A Kaukauna veteran is on a new mission, helping fellow veterans navigate the VA disability claims process after his own benefits took more than 6 years to be approved.
Greg Brittnacher, who runs Freedom Claims Agency with his wife, says getting VA disability benefits is not always easy, and he is working to bridge the gap between veterans and the VA.
For Brittnacher, the decision to serve came in a single moment.
"9/11 occurred. I was still in high school, and that was my call to action. My father is a Vietnam veteran, so both of those, to keep that lineage of service in our family, that was the reason why I joined," Brittnacher said.
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He joined the Air Force, serving as a security forces member in North Dakota, then England, before deploying to Iraq with the Army.
After returning home to Kaukauna, the Kaukauna High School graduate took on a new mission, fighting for veterans whose VA disability claims have been denied.
According to Veterans Guide, more than one third of VA disability claims are denied, hundreds of thousands of veterans affected.
Brittnacher says the moment a denial arrives can be crushing.
"When you get that denial letter you see the word 'denied' in big letters, then pages of legal language. It's frustrating. It's defeating. Some people give up right there," Brittnacher said.
Having gone through the process himself, Brittnacher says he understands what veterans are facing.
"Most of us get denied initially. I look at why, find the missing evidence, and use their own story as proof. Everyone's story is different and when they win, it's life changing," Brittnacher said.
A successful claim, he says, can open the door to crucial healthcare, education benefits for families and, perhaps most importantly, the peace of being believed.
"That validation changes everything, it reduces stress, allows them to get the care they need, and gives them the freedom to live their lives knowing their service meant something," Brittnacher said.
Brittnacher says working with veterans has also given him a renewed sense of purpose after leaving military service.
"When you leave that tribe, you have that connection with your fellow service members. As a civilian, you feel that disconnect. Working with veterans gives me that purpose again," Brittnacher said.
He says every veteran has a story worth telling, and he is working to make sure those stories are heard.
