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

No absolutely not. Please do not feel guilty. Any injuries incurred while on duty are allowed under the law and frankly the compensation is well deserved. Whether you jumped out of airplanes, rappelled, carried heavy rucksack or wore the IBA in combat, our training puts you in a different category than civilians. Frankly it’s not a lot of money and is a way to help you for after you retire or leave the service. Also Vietnam Vets were treated so badly when they returned from the war, they made sure future Vets were taken care of properly. Thank a Vietnam Vet next time you see them.

Just curious.......would you consider Agent Orange as combat? How about the burn pits that some of our comrades have suffered illnesses from? Did you know that, in some cases, not only can a veteran suffer disability, but it can carry on through to your children! Can you imagine any veteran being told, "Agent Orange is your problem? Sorry, not combat connected, so nothing for you"! You really have to look at what a veteran is suffering from and WHY! Is it service related? That is the standard!

No way, I was never in combat thank God, but my lungs are half gone due to sucking asbestos into them from stations and ships I had been on. I am now on oxygen, and numerous medications due to this. I was told don't worry, it won't effect you. Now, they have finally admitted yes it does. There may be some veterans applying for disabilities that are a joke but for those not in combat you still suffer life threatening situations from being in the military.

No! If you were honest with your physicans regarding the injury(s) or condition(s) then you earned the care and compensation.

No not at all .The fact is that you served your country .You could have fought a war and died. Guilt shouldn't even be part of the equation .

I'm 100% service connected, permanent and total.
Not one bit of combat did I see. No shame here.

Not in the least bit bad. As long as you served and sustained a service related injury, you should be taken care off.

22 years of active duty. Three Tours in Vietnam (10th Aviation, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, and 5th Special Forces Group, MACVSOG-CCS)). Conducted operations in Cambodia during CCS tour, and after Vietnam had "Special" assignments in Laos and Pakistan. Overseas tours in Panama, Okinawa, and Germany. In conjunction with normal Parachuting and all the rigors of being on Special Forces "A" Teams, I was also a Rough Terrain Parachutist with lots of funky landings! (Most of them were "Painful"). I retired at Fort Knox and nobody provided "Retirement Guidance" in 1982. However, someone decided I was a 10 percenter! As a result, I get Disability Compensation every month in the amount of $165.92. However, the Army reduces my Retirement Pay each month my $165.92. It was a lot lower when I retired and reached this level after increases over the last 40 years. I would take a wild ass guess and say that the "extra" income from my Disability Compensation has averaged somewhere around $15.00 a month. And the answer to your question... I do not feel Bad, I feel a little insulted!

The most dangerous four acres on this planet is the flight deck of an aircraft carrier; where our OWN aircraft try very hard to kill us. Even during peacetime deployments, we lose shipmates in accidents up there. My own brother in law was lost at sea, when an A-7 turned the wrong way and the jet blast blew him over the fantail into the Pacific Ocean, his body churned under the prop wash and wake of the ship. His body was never recovered. Accidents and injuries happen, sometimes even the vaccines we have to take have side effects. Had a friend who had the COVID vaccines develop Myocarditis and his heart stopped on 3 occasions before getting a procedure to deaden the nerve endings that were causing his heart to shut down. He's getting medically discharged because of it.

Don't ever feel guilty for accepting the disability; we were promised free Medical Care for Life if we did at least 20 years of active duty, and now it's "Did you get that in writing?" I just got kicked out of Tri-Care Prime and placed onto Medicare and Tricare For Life. I used to pay $520@year for myself and my wife for Prime, and now since we hit 65, we pay Medicare Part B $330@month AND we had to find a new primary care provider, as Portsmouth Naval Hospital and it's clinics won't see TFL patients. An increasing number of Military Health Facilities will no longer see retiree's or dependents (even the dependents of active duty). Bethesda/Walter Reed won't see retiree's but will see and treat every idiot politician.

Not at all. I was injured in Basic Training but completed my 4 years. During those 4 years I was required to do everything any Marine is required to do. I could have been placed in combat. I was in slight pain frequently, and have nearly constant pain now, 52+ years later. Disabilities can happen in or out of combat.

Civilian Workers Comp pays if you're clocked in - whether you got injured doing your job or when the chair broke under you in the cafeteria during lunch break.

During military service, you're clocked in 24 x7.