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

We as military members have perfom our assigned duties. If anything goes wrong doing that duty, we can be crushed, lose hearing, or lose a limb. Carrying weight in exccess of 100 lbs on your shoulder can injure a xhou,der and the ndck. Pushing or pulling weights of 2 tons or more can injure backs or knees, sometimes both. Falling off a ladder. Jumping off a truck. Any type of injury can result in permanet injury of a military member. I feel for the artillery men who have to load rounds for 105, 155 mm howitzers at a rate of six to eight rounds a minute. Loading a 105 howitzer on a AC-130 gunship is no joy, 10 rounds a minute on a shaking, dodging aircraft isn't anyones idea of making a living. You will get injured doing anything in the military. Why not be compensatdd?

You have raised a fair question. My answer is no! They are entitled to fair and reasonable compensation and care. Let's look at the question from the civilian side of your question.
Business's have to carry insurance on their property and operations. If injured on the job by a careless forklift operator you would be covered under Workman's Comp! If the injurie was disabling or permanent the S.S. Admin. may compensate you accordingly. Why feel badly about programs in place that are there and in your best interest. Military or civilian.

As for me I most certainly don't!

May have been out of Territorial Waters of Vietnam but as for what,when,where and why of the dual leg incident-1972 we were yet receiving hazardous duty pay as we of the U.S. Naval Schenectady ship of the 7th Fleet then sailed back...then when its filed claim came through in 2014 or so and with pride in God/Country if only yet rated at 20% when in need as am yet,got the service connected compensation and so again just because was not in an war zone then I haven't any so called cliff-hanging worries for it.

David, There’s no such thing as a disability compensation for a non-combat related injuries. Yes, there’s such a thing called Non-Service Connected disability but there not compensate. Did you know that the VA Regulations states that anyone who is a Veteran, with an Honorable Discharge, who is age 65 and over is considered to be disabled. Yep that’s right.

No the disability is for service not combat. It is allowable under the law. Also some of the stuff young guys fro will catch up to them in 20-25 years if not sooner. For instance, road marching, constant running, hearing, impact from parachuting and the list goes on will really start impacting you when you get to your 50s and 60s. Also it is not a lot of money. Finally veterans served their Nation and it is not a lot of money. It also gives the Veteran an advantage when applying for jobs etc.

What equals combat? Of course there is war combat, but what about the female troops that joined to serve their country and where sexually harassed physically and mentally by superiors and peers who thought they should serve them? That is also combat of a different nature but just as traumatic and painful. Two totally different combat situations that deserve benefits.

Not me. I gave them almost 33 years of my life, and I have the various injuries and scars that came along with it. Everything from PTSD to a damaged cervical disk, and to a lesser extent flat feet and a chronic knee injury. I'm submitting all of it for what I say is a well-deserved compensation benefit. I'd be willing to trade it for a completely healthy mind and body, though.

The REAL problem with the VA is that they operate with NO timeframe to do their job. How many of you who work have no time frame? This open enjded allowance to do not do anything is a real problem. It backlogs their system, with they "finite" something do death. Some things are logical....i.e. if you were around guns during VietNam with no hearing protection (common then), then chances are you have tinnitus....even if your records don't show anything. My med records are in shambles. I believe pretty standard for the Nam period. I've talked to so many others and theirs are the same. However, because of that, the middle east wars created a better record keeping system for the military. I am still fighting them which infuriates me. You'd think the money belonged to each of the Dr's, instead of thinking more widely that this was for SERVICE and I can't help it that they messed up. Of course they never admit any wrong doing...Good luck to all, and thank you for your service.

Absolutely not, service connected means while in service, I like many others were injured during exercises and drills during the "Cold War" or during activities designed to prepare us for combat. Very few have actually been in combat but nearly all have prepared for it. Many like myself have drawn "Hazardous Duty Pay" and have been in a combat zone or hostile fire area, but have never been in actual combat. During my service years I saw and knew several who were killed or severely injured during exercises conducted in peacetime the key there is they were doing their duty and serving their country.

I know this has been answered multiple times already... but I will answer from my own experience and perspective nonetheless. Whether your disability is due to combat or non-combat injuries, you went in service whole, and left otherwise. Your life has been permanently changed to some degree, usually for the worse. Yes, I knew what I was getting into going in, and so did everyone else. It has been an all-volunteer force since I think '72. I would not hesitate to do it all over again, either. If it helps those that "feel bad" about compensation, try to think of it as an additional "thank you", and condolences at the same time from a grateful nation. The VA and the U.S. Government know outright that they cannot give you back what you lost. And despite the heat that they both get - they are getting better at it. What they can try to do is make the rest of your life a little better somehow. Until someone comes up with a better plan, they do this with monetary compensation and certain medical care offerings. And yes, because some *do* milk the system, they have to have structure and rules to manage that disability compensation program. Because some vets become far more disabled than others. They need and deserve it. While serving your country, a wound is a wound as far as the rest of your life goes, no matter where it came from.