In my dealings with the VA, you sign the papers and they rule from on high.
Three war vet or thirty war vet, at some point he was asked to sign papers- if he did not agree with what was determined he had the right to decline. In fact, every such award letter or subsequent letter regarding the claim includes a form for appeal of the decision. He had to be a party to such a decision- there is no way it was forced upon him. If he doesn’t have PTSD, he should not take the money. Period.