Mike Ford

Somehow there is an X debate going on right now about VA disability ratings. I'm hearing some idiots saying if it's not from a combat wound, you should not get a disability rating. To which I rebut with the following; 20+ years of: -12 mile ruck marches. -5k/10k/10 mile/every other distance runs. -Parachute landing falls. -Obstacle and confidence courses. -Vehicle rollovers. -Helicopter hard landings. -Heat injuries/cold injuries. -Anthrax shots, COVID shots, all other kinds of shots. -"Here, take some Motrin, you'll be fine." -Weeks/Months/Years of high stress and little sleep. -Extended periods of poor nutrition. -Weird diseases you can only get in places like Afghanistan or Korea. -Burn pits. -All other manner of training injuries. -Never telling anybody you are injured because if you do they might pull you from that leadership position you fought so hard to earn. You do all that for 20+ years, your body will be torn up, I promise. The US military is a physically demanding place, no matter what your branch of service or MOS. Training accidents happen routinely. People die in peacetime accidents, routinely. The idea that a VA disability rating should only come from something that also earns a Purple Heart is nonsense. If anything, our warriors are consistently denied VA disability ratings for what are clearly service-connected ailments.