Posted on Oct 8, 2014
LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
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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?
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CW5 Desk Officer
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Edited 11 y ago
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!
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CPL C P
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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...
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CPL C P
CPL C P
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I would like to ask all you guys that's against paying your fellow veterans this question would you enlist in the military for 10 or 20 years without having sex or being with a woman like one guy on here said those that are married wives cheat and could catch it that way thinking their wife had been faithful What about that all you haters out there of your fellow veterans...
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CPL C P
CPL C P
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Those who say you should ware protection this wasn't talked about in the 60's and 70's and aids and other std's weren't prevalent back in that time so what about those soldiers you can't lump all these situations together because they all have different circumstances.
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MAJ Clinton Brown
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If the service member was raped... Then yes
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SGT Suraj Dave
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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...
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
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Edited 11 y ago
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!
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SFC Intelligence Analyst   Atl
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How does willful misconduct apply to a consensual sexual encounter.
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LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
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I think they mean by having risky behavior and have multiple partners or sharing needles (well using needles for drugs period).
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MSG Customer Care Representative
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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.
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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LTC (Join to see) - Yes, with certain provisions and that the PTSD was necessarily PTSD-related.
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LTC Hillary Luton
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That's just nuts!!!
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SFC Mark Merino
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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.
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SGT(P) Signals Acquisition/Exploitation Analyst
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Please tell me this is a joke...
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LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
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True story. Do you research.
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CPT Zachary Brooks
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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.
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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CPT Zachary Brooks Do you remember the part in the movie Stripes where Bill Murray said he seldom wars underwear but when I do..... ? lol. Yeah I know, I go off on tangents..lol
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
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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.
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca - The only caveat being in my mind is that a person with AIDS having a virtual death sense and no way to get help. As I do not have experience with this disease there may be options but even for cancer or heart attacks I think they can be included.
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PFC Richard Wise
PFC Richard Wise
11 y
And what about a SM on leave who trashes a knee when rock climbing or jet skiing? Both of those have serious risks, and it is easy to make a case that they are more dangerous than sex. None of them -- including sex -- are considered misconduct.

The only reason you have such an aggressive "no" answer is the fact that sex is involved. The overwhelming majority of SMs have had premarital sex, and I bet that includes you.
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SGT Amarie B
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Edited 11 y ago
If you're dumb enough to get one (not through rape/incest/molestation)....then live with it.
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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SGT Amarie B Please be respectful. How would you even know?
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SGT Amarie B
SGT Amarie B
11 y
How would I know? Well first of, I was a Laboratory Technician. We dealt with rape cases, incest cases and molestation CHAIN OF CUSTODY for EVIDENCE for the Military Police and other authorities. However, working on smaller bases, you know which guys and girls sleep around because they have nothing better to do. These are the ones that I made the remark to.....If you were dumb enough to get it, then live with it. And honestly, I didnt think I was being disrespectful. I was being HONEST.
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SSG Michael Naukam
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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.
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