Should Veterans feel bad about being awarded and receiving VA disability compensation for non-combat related injuries?

Chief, are you referring to Reserve/NG SM? Military service is pretty rough on the body and said service can exacerbate a number of conditions. As such, I'd have to disagree with your statement.

I apologize for this statement. I read the question wrong and in a hurry. I fully support troops, male, female who served our country, especially those who were injured in combat. I served in Vietnam, stationed with 7th SFGA when we took out Noregia, and Desert Storm. I only claimed VA due to combat associated injuries, parachutist, HALO jumper, repel type injury, etc. So accept my apology... thanks Bob

No apology necessary Chief. I understand misreading things.

Yes but not while someone was drunk in a bar fight or skydiving or whatever...

what?

So as stated above, just as many accidents/injuries occur during training so those individuals are "stealing from someone that actually earned/deserves it"??!?! Is that individual not still a Soldier/Marine/Airman/Sailor? Are they not under contract with their respective service and did they not take the same oath a deployed SM did? This mentality is messed up and ignorant.

Priority should be given to real combat veteran's...

SGT Mary Martel For the record, SGT Martell, My rank IS SGT. Rally Point listed me as SP5 in error. I've attempted to get Rally Point to correct is to no avail.
I served 1984 through 1994, including wartime service. My job description is listed as Chemical Operations.

SGT Louise Hawthorne - That's fucking fantastic Sergeant, but that still didn't address the main point of my comment. And my name only has one 'L', for the record.

SGT Mary Martel Sorry about that. I have a friend at VA who has 2 in her last name.

SGT Louise Hawthorne - it's all good, not the first time.

PO2 Bisa Strickland - Correct, morale injuries and other non-physical injuries can destabilize trust and confidence in the Chain of Command. When people don't trust their leadership and are powerless, or "feel powerless" to do anything or speak-up without counter currents forming, this too is injury very different than a broken bone. The "Invisible Wounds of War (and Service overall)" are just now beginning to be better understood.

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG720.pdf

We are at the leading edge of understanding these kinds of injuries and their impact, their REAL impact, on people and systems.

Feel free to take a look at what this team is doing:
ttp://warriorcentrichealth.com/wchfoundation/about-us/ and http://warriorcentrichealth.com/the-problem-2/ and https://www.pathlms.com/warriorcentrichealth/courses/7300

COL Mikel J. Burroughs; CPT Aaron Kletzing; Civ (AIMS)- Nicci Eisenhauer]

PO2 Bisa Strickland - Also, in all the time I have been on RP, I think this is the 1st "thumbs down" I have issued. It saddened me to do so, absent evidence to the contrary. Especially, a thumbs down to a MSG. He like SGT Louise Hawthorne, I can only conclude, had a very negative experience and received poor guidance, not unusual, to get fair and appropriate resolution to their issues. Again, I am speculating in the absence of evidence, but we as veterans have to ferret out the bad apples like those who never served that "Steal Valor" and those who steal valor in other ways besides "dressing up" to simulate veterans on some pretense.

It is all too easy for people to dismiss us when they can drive wedges between us for their own gains. I cannot tell you the number of times I could be very bitter, but my training, my morale code as a Scout, my wife and most of my God will not allow me that slippage into the abyss. I pray that these two human beings find resolve to join all veterans to forge and maintain a UNITED FRONT for ALL of our interests and to hold ourselves and our leadership at every level accountable!

AVNF (A Veteran Never Forgets) [Note: These are not my words, but the words I read here on RP from another veteran (i cannot remember right now) and paraphrased words spoken in one on my favorite movies about how two vary different people came together to forge not a lifelong friendship and taught what honor means. That movie - Men of Honor. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IxUdFJlcDo). I actually served with MCPO Brashear late in his military career, never knowing his story until I saw the movie and looked back on some old papers and Cruise book. I was humbled to have served this man never knowing his resolve, but because of his resolve impacted my ethic.)

Respectfully,
Chief "Nate"

COL Mikel J. Burroughs; CPT Aaron Kletzing; Nicci Eisenhauer; CMSgt (Join to see); SMSGT Gerald "Doc" Thomas; SCPO Morris Ramsey; MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi; Civ (AIMS)- Nicci Eisenhauer]

Please forgive my snarky sense of humor. I am well aware that a service member can be injured both physically and psychologically in the line of duty in non-combat as well combat situations. I feel that legitimate service connected injuries (i.e. those not the result of misconduct on the part of the Veteran) should be compensated by the VA for both combat and non-combat Veterans. My apologies to anyone who was offended by my comment.

The military can take my G.I bill back, they can take every benefit and VA check they sent me back. All I ask in return is to have my pre-service physical body and mental state back. These benefits aren't worth a lick, if you can hardly get out of bed because you broke your back. Thanks MSG!