I had applied for VA benefits in the past and had been rated, however i was “lucky” because my evidence was good for the claims, but not because of any work i did, i was just lucky i had a good C&P examiner who went above and beyond (we know thats not the usual). When i received a letter stating that the VA was going to reduce me i was lost, i had never heard of that. I was a FNG even 3 years after i got my rating. I frantically searched the internet, landed on another forum that we shall not name, where i was basically told “if they are trying to reduce you then you probably deserve it and dont deserve the higher rating any longer” When i arrived at Hadit and asked my newbie questions i was not attacked for being greedy to want to keep a rating that i met the criteria for. I was not told the VA is all knowing and loves us all as her children. I was told how to fight it, how to bring the best evidence to the table. If i had not come here I would not have known that SWORN DECLARATIONS are better than the statement forms the VA uses. And most importantly I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN WHAT A IME IS!!! I have yet to run into a VSO or other vet forums and hear “go get a IME for this now”. That advice and a few hundred bucks meant the difference…100%….between me losing and winning. I won. Thank you TBIRD and HADIT. You have taught me more in 8 months than i had learned in the previous 10 years since I first stepped into a VA hospital.