Veterans are eligible to receive disability compensation for both physical and mental health conditions caused by their military service. However, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs rates mental health issues differently than physical ailments, and not all mental health-related illnesses qualify for disability compensation under the VA rules and guidelines. As a veteran, it is important to understand which mental health …

  1) What Are Retroactive/Back Benefits?   Back pay or what the VA calls retroactive benefits is the lump sum payment for benefits which have been accruing since the filing of a granted claim.  The retro benefits come in a lump sum – paid all at once — after the grant of benefits. All other benefits awarded in connection with …

Veteran Diagnosed With Personality Disorder   Military service demands certain sacrifices, but few realize just how demanding active duty can be on a person’s mental state. While much is made about post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, unfortunately, the Department of Veterans Affairs does not recognize personality disorders as a disability that can be compensated by the VA. Viewed instead as …

The old military adage “never leave a man behind” is one that dates back to ancient Rome. Even then, fierce loyalty and bravery was innate among servicemen. While the phrase is still used today, it unfortunately does not always apply to our nation’s disabled veterans. Though these men and women made great personal sacrifices for their country, too many are …

The VA recognizes three types of service dogs for disabled veterans. For blind and vision impaired vets, guide dogs are trained to lead in walking and to navigate around hazards. Service dogs are trained to do things regular dogs can’t, and specifically to perform a task that the veteran cannot perform because of the disability. Emotional support dogs provide emotional …

The issue of volunteering is an important one for veterans, because vets have always contributed to their communities and the country. After facing the challenges of living with a disabling condition as a result of military service, many veterans find the additional burden of not contributing to the world in a real way extremely disheartening. But there are several ways …

Veterans must have a discharge from military service under honorable conditions to be eligible for benefits from the Veterans Administration. Many veterans have been discharged dishonorably, even with a Bad Conduct Discharge, unjustly or erroneously. Some veterans have been punished and discharged dishonorably due to undiagnosed psychiatric illness caused by experiences in the service. PTSD is a common psychiatric diagnosis …

Veterans with service-connected disabilities, treated or untreated, are frequently in conflict with the justice system. What services are available to veterans who are under threat of incarceration, and what happens to VA benefits when a veteran is incarcerated? The VA has a program called Veterans Justice Outreach Program. It is part of the homeless prevention initiatives, but veterans do not have …

 The US took a trusteeship role over Micronesia in 1946, a large group of islands in the Pacific, and five days later those islands became the Pacific Proving Ground. The islanders were moved off and the US spent nearly twenty years detonating nuclear bombs on the islands, then left them, covered with plutonium and other radioactive waste blowing in the …

Gulf War Syndrome is a chronic condition affecting those who served in the military while assigned to Southwest Asia. This service includes the Gulf War (1990-1991), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2010) and Operation New Dawn (2010-2011). Symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome can include a wide range of medical issues — fatigue, memory problems, pain, rashes, and even tumors, to name just a few examples. Many …