In my former job, I ran a team that consisted of myself and three other military retirees; I’m ex-Air Force; the rest of the group consisted of a retired Army MSG; a retired CSM (National Guard) and a retired Petty Officer (USN).
One day, I was talking to the Navy guy and the subject of disability pensions came up. He volunteered that he was collecting a 70% disability on one training accident and PTSD. Never served in combat; in fact, he spent most of his career as a recruiter and manager in the Navy’s recruiting command.
There are literally thousands of these dubious and false claims that are routinely approved; they clog the system and increase wait times for vets who truly deserve the benefits and often have to wait years for a determination on their claims. I retired more than a decade ago, but heard that most troops exiting the service (including the REMFs) claim PTSD, since it will give them a check for life and put them at the head of the line for VA care.
One more story about the VA. In my first job after leaving active duty, I worked with a retired Air Force Lt
Col, who spent his Vietnam tour at a ground radar site. Base was never attacked during year in the ‘Nam; if fact, he joked the biggest hazard he faced was bad food at the O Club. He was a retired O-5, and later retired from civil service as well. No kids; investment portfolio worth almost seven figures. Yet, every time he needed health care, he ran down to the local VA hospital because it was free. And, because he served in Vietnam (at a base where agent orange aircraft were stationed), he was considered priority one.
Needless to say, he never came close to those planes, the chemical, or the jungle where it was sprayed. But by being in the right place at the right time, he was at the top of the list for any VA-provided health care service.
I used to work with a guy that was in combat in Grenada and got shot in one of his testicles during combat. Ouch!