VA Buddy Letter Examples (With Templates That Actually Work)
Real-world VA buddy letter examples for PTSD, MST, back injuries, and noise exposure. Includes a fillable structure that meets VA standards.
A VA buddy letter (lay statement) is a written, signed statement from someone with first-hand knowledge of your in-service event or symptoms. Submit on VA Form 21-10210. Strong buddy letters describe specific incidents, dates, and observable behavior — not opinions or medical conclusions.
Buddy letters fill the gap when service treatment records are silent. They're how the VA hears what didn't make it into the official record — the time you slept through guard duty after a panic attack, the way your back gave out on the loading dock, the change your spouse noticed when you came home.
This guide gives you the exact structure that meets VA standards plus four annotated examples you can adapt.
What Makes a Strong Buddy Letter
- First-hand knowledge — the writer personally observed the event or symptoms.
- Specific dates, locations, and unit information when possible.
- Observable facts, not opinions ('he limped' not 'he was clearly injured').
- Relationship to the veteran (spouse, parent, fellow service member, supervisor).
- Signed and dated. VA Form 21-10210 includes a perjury statement.
Buddy Letter Template
I, [Full Name], make the following statement of my own free will. I am the [relationship] of [Veteran Name]. I have known him/her since [year].
I personally observed the following: [describe the event or symptoms with date, place, and what you saw or heard]. Before this event, [Veteran Name] was [baseline behavior]. After, [observed changes].
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Signature, Printed Name, Date, Contact Info.
Four Annotated Examples
Example 1 — PTSD from a fellow Marine
On 12 March 2008, during a mounted patrol in Helmand Province, our convoy hit an IED. I was in the vehicle behind [Veteran]. I personally saw him pull two wounded Marines from the wreckage while taking small-arms fire. For the next six weeks of deployment, I shared a hooch with him and observed him wake up screaming at least three nights a week. He stopped eating with the squad and would only speak when spoken to.
Example 2 — MST from a friend
I have known [Veteran] since basic training in 2014. In June 2015, she called me crying and told me she had been assaulted by an NCO in her unit. She did not file a report at the time because she feared retaliation. After that month, she withdrew from social activities she previously loved and asked for a transfer to another base.
Example 3 — Back injury from a supervisor
I was [Veteran]'s shift supervisor at the motor pool from 2010 to 2012. On 4 August 2011, I personally watched him slip while unloading a generator and land hard on his lower back. He went on light duty for two weeks. From that day on, he could no longer help lift heavy equipment and visibly favored his right side.
Example 4 — Spouse statement for tinnitus
My husband returned from his second deployment in 2009. Since then, he has the television on constantly, even when not watching, because he says the silence makes the ringing in his ears unbearable. He frequently asks me to repeat myself.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Vague generalizations ('he was a great soldier who clearly suffered').
- Medical opinions from non-medical writers ('I am certain he has PTSD').
- Unsigned, undated, or unsworn statements.
Frequently asked questions
Conclusion
A good buddy letter is short, specific, and signed. Don't try to be a doctor — just tell the VA what you saw with your own eyes.