I visit the local VA clinic every 6 months. They are still treating people for exposure to agent orange from over 30 years ago. They have been screening people who may have had blood transfusions, where the blood was tainted, and may have caused hepatitis. Persian Gulf vets are being treated for exposure to toxic chemicals. Six years ago, I had to undergo surgery at a VA hospital, my room mate had surgery to remove cancerous growths inside his body due to exposure to agent orange. So how do you put in your 20 or 30 years and then get a disability? Well sometimes the things you were exposed to, don't show up for 20 or 30 years.
I'm retired and I get a 10% disability which is immediately taken from my military retirement. I don't need the separate disability, but there are retirees out there with 50-100% disability that do.
Bruce Kurtz
Depending on where the 10-20% originates, it can be very tough for an individual to stay constructively employed. That knee, back, or shoulder injury may not harm a finance clerk's outside job pursuits, butcould realy be a damper on a grunt or other combat arms trooper.