A new mega-bill in Congress combining 62 pieces of veteran-aiding legislation would finally deliver a long-wanted change to how retirement pay and disability compensation are distributed to combat-injured, medically retired veterans with fewer than 20 years of service.

Local Impact

The bill would allow veterans who were forced to medically retire early due to combat-related injuries to receive both their disability compensation and full retirement pay concurrently. However, the bill also includes adjustments to the disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus, which could affect thousands of veterans in Texas.

San Antonio U.S. Army veteran Pete Bernal, who was forced to medically retire at 15 years of service, said while the bill package would benefit him personally, he cannot support it if it harms other veterans. Bernal has both tinnitus and sleep apnea, so while his own diagnoses would remain covered, he understands firsthand the impacts that these conditions will have on future veterans’ lives.

Dividing the Community

The issue is dividing veterans who would otherwise agree, creating a rift between the two largest veteran service organizations in the state: the VFW and the American Legion. The American Legion Department of Texas supports the bill, arguing that the 554-page bill covering everything from support for caregivers to surviving spouse benefits has a lot of positives, which outweigh its negatives.

The VFW Department of Texas opposes the bill if it contains the tinnitus and sleep apnea rating changes. The San Antonio districts of both groups are the largest in Texas, and thousands of local members will be affected by either outcome.

Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.