VA Disability for STD: Right or Wrong?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 17:45:20 -0400

So I have had talks with others about VA disabilities and some I thought were joking that the VA pays 10% disability for STDs. I did some research and sure enough you are eligible for VA disabilities for STDs. And it is not limited only to those who contracted it through rape or similiar situations.

One law firm states:
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will not grant disability compensation or pension to a veteran for an injury or illness that was the result of willful misconduct, even if the veteran meets the other basic eligibility requirementsfor veterans benefits. Likewise, if a veteran's death is found to be the result of willful misconduct, the surviving family will not be able to obtain disability and indemnity compensation (DIC).

Willful misconduct that causes a disability also prohibits eligibility for vocational rehabilitation benefits. However, if a veteran has another service-connected disability that was not caused by willful misconduct, the veteran may be eligible for compensation or pension as well as educational and vocational benefits based on that service-connected disability.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Getting a venereal disease or STD, or the disabilities resulting from it, does not constitute willful misconduct under VA regulations. This is true even if the military found that the venereal disease resulted from willful misconduct. Consequently, a veteran can obtain service-connected disability compensation for these disabilities.

This was also in the news:
http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/health/article/Vets-with-STDs-getting-disability-payments-1236052.php

What do you think? I think we can all agree that if the service member was raped that this one thing and should be covered. If a service member contracted a STD when it was their decision to have sexual relations or through other methods such as sharing needles should they receive disability?

Vets with STDs getting disability payments

[...] a review by Scripps Howard News Service of more than 60,000 cases under the purview of the VA's Veterans Benefits Administration reveals that there likely have been thousands of vets since 1972 who, collectively, have drawn millions of dollars in payments for conditions they readily acknowledge came from illicit sexual activity. Among those receiving VD disability payments is a Texas veteran of a four-year hitch in the mid-1980s, who...

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 5:51 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 17:51:27 -0400

Sir, I am with you. Obviously, rape is an exception. However, if a person makes a bad choice and contracts an STD ... VA disability? Sorry, absolutely not!

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Oct 8 at 2014 6:04 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:04:42 -0400

Our neighbor in housing got a hysterectomy from STD's from all the no no's and I believe was entitled to 30%. I'm not judging....I'm just reporting the facts.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Oct 8 at 2014 6:14 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:14:51 -0400

I'm not voting due to the nature of the work that I do, but I can confirm that you CAN receive disability compensation for disabilities resulting from STDs if the disability(s) is/are CHRONIC in nature. Just having acquired a STD is NOT a disability and no compensation would be awarded.. I know of more than one veteran drawing service connected compensation for conditions resulting from HIV/AIDS that was acquired on active duty (and the HOW portion is irrelevant).

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 6:53 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:53:33 -0400

Oh well, this is something I had never thought about.
So, as a vet, I can march into a VA hospital (**edit, I'm not a guy) and say my penis is falling off because I had sex with a hooker back in the day?
Alternatively, as a female, I can blame my blistering, oozing crotch-rot on a drunken quickie and get PAID? (Not that this is my personal case, I just wanted to throw out that mental image.)
This is setting a precedence, I think.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 6:59 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:59:43 -0400

Willful misconduct? Seriously? I caught the clap off a female soldier that I didn't know was cheating and it's willful misconduct? NOW we're being judgemental about people's personal activities....

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 7:01 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:01:39 -0400

I think something like 80% of males carry HPV. If a female soldier gets cancer due to it, not sure I can really blame her. It's everywhere.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 7:10 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:10:15 -0400

I know this is gonna be ugly...but here goes. The VA is not going to rate you for a disability just cuz you got the clap. NOT gonna happen, especially if you are treated and cured properly. It becomes a blip on the radar that is never seen again. However, if the STD becomes an issue that will not go away and requires constant medical attention...just like a broken bone that won't heal or any other wound that won't or can't go back to original form and function. THEN you have an aggravated issue that can be addressed in the same fashion as any other medical condition a veteran has.

Stop with the judgements. It's not on you to judge. I know a guy that reported to the medical department more than a dozen times over the years...STD after STD. Navy thinking of admin separation. Turns out the guys wife just couldn't leave Jody alone - I'm sure all you ARMY guys know Jody right?.....

It's not rape...he's not dipping somewhere he shouldn't....so YOU gonna drop judgement on him?......Methinks you go too far in the making judgements on things that are none of your damned business.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 7:29 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:29:09 -0400

I suppose its hard to know exactly the circumstances that someone gets one. I suppose the first reaction is to assume that it was from all the hookers overseas. Its not always the case.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2014 7:44 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:44:56 -0400

I suppose it would depend on the circumstances like any other decision made by the VA. Trying to not be judgmental on this one.

Response by LTC Hillary Luton made Oct 8 at 2014 9:39 PM

LTC Hillary Luton — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 21:39:52 -0400

That's just nuts!!!

Response by CW2 Jonathan Kantor made Oct 9 at 2014 4:39 AM

CW2 Jonathan Kantor — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 04:39:52 -0400

I think we tend to judge STDs as a negative against those who get them, but it often isn't the result of risky behavior. People contract STDs even with proper precautions so it wouldn't be appropriate to deny health care to someone who caught one. They require medical treatment like any other disease regardless of how they were contracted. When we judge the victim on how they caught a particular disease, we are treading down a slippery slope.

Response by PO3 Shaun Taylor made Oct 9 at 2014 4:48 AM

PO3 Shaun Taylor — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 04:48:37 -0400

There are some STDs that although treated have long term physical effects so I can see why some are compensated. Hell I feel as though I should be compensated for having worked the STD clinic. The trauma alone should be 30%

Response by SSG Michael Naukam made Oct 9 at 2014 9:03 AM

SSG Michael Naukam — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:03:31 -0400

Payment should only be in relation to a criminal offence. In relation to "SHARP"; Rape, Sodomy, and other crimes that allow a transfer of an STD or STI.

Response by SGT Amarie B made Oct 9 at 2014 2:00 PM

SGT Amarie B — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:00:43 -0400

If you're dumb enough to get one (not through rape/incest/molestation)....then live with it.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Oct 9 at 2014 2:22 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:22:22 -0400

Not no, but f--k no! The F word is what got them in trouble in the first place. Unless the SM was working with contaigens in a lab or was infected in some other non sexual manner then that's BS. I had botched operations and am still on hold. And we wonder why the VA is messed up - this is another nail in the proverbial coffin.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2014 2:28 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:28:05 -0400

Should not pay for poor decisions.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Oct 9 at 2014 2:30 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:30:25 -0400

So I am seeing if the condition is chronic in nature you can get disability? We then assume that this is related to the groin area?

So can I get disability for chronic jock itch? If so, I think that applies to a large majority of the men out there depending on your choice of underpants.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2014 2:35 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:35:25 -0400

LTC Private RallyPoint Member - Yes, with certain provisions and that the PTSD was necessarily PTSD-related.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2014 4:21 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 16:21:10 -0400

Please tell me this is a joke...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2014 5:31 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 17:31:05 -0400

Unless the SM was raped, it's not just no, it's HELL no. C'mon, should we provide VA disability for someone who has liver problems due to their decision to drink to much alcohol or to someone who is overweight and has bad cholesterol levels due to their decision to overeat? People need to deal with the repercussions for their own bad personal choices, not rely on others to take care of them for it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2014 6:28 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 18:28:55 -0400

How does willful misconduct apply to a consensual sexual encounter.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Oct 10 at 2014 5:18 PM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 17:18:04 -0400

I guess it depends on how they caught the STD, if LOD pay, if not no, just like any other claim. For example, if you were in the Big RED One*, not the big black one, in MG DePuy's time and you went to the Division whore house in Di An and got an STD, despite the fact that medical personnel inspected the girls weekly, then yeh. CG's prolly don't offer that service today, not very PC!

*Big fight with Westy and he won, but after he left RVN, they became the big black one, which I think they are to this day. He also started a scholarship fund for children of !st Div soldiers that were KIA. Quite a guy and real influence on his men, I remember as late as 1970s that vets that wore the Big RED one on the right shoulder and were challenged on it, had a standard answer, if you can take it off you can have it!

Response by SGT Suraj Dave made Oct 10 at 2014 7:01 PM

SGT Suraj Dave — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 19:01:40 -0400

Well, if their spouse was also in the Army, and their spouse was cheating on them, and gave it to them..... Sure, give them something.

Cheating spouses were rampant at Ft. Campbell...

Response by MAJ Clinton Brown made Oct 11 at 2014 1:07 AM

MAJ Clinton Brown — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 01:07:43 -0400

If the service member was raped... Then yes

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 7 at 2015 3:22 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 15:22:55 -0400

It starts with VA's Viagra.

Response by CPL C P made Dec 14 at 2018 11:23 AM

CPL C P — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 11:23:24 -0500

I agree that if you go and serve your country and you spend time in the military like 5 to 10 years or more which could be most of your life especially if your a young single man are you suppose to not have sex or be celibate for all that time soldiers aren't monks and nobody thinks that the person they are with at that time has a disease especially back in that time back in the 60's and 70's because the military didn't prepare or educate soldiers back then for these types of things...