The Board has determined that the character of the Veteran's discharge from military service for the period from May 1969 to July 1972 is not a bar to VA benefits.
The deciding factor: The evidence established compelling circumstances to justify the Veteran's extended period of AWOL status in excess of 180 days, and his service exclusive of the period of prolonged AWOL was generally of such quality and length that it can be characterized as honest, faithful and meritorious, and of benefit to the Nation.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep apnea, white blood cell disease, larynx cancer, lymphatic cancer, cancer of the head and neck/throat
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 3, 2017
- Citation
- 1731084
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1731084.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
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