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

I don't think so, as long as it is service related. However, there are always those that are trying to game the system. They usually are not that type that would ever feel bad about it anyway, though.

NO. You want to feel bad about something feel bad about the people that never got the help they deserved.

Feelings??? The amount of strain, stress, and physical requirements to serve justifes compensation on injuries validated by VA doctors that review your records. I served 23 yrs active duty. Combat Veteran and I have non-combat related injuries from Air Assault missions, 25 mile road marches, multiple sustained deployments ( 2 x Combat/ 9 x Non-Combat). You have to realize what it is that as a soldier is expected of your body, recovery time, injuries, physical training, and MOS demands. As an old Sapper hearing loss, arthritus, knee and bad back will add up as your get older. Even if you get a zero rating on an injury it may go up as you get older over time. The VA will take all your medical information on yearly physicals and injuries and add them up. To include scars from emplacing constanina wire and surgeries. I do not care what others think!!!! As a disabled Combat Veteran with multiple injuries. I served proudly, and honorably. Not all your injuries will be listed as combat received. After all, less than 3% of the population has served, will serve or currently serving. HOOAH.... God Bless America.

No, they shouldn't. They still earned it. Period.

Absolutely not, i developed MS (Multiple Sclerosis) while in the Army. So they basically take the blame by calling it “service connected.” I had just re-enlisted and they were unwilling to let me serve out that enlistment; gave me a medical retirement so it’s on them for doing that...keep those checks coming.

Living in IL there are some vets who should feel very bad. IL has a law that allows vets with a 80% disability to pay zero property tax, but their disability is a joke. A disability would be loss of limb, loss of hearing, loss of eyesight, injury that puts you in a wheelchair. Sleep apnea is not a disability. I work at Scott AFB, and in my department we have a retired AF major who's disability is sleep apnea. He's gets his retirement, VA disability, and GS paycheck. Then we have a contractor that also has sleep apnea, but for him it is not a disability. There is a woman, that works upstairs, who is in a wheelchair and she finds it disgusting that these men claim disability.

N0, many of us affected by Agent Orange. I would call that "service connected".

No. Some injuries show up right away, others years later. Combat arms usually have the most injuries, which are noticed right away, and manifest again years later. Usually in a more severe way, often requiring surgery to repair. These delayed effects of previous injuries often reduce a service members ability to earn a living. Therefore, veterans should not feel guilty abaout receiving VA Benefits.

Of course not, but my guess is that in comparison to those who have suffered injuries in combat, some may feel different about it

Absolutely not. Injuries continue to manifest themselves years after combat psychologically, physically, sociologically, ways that are entirely missunderstood on personal levels or treatment levels. It is little for a nation to ask a person to do its dirty work to vanquish an enemy and then turn him out with indifference.
With not so much as a bandaid.