Medical Disability, Veteran

The meaning of veterans’ medical disabilities is not static and can change in a relatively short period of time, since disabilities are defined not only medically but also socially and politically. What disabilities deserve benefits? What disabilities are service related? How can we conclusively determine the cause of disease? These questions are pivotal in forming governmental policies and the political agenda of veterans service organizations, and answering them, one must refer to a variety of aspects: (a) social attitudes to wars and the armed forces, (b) economic conditions, (c) the number of disabled veterans, (d) the nation’s political culture, and (e) opinions of the [Page 829]medical professions. Focusing on these factors, this entry describes what the government defines as medical disability of veterans that it ...