The Board denied the Veteran's claim for designation of service-connected hypertension and ascending aortic aneurysm as combat-related disabilities because he was not engaged in combat with the enemy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not receive a combat decoration indicative of engaging in combat with the enemy, and his military personnel records reflect that he was stationed at USAF bases in the continental United States.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, ascending aortic aneurysm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 12, 2018
- Citation
- 18118222
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 18118222.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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- Remanded (sent back)
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- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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