The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy during his active duty and thus, his claimed stressors are not credible. The current diagnoses of PTSD, alcohol abuse, alcohol-induced mood disorder, polysubstance abuse, and mixed personality disorder were deemed to be unrelated to service.
The deciding factor: The veteran's allegations of combat experience did not align with available records, which confirmed no foreign service in Vietnam or other recognized combat areas during his active duty. The stressors claimed by the veteran are therefore considered uncorroborated and insufficient for a grant of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Alcohol Abuse, Alcohol-Induced Mood Disorder, Polysubstance Abuse, Mixed Personality Disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2008
- Citation
- 0830554
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0830554.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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