Your buddy is very wrong on what it takes to qualify for disability through the VA. There's TONS of veterans out there still fighting for disability. There is no "50% for boot camp" or "20% deployment / PTSD." Your buddy is just flat out wrong or he's trying to bullshit you for a specific reason.
I did 4 tours of duty...first was a MEU "float" which left 9 days after 9/11 happened. We ended up in Pakistan and Afghanistan (I stayed in Pakistan) as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. My next 3 deployments were to Iraq...in 2003 when we ousted that piece of shit Saddam. My next was 2004 when we pushed into Fallujah, and another tour in Fallujah in 2006. I was never injured in combat but did see some pretty heavy stuff... during my 2004 deployment my tank alone shot over 300 main gun rounds...actually so many that it was noteworthy on my personal award citation. LMAO
We got blown up by an anti-tank mine in the 2004 deployment but no injuries, and I hit 3 IED's in the 2006 deployment and no injuries.
In 2008 I fucked up my shoulder while playing with my dog...we were playing tug of war (German Shepherd) and he yanked me tripped me and I fell right into a tree stump. It separated the A/C joint requiring reconstructive surgery...my Medical Officer misdianosed the issue and bascially just called me a pussy for 7 months...until my clavicle traveled over 2" and was sticking up and and making a huge bulge in my skin. Then I finally got the treatment I needed after I suffered through 7 months of severe pain and still had to do my normal day to day stuff. I ended up with 60% disability which includes the fucked up shoulder, PTSD, hearing loss, and they made us take Mefloquine during the "float" as an anti-malaria drug. Come to find out that it has some brutal side effects which can permanently alter thoughts and "perceptions of reality."
From the CDC on Mefloquine side effects :
Mefloquine can cause dizziness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, vivid dreams, and visual disturbances. In rare instances mefloquine can cause seizures, depression, and psychosis
The PTSD was only in my record because I had a bad drinking problem which was medically diagnosed as PTSD. I had to go to a psychologist, do a 2 week in patient alcohol "rehab" course, and that's the only reason it's even on my record book. They don't just put PTSD in your book because you deployed...doesn't happen.
So I ended up at 60% after all that horseshit...9 years of beating up my body and constantly deploying or being in a pre-deployment tempo where we were busy as fuck. I know tons of guys who did the same tours as me but ended up getting out with 0% disability and had a hard time even getting their hearing loss "service connected." I'm writing all of this just to let you know that it's a complicated and drawn out process...nobody is getting shit just because they made it through Air Force boot camp. Did those fuckers get hurt while riding their bicycle? LMAO
Edit :
@Ophydian ...NOBODY is coming out of boot camp with an automatic 50% disability. And what the fuck do you mean "they all go for 70%?" You are so far off that it's not even funny.
