locations: Mention the total years served and key locations, especially those relevant to your claim.

Roles and Responsibilities: Describe your MOS or specific duties, focusing on aspects that relate directly to your disability claim.

Detailed Account of the Event: If a specific event is at the heart of your disability:

Event Description: Provide a chronological narrative of the event, including the date, location, and what transpired. Use descriptive language to convey the intensity or seriousness of the situation.

Your Role in the Event: Detail your involvement, actions taken, and any immediate consequences you faced.

Eyewitness Accounts: If available, include statements from others who witnessed the event, adding credibility and perspective to your account.

Description of Your Disability and Its Impact: This section is crucial for illustrating the breadth of your disability's impact on your life:

Physical and Emotional Toll: Discuss specific physical limitations or symptoms you experience. Describe the emotional and psychological effects, such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression, emphasizing how these have altered your daily life.

Professional and Social Impact: Detail any changes in your job performance, career trajectory, or employment status. Discuss the strain or changes in relationships and social activities, highlighting any isolation or withdrawal you've experienced.

Comparison of Pre- and Post-Service Life: Offer a vivid comparison of your abilities, hobbies, and quality of life before and after your service. This contrast can powerfully illustrate the disability's impact.

Medical Treatment and Response

Treatment Timeline: Provide a detailed timeline of your medical treatments, including dates, healthcare providers, and treatment outcomes. This demonstrates the ongoing nature of your disability and your efforts to address it.

Accessibility and Efficacy of Treatments: Discuss any challenges in accessing care or limitations in treatment efficacy. This can highlight the complexity and severity of your condition.

Personal Testimony

Personal Reflections: Share your personal journey in adapting to life with your disability. This might include mental health struggles, the challenge of redefining your identity post-service, or the daily realities of living with a chronic condition.

Hopes and Frustrations: Articulate your hopes for improvement or fears about the future. This section adds depth to your narrative, showing the human element behind the claim.

Supporting Testimonies

Family and Friends Observations: Incorporate statements from those close to you, detailing their observations of your struggles and changes since your service. These perspectives can underscore the broad impact of your disability.

Professional Insights: If applicable, include observations from your employers or colleagues about changes in your work performance or behavior, lending further evidence to your claim's validity.

Conclusion and Appeal for Support

Summary of Your Situation: Concisely summarize the key points of your narrative, reinforcing the severity and legitimacy of your disability.

Appeal for Understanding and Support: End with a respectful appeal to the VA for support, emphasizing the critical role of the benefits in maintaining your dignity, independence, and quality of life.

Writing Tips for Clarity and Impact

Narrative Flow: Ensure your statement has a logical flow, with each section smoothly transitioning into the next. This helps maintain the reader's engagement and understanding.

Emotive Language: Where appropriate, use emotive language to convey the intensity of your experiences and the depth of your struggles. This can make your statement more compelling and memorable.

Proofreading: Thoroughly proofread your statement or have someone else review it for errors and clarity. A polished, error-free statement reflects the seriousness of your claim well.

By meticulously crafting each section of your Statement in Support of Claim, you significantly strengthen your VA disability claim, ensuring that the VA fully comprehends the profound impact of your service-related disability on your life.

(Current Clients): Please use these forms to submit your statement

VA Form 21-0781 PTSD Statement - Personal Statement (Read This First)

VA Form 21-0781a PTSD and MST Secondary to Personal Assault - Personal Statement (Read This First)

VA Form 21-10210 Lay Witness Statement - Buddy, Family, and Friends Statements

VA Form 21-4138 General Statements - Can be used for any VA benefit

SAMPLE LETTER :

[Your Name]

[Your Service Number/SSN]

[Your Address]

[Email Address]

[Phone Number]

Department of Veterans Affairs

Claims Intake Center

PO Box 4444 Janesville, WI 53547-4444

Subject: Service Connection for Lumbar Strain

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to apply for service-connected compensation for a lumbar strain that initially occurred in 1989 while I was stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. During a field exercise, I was involved in lifting a generator off a truck, which resulted in immediate back pain. I sought medical attention at the base's sick call, where I was prescribed 800mg of Ibuprofen and placed on a temporary profile.

Despite the initial care, I continued to experience lumbar pain throughout my service. However, fearing stigma and potential negative attention from my unit, I refrained from seeking further medical assistance. This decision, driven by a concern for my career and unit cohesion, has had lasting repercussions on my health.

After my service, my access to medical care was severely limited, and it wasn't until 2012, through my employment, that I was able to seek treatment for my ongoing back pain. Over the past three years, I have been under the care of a private chiropractor. Recent X-rays have confirmed the presence of Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) and bulging discs, conditions that trace directly back to the injury I sustained while in service.

The impact of this injury has extended far beyond my service and into my personal and professional life. I am currently enrolled in a pain management program to manage the constant discomfort and limitation of mobility. My ability to perform at work has been compromised, leading to periods of unemployment and financial strain. Furthermore, the pain and subsequent treatment have caused me to miss significant life events and opportunities to spend time with my family, contributing to a decreased quality of life.

I have attached all relevant medical records, including the documentation from my initial visit to sick call in 1989, records from my chiropractic care, and the recent X-rays and diagnoses. These documents substantiate the origin of my lumbar strain during military service and its progression to my current condition.

I request that the Department of Veterans Affairs recognize the service connection of my lumbar strain and its subsequent conditions. Granting this claim would not only validate the physical suffering I have endured since my service but also provide the necessary support to manage my health moving forward.

Thank you for considering my claim. I am ready to provide any additional information or documentation required. I look forward to your response and hope for a favorable review of my case.

Conclusion:

When filing a VA disability claim, providing comprehensive evidence to support your case is vital. Statements in Support of Claim offer a valuable opportunity to strengthen your claim by providing crucial details, additional information, and personal testimonies. These statements substantiate the event that caused your disability, offer insights into its impact on your life, establish pre-service and post-service comparisons, and personalize your claim. Gathering and including these statements significantly enhances your chances of obtaining the disability compensation you deserve. The collective power of these statements adds depth, context, and humanity to your claim, ensuring that decision-makers have a comprehensive understanding of your unique circumstances.

The VA Disability Advocates Main Office is Located in Las Vegas, NV. We Represent Veterans throughout the United States. 702-992-4883

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How and Why Veterans Need a Concise Personal Statement for a Job Interview

Most questions asked in a job interview aren't exactly about the one being posed. It's more about how well you answer the question and what your answer means below the surface.

When an employer asks a interviewee to "tell me about yourself," it's not just a chance for the potential new hire to talk about their hobbies, dreams and life goals, it's an opportunity to show the employer you have aspirations in line with the company's goals and that you can clearly and concisely communicate an idea.

This is where having a thoroughly researched and well-rehearsed personal statement is vital. Think of it less like a personal statement of facts and more like an elevator pitch for yourself.

But like any other elevator pitch, you have only the length of the elevator ride to get to your point, grab their attention and -- most importantly -- get lodged into their memory, whomever they might be.

This means you have about 30 seconds to become instantly memorable and appear capable in the eyes of a total stranger. But that's OK because the interviewer is looking for someone to impress them with just such a statement.

Like any sales pitch, you want to be able to describe what you're selling (in this case, it's yourself). You want to describe your background, education, what jobs you've held and what you're interested in doing now.

Start with writing it down, listing all the things you think are the most important in those three areas. Don't worry about writing too much at first. The next step is cutting things out, getting to the most important aspects of your pitch and trimming the whole thing down to a tight 30 seconds.

The first area involves your education and training. For veterans in a skilled trade, this is an important area because many skilled labor jobs require licenses and certificates. For unskilled labor or other career fields, this is where you'd list degrees and other training.

If you've been out of the military for a few years, have a lot of work history and aren't trying to get a job that requires a master's level education, you might just briefly mention that you have a degree and where it's from, then go right into detailing your work history. Anyone with less than five years of work experience should definitely take the time to detail their education.

The second area will take up the bulk of the time in the pitch. Choose work history that has the most relevance to the job you want and list it here. Be advised: This is the area where everyone is most likely to stumble, fumble and ramble on. Think sharp as you navigate your work history.

Finally, write out your future goals and what you're interested in now. This is also not the time to fumble around, unsure of what you want. Choose an aspiration that is in line with the company's goals, one the employer will see as mutually beneficial. Employers know that an employee whose personal and professional goals are aligned will work harder and be more loyal than someone taking a job just for the money.

When you have all these ideas down, get rid of most of them by considering whether they're relevant to the job or employer you're trying to pitch to. Parts 1 and 3 should be about one sentence long; part 2 should be three sentences long. When you read them aloud, do so conversationally and time yourself. Practice makes perfect.

It should take about 30 seconds to read your statement without going too fast or too slow. Memorize it and practice reading it calmly and conversationally to a loved one. Carefully consider their feedback if they offer some; it may mean the difference between success or failure.

And don't be too proud to cut things out. You may have time to detail them later.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at [email protected] . He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook .

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How to Write a Military Mission Statement: A Step-by-Step Guide

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In the military, a mission statement serves as a clear and concise declaration of the purpose, goals, and objectives of a specific mission. When properly crafted, a mission statement can be a powerful tool for guiding strategic decision-making, communicating expectations to team members, and rallying support for the mission from key stakeholders and allies.

Understanding the Importance of a Military Mission Statement

Before diving into the process of crafting a mission statement, it's important to understand why it matters in the military context. A mission statement serves as a North Star, guiding the actions and decisions of those involved in the mission. It provides a clear sense of direction and purpose, helping to focus efforts on achieving specific objectives while avoiding distractions and setbacks.

When it comes to the military, having a clear mission statement is especially important. Military missions often involve high stakes and complex operations, and the consequences of failure can be severe. A well-crafted mission statement can help ensure that everyone involved in the mission is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

Additionally, military missions often involve multiple units and branches of the armed forces working together. A mission statement can help ensure that everyone involved is working towards a common goal and that there is clear communication and coordination between different groups.

Defining the Purpose of a Military Mission Statement

The purpose of a military mission statement is to provide a clear and concise declaration of the goals, objectives, values, and vision for a particular mission. It should be specific and action-oriented, providing a roadmap for success through clear, measurable objectives, and goals.

Having a clear mission statement can also help with decision-making during the mission. When faced with unexpected challenges or opportunities, those involved can refer back to the mission statement to ensure that any decisions made align with the overall goals and objectives of the mission.

Key Components of an Effective Mission Statement

Effective mission statements share several key components, including:

A clear and concise statement of purpose - this should describe the overall goal of the mission in a way that is easy to understand and remember.
Specific, measurable objectives and goals - these should be concrete and actionable, allowing those involved to track progress and adjust plans as needed.
An articulation of values and vision - this should describe the underlying principles and beliefs that guide the mission and how it fits into the larger goals and objectives of the military.
Action-oriented language - the mission statement should use strong, active verbs to convey a sense of purpose and urgency.
Brevity - a good mission statement should be short and to the point, making it easy to remember and communicate to others.

Overall, a well-crafted mission statement can be a powerful tool in the military context, helping to ensure that everyone involved is working towards a common goal and that decisions are made with the overall mission in mind.

Gathering Essential Information for Your Mission Statement

Before diving into the crafting process, it's important to gather the essential information necessary to create a strong mission statement. A mission statement is a declaration of an organization's purpose, and it should guide decision-making, resource allocation, and strategic planning.

Identifying the Mission's Objectives

Begin by identifying the objectives of the mission. What are you trying to accomplish? How will you measure success? These objectives should be specific and measurable to ensure clarity and alignment throughout the mission. Consider the long-term and short-term goals of the mission. What are the key milestones that you need to achieve?

For example, if your mission is to reduce plastic waste in the ocean, your objectives may include reducing plastic consumption, increasing recycling efforts, and advocating for policy changes. You may measure success by the amount of plastic waste removed from the ocean, the number of people who adopt sustainable practices, and the impact of your advocacy efforts on policy.

Determining the Scope of the Mission

Next, consider the mission's scope. What is the timeline for completion? What resources are available? Are there any constraints or limitations that will affect the mission's success?

When determining the scope of the mission, it's important to consider the external environment. What are the current trends and challenges in your industry or sector? How will these impact your mission?

For example, if your mission is to provide clean water to communities in developing countries, you may need to consider factors such as political instability, access to resources, and cultural norms. These external factors may impact the timeline and resources required to achieve your mission.

Assessing Available Resources and Constraints

Once the mission's scope is defined, assess the resources and constraints available. This may include personnel, equipment, finances, and other key factors that will impact the mission's success.

It's important to consider both internal and external resources and constraints. Internal resources may include the skills and expertise of your team, the availability of funding, and access to technology. External resources may include partnerships with other organizations, support from the community, and access to government resources.

Constraints may include factors such as limited funding or resources, regulatory requirements, and time limitations. It's important to identify these constraints early in the process to ensure that they are addressed in the mission statement and planning process.

By gathering essential information about the mission's objectives, scope, and available resources and constraints, you can create a strong mission statement that guides your organization's decision-making and strategic planning. Remember to keep the mission statement clear, concise, and aligned with the organization's values and goals.

Crafting a Clear and Concise Mission Statement

After gathering all the necessary information, it's time to craft the mission statement itself.

Using Action-Oriented Language

Use action-oriented language to convey a sense of urgency and clarity. Avoid vague terminology or unnecessary jargon that may confuse or distract from the mission's purpose and objectives.

Ensuring Clarity and Specificity

Ensure that the mission statement is specific and precise, leaving no room for interpretation or confusion. Each component of the mission statement should be clear and easily understood, conveying a sense of purpose and focus.

Keeping the Mission Statement Brief

A mission statement should be succinct and to the point, without extraneous information that dilutes its effectiveness or purpose. Keep the statement brief to enhance its impact and memorability.

Incorporating Key Stakeholders and Their Perspectives

Finally, it's essential to incorporate the input and perspectives of key stakeholders to create a well-rounded mission statement.

Consulting with Military Leadership

Military leadership should be consulted to ensure that the mission statement aligns with the organization's goals and values. Their input can help refine the statement and ensure that it reflects the realities of military operations and strategic objectives.

Gathering Input from Team Members

Team members who will be involved in the mission should also be consulted to ensure their buy-in and commitment to the mission's success. Their input can help identify potential obstacles or challenges and develop more effective strategies to achieve the mission's objectives.

Considering the Needs and Expectations of Allies and Partners

Finally, it's important to consider the needs and expectations of allies and partners who will be involved in the mission. Their input can help enhance collaboration and alignment and ensure that the mission's goals are achievable and realistic.

By following these steps, you can develop a strong and effective military mission statement that provides clarity, focus, and direction for your mission's success.

ChatGPT Prompt for Writing a Military Mission Statement

Use the following prompt in an AI chatbot . Below each prompt, be sure to provide additional details about your situation. These could be scratch notes, what you'd like to say or anything else that guides the AI model to write a certain way.

Please craft a thorough and precise statement that outlines the goals, objectives, and values that guide the actions and decisions of a military unit in carrying out their assigned duties and responsibilities. This mission statement should clearly articulate the overarching purpose and strategic vision of the unit, as well as the specific tactics and strategies that will be employed to achieve success. Additionally, it should reflect the core values and principles that underpin the unit's culture, including a commitment to service, honor, integrity, and teamwork.

[ADD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. CAN USE BULLET POINTS.]

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Personal Statement (Statement in Support of Claim)

Are your military records missing evidence or context?

If so, the VA provides you with two options:

Personal statements ; and

Buddy letters .

Personal statements are for when you yourself want to write a statement in support of your own claim. This can include:

Pointing out where important evidence is in your records (page X of document named XX shows a diagnosis of Q);

Tying all your evidence together, so it makes more sense;

Explaining the progression of your symptoms over time;

Detailing how your conditions' severity affects your life, work, social life, etc;

Explaining the details of an event that occurred during your service.

However, if you know someone who can attest to something you were a part of, witness to, changes in your behavior, and/or the severity of your symptoms then having them write a buddy letter can be a useful piece of evidence for your claim.

Click HERE to learn more about buddy letters.

Writing Tips

Use the proper VA forms!

The VA has THREE different forms for personal statements.

Statement in Support of Claim VA Form 21-4138 - Your general use form. Basically, if you want to point things out in your records, to help ensure the rater does not miss anything. Or, you want to add some context/detail to your evidence that may otherwise not be known.

Supporting statements for service connection for PTSD VA Form 21-0781

Supporting statements for service connection for PTSD that is a result of a personal trauma (such as military sexual trauma) VA Form 21-0781a

Keep it brief and to the point, remember BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front). The rater doesn't have time to get lost in a great story about the time Pvt. Reddit sneaked his girlfriend into the barracks in his rucksack. (But the people at r/Veterans do.)

Quantify (state numbers) when possible. Which sounds better?:

My headaches are so severe I have to lay down for most of the day. These headaches occur fairly frequently; OR

My headaches are so severe I have to lay down for most of the day. These headaches occur at least three times a week.

Unless you are a licensed physician in the relevant area of medicine, you should NOT try to diagnosis yourself! Remember, stick to the facts! But if do have a buddy who does just so happen to be a licensed physician in the relevant area of medicine. Have them complete a Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs) and/or an Independent Medical Opinion (IMO)/Nexus Letter and include it with your claim.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

If you for whatever reason do not want to use the VA form, ensure you write "I CERTIFY THAT I have completed this statement and that its information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief." Directly above where you sign and date the letter, in addition to providing your contact information.

What Should be in the Letter

It depends on the your purpose you are trying to accomplish:

Help prove service connection:

Details about the in-service event that caused the injury or illness.

How you were impacted by the event. Any changes in physical/mental health?

Help prove severity of your disability:

What are your current symptoms? How do your disabilit(ies) interfere with your job, social life, things you can no longer do, etc.

Example 1 (Tying Evidence Together)

What follows is a summary of back condition during and after service:

Around late January, 2003 I started having back pain after I slipped on some ice and landed on my back. This event was witnessed by Sgt. Buddy and his witness statement has been recorded on the provided VA Form 21-10210 uploaded as Sgt_Buddy_Statement.pdf.

On March 3rd, 2003 I was seen at the Fox medical center at Fort Place for back pain. I was given a diagnosis of back strain.

On May 7th, 2004 I was seen at the Troop medical place at Camp Reddit for back pain. I was given a diagnosis of back strain again.

My back pain continued even after I separated in June 2004.

On September 4th, 2005 I was seen at the Back Clinic Place by Dr. Spine. Dr. Spine had an MRI scan of my spine preformed and identified several bulging discs in my lower spine. Dr. Spine's report has been uploaded as SpineReport2005.pdf. In the event the VA requires additional medical evidence from Dr. Spine. I have included a completed and signed VA Form 21-4142 uploaded as Spine21-4142.pdf.

From 2006 to now, I have received all my medical care through the State Place VAMC.

On September 1st, 2021 my primary care provider Dr. PCP completed a Back (Thoracolumbar Spine) Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire . It has been uploaded as BackDBQ.pdf.

The idea is to paint a picture that the rater and examiner can follow. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of records and it may be difficult to pull specific pieces of evidence out.

Example 2 (Details of an Event)

Sometime around April 2006 while serving with the 4ABC in Iraq, my unit was conducting a convoy operation in X Province. During the operation the lead vehicle was...

In order to help the VA locate and verify your statements of an event, it is important to be as specific as possible. The more details you provide that address the "when, where, and what" the better.

Example 3 (Headache Log)

I regularly experience severe prostrating headaches that require me to take time off of work. What follows is a headache diary from the past two months:

October 2018

Additional Comments

Prostrating

Came in late to work 4 hours late.

Called off 2 days of work.

Called off 1 day of work.

Left work 4 hours early.

November 2018 ...

On a VA Form 21-10210 uploaded as Work_Statement.pdf. Is a statement from my current employer that testifies to the amount of days (11) I have missed over the past two months.

Example 4 (Symptom Manifestation)

I separated from the Navy on July 5th, 1996. During my enlistment I was deployed to Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. Around 2002 I started having sinus issues, seemingly for no reason. I started taking over-the-counter medication for my sinus issue for several years which helped somewhat.

It wasn't until 2004 that I brought the issue up to my doctor that I was first diagnosed with Sinusitis . Unfortunately, their office closed and I am unable to get those medical records.

Due to money issues, I went without health insurance for awhile. It wasn't until 2009 that I got Health care through the VA that I was again diagnosed with chronic sinusitis.

So since 2002 to now I have had continuous sinus issues.

Example 4 (Symptom Manifestation - National Guard/Reserve)

I joined the Army National Guard in 2010. My MOS was cannon crewmember (artillery). I had no Hearing issues or Ringing in my ears till after my NTC rotation of 2012. During this rotation, I spent the better part of a week continually being surrounded by loud noises. Since that NTC rotation, I have noticed hearing issues as well as a continuous ringing in my ears which has not stopped since.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

To GREATLY assist your claim, submit any relevant orders sending you to NTC or other training activities.

How do I upload the form to my claim, if I have already submitted it?

You can upload evidence via this LINK .

Buddy Letter

Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs)

Independent Medical Opinion (IMO)/Nexus Letter

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PEB and Disability Evaluation System Overview
Physical Evaluation Board System Overview

Personal Statement for PEB

Thread starter USN_1997
Start date Feb 4, 2020
Feb 4, 2020

I hear that we get to write a statement for the PEB. Any insight on how that should be structured? I don't want to say the wrong thing as I hear sometime these types of statements can work against the member. Any advise or examples from those of you who have been successful would be appreciated.

PEB Forum Regular Member

Your lawyer should assist you in that process- you should be given counsel provided by your service. They will walk you through the process.

chaplaincharlie

Super moderator.

A statement from the member is optional.

Well-Known Member

fidelis82 said: Your lawyer should assist you in that process- you should be given counsel provided by your service. They will walk you through the process. Click to expand...

chaplaincharlie said: A statement from the member is optional. Click to expand...

While the personal statement is optional it is a great way for your “voice” to be heard by the board members. Your medical record tells a story, but your personal statement can convey much more than medical diagnosis. It gives you the opportunity to tell the board who you were and how your specific issues have changed you today. @fidelis82 is correct. Your lawyer should be helping you complete a personal statement!

Feb 5, 2020

Mine was telling the PEB that I had been misdiagnosed and I submitted new medical records and doctor letters to the PEB and asked them to reconsider my case and change the diagnosis. They decided against me and i had to go around them and get the VA to accept the new diagnosis during my VARR... which resulted in my case being remanded all the way back to the MEB... but one thing I made sure they understood was that I was the guy who never went to sick call or the doctor... less than ten pages of medical records my first 15 years... that I was not a malingerer or hypochondriac and this was not all in my head...

tony292 said: Mine was telling the PEB that I had been misdiagnosed and I submitted new medical records and doctor letters to the PEB and asked them to reconsider my case and change the diagnosis. They decided against me and i had to go around them and get the VA to accept the new diagnosis during my VARR... which resulted in my case being remanded all the way back to the MEB... but one thing I made sure they understood was that I was the guy who never went to sick call or the doctor... less than ten pages of medical records my first 15 years... that I was not a malingerer or hypochondriac and this was not all in my head... Click to expand...

USN_1997 said: It’s shameful that going to medical is viewed as a negative... Click to expand...

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

Military Officer Personal Statement Examples
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Drafting your Personal Statement
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VA Statement in Support of Claim Example (4-Step Process)
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Step 5: Make Your Case: The Written Statement
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How to write a military personal statement?
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PDF Character Statement Package
Personal Statement b PFC Walter S . Gibso Members of the Board, my name is Private First Class Wa Gibson and I am proud to be a United State Marine, but I am a the way I have acted recently because my recent behavior does reflect the values of my service. I know that T have done th thing, but I am here today asking you to give me another chan
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How To Write a Good Personal Statement (With Examples)
Include information that describes more about you than the details in your transcript. 5. Identify your plans for the future. Part of your personal statement can include future goals and ambitions. Explain what can happen if you gain acceptance to the university of your choice or you receive the job you want.
Character Statement Examples
SUBJECT: Character Statement for SGT Jones. My name is SSG Smith and I am writing on behalf of SGT Jones. I have been in the Army for over 11 years and I am currently the NCOIC of Personal Property at the Installation Transportation Office. I first met SGT Jones in April 2011 at WLC, on Ft Stewart.
How to Write a Waiver Letter for Military
At the top, type out the name of the recipient, the address, and the date. Do not forget to outline your own name and address. 3. Include an opening or introduction. Now, begin your letter with a succinct opening. Be to the point and express the type of waiver you are seeking.
How To Write a Statement to Support Your Claim
A well-structured statement can significantly enhance your claim by providing the VA with a vivid, personal insight into your experiences, challenges, and needs. Below, we expand on each section of your statement to ensure a comprehensive and persuasive narrative. Start with a detailed introduction of your military service. This should include:
How and Why Veterans Need a Concise Personal Statement ...
Parts 1 and 3 should be about one sentence long; part 2 should be three sentences long. When you read them aloud, do so conversationally and time yourself. Practice makes perfect. It should take ...
PDF Leadership, Leader and Command Philosophies: What's the ...
careers. The reflection and mental work required to write a philosophy will improve self-awareness. The act of writing also makes a better leader by forcing refinement of his or her thoughts to help make ideas stick in the leader's sub-consciousness. The thought that must go into writing helps organize and articulate thinking, priorities and ...
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The Neuron is a daily AI newsletter that tracks the latest AI trends and tools you need to know. Join 400,000+ professionals from top companies like Microsoft, Apple, Salesforce and more. 100% FREE. In the military, a mission statement serves as a clear and concise declaration of the purpose, goals, and objectives of a specific mission.
Writing a Personal Statement for Transfers, Veterans, Grad Students
Writing a personal statement for veterans. As an active-duty veteran, I'll be the first to say that in the military we get accustomed to writing in a very specific military-style, which is characterized by communication of the bottom line up front and a focus on informing the reader.
Personal Statement Statement in Support
If so, the VA provides you with two options: Personal statements; and. Buddy letters. Personal statements are for when you yourself want to write a statement in support of your own claim. This can include: Pointing out where important evidence is in your records (page X of document named XX shows a diagnosis of Q); Tying all your evidence ...
MEB personal statement
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Personal Statement for PEB
Feb 4, 2020. #6. While the personal statement is optional it is a great way for your "voice" to be heard by the board members. Your medical record tells a story, but your personal statement can convey much more than medical diagnosis. It gives you the opportunity to tell the board who you were and how your specific issues have changed you ...
How to write a military statement?
How to write a military statement? To write a military statement, use clear and concise language, include all necessary details, and ensure accuracy and honesty in your testimony. 1. What is a military statement? A military statement is a written account of events or observations made by a member of the armed forces. 2.