I am a National Guardsman who was on Title 10 active duty orders in 2005-2006. I am in the IDES process. I was diagnosed by the VA with sleep apnea about a year after coming off of active duty orders. I use a CPAP.
The VA is in the process of rating me under IDES. My eBenefits shows that the VA will not service connect my sleep apnea because there is no mention of it in my medical records during the time I was on Title 10 active duty orders. I believe I had sleep apnea while on active duty but had never even heard of the term, so I was never diagnosed with it. Sleep apnea is documented on my annual National Guard Physical Health Assessments and VA records but not on my active duty records.
My question is this: Since I was put on active duty orders for 5 days in 2011 to go for VA/QTC evaluation as part of the IDES process, and was documented as having sleep apnea during this evaluation, wouldn’t this service connect me for sleep apnea while on active duty orders? Should I appeal the VA’s decision to not service connect me for sleep apnea based on being diagnosed with sleep apnea during these 5 day active duty orders?
The VA is in the process of rating me under IDES. My eBenefits shows that the VA will not service connect my sleep apnea because there is no mention of it in my medical records during the time I was on Title 10 active duty orders. I believe I had sleep apnea while on active duty but had never even heard of the term, so I was never diagnosed with it. Sleep apnea is documented on my annual National Guard Physical Health Assessments and VA records but not on my active duty records.
My question is this: Since I was put on active duty orders for 5 days in 2011 to go for VA/QTC evaluation as part of the IDES process, and was documented as having sleep apnea during this evaluation, wouldn’t this service connect me for sleep apnea while on active duty orders? Should I appeal the VA’s decision to not service connect me for sleep apnea based on being diagnosed with sleep apnea during these 5 day active duty orders?