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Home Conditions Presumptive Combat Veterans

Combat Veterans

TL;DR — Quick Summary

  • Not true presumptives: There are NO automatic presumptive conditions for combat veterans
  • But: Combat exposure makes it MUCH easier to prove service-connection
  • Relaxed evidence standard: Your personal statement can serve as proof of in-service events
  • Common conditions: PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, TBI
  • How to qualify: Combat awards, badges, devices, ribbons, medals, OR combat pay

Important Distinction

There are NO actual presumptive conditions specifically for combat veterans. HOWEVER, combat exposure creates a much lower evidentiary burden for establishing service-connection for injuries and conditions consistent with combat service.

Common Conditions

Combat veterans frequently develop the following conditions that are easier to service-connect due to combat status:

Conditions Common to Combat Veterans

PTSD Hearing Loss Tinnitus Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Undocumented Injuries — The Combat Veteran Advantage

The VA recognizes that in combat environments, proper documentation of injuries is often impossible. As such, the VA CAN accept your personal statement as proof of an in-service event, injury, or aggravation of a preexisting condition.

Your Statement Requirements

Your personal statement MUST be:

  • Satisfactory when considered alone — Include the when, where, and how
  • Consistent with circumstances of service — Records show you were in combat
  • Factual — Seriously, do NOT submit fraudulent statements!
Qualifying for Combat Veteran Status

Eligibility

You qualify as a combat veteran if you received any of the following badges, devices, ribbons, medals, OR combat pay (officially "hostile fire" or "imminent danger" pay).

Badges

  • Combat Action Badge (CAB)
  • Combat Aircrew Insignia
  • Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)
  • Combat Medical Badge (CMB)

Devices

  • C Device (Combat Distinguishing Device) — on any medal
  • Combat Jump Device
  • Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia
  • V Device (Valor) — on any medal

Medals

  • Air Force Combat Action Medal
  • Air Force Cross
  • Army Distinguished Service Cross
  • Coast Guard Cross
  • Congressional Medal of Honor
  • Navy Cross
  • Purple Heart
  • Silver Star

Ribbons

  • Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon
  • Navy Combat Action Ribbon

Combat Pay

  • Hostile Fire Pay (HFP)
  • Imminent Danger Pay (IDP)

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm a combat veteran with a PTSD diagnosis but was denied. What happened?

Sometimes the VBA makes a mistake or is missing evidence showing you are a combat veteran. Common issues include:

  • DD-214 missing combat awards (you may need to request a correction)
  • Missing service personnel records showing combat pay
  • Documentation showing willful misconduct or a supervening condition

Seek assistance from a VSO to help you file an Appeal.

My injury wasn't documented during combat. Can I still claim it?

Yes! This is exactly what the combat veteran evidentiary standard addresses. Your personal statement describing the when, where, and how of your injury can serve as proof of the in-service event. The key is that your statement must be consistent with your documented combat service.

I was in a combat zone but didn't receive a combat award. Do I still qualify?

You may qualify if you received Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay during your service. Check your Leave and Earnings Statements (LES) or service personnel records. Additionally, if you can document that you personally engaged in combat, you may still qualify even without the listed awards.

What's the difference between combat veteran status and other presumptive categories?

Other presumptive categories (like Agent Orange or Gulf War) automatically grant service-connection for specific listed conditions. Combat veteran status doesn't provide automatic service-connection — instead, it relaxes the evidentiary burden for proving an in-service event occurred. You still need a current diagnosis and a nexus linking it to service.

Does combat veteran status help with any claim, or only certain conditions?

Combat veteran status helps establish the in-service event for any injury or condition consistent with combat service. This includes physical injuries, PTSD, hearing damage, and other conditions that could reasonably have occurred during combat operations.

Related Guides

References & Official Sources

Trusted Community Partners

r/VeteransBenefits U.S. Veterans Network VA Claim Tracker iamnicthevet.com