u/Acrobatic-Floor7307

I joined the Marine Corps with two goals: to get away from a bad family situation and to serve my country. I expected to deploy to the Middle East and imagined I'd spend my enlistment helping people and doing the job Marines are trained to do.

Instead, I had one deployment to a friendly country. Then COVID happened. Then my unit was disbanded due to funding cuts. Before I knew it, I was preparing to EAS.

I still worked hard. I became a Corporal, then a Sergeant. I trained Marines and tried to take care of the people around me. But if I'm being honest, I never felt like I earned my place.

Many of the Marines around me had combat deployments and stories from the Middle East. Compared to them, I felt inexperienced and untested.

Now I'm in college pursuing a Computer Science degree and hoping to work at NASA one day. Many veterans have encouraged me to file for disability benefits because of service-connected issues.

The problem is that I struggle with the idea. I know people who clearly deserve every dollar they receive. I've seen veterans with severe injuries and lifelong disabilities. I've also seen people who I believe exaggerated or lied for benefits, and I never want to be that person.

Rationally, I know VA disability isn't only for combat veterans. Emotionally, I still feel like I didn't do enough to deserve it. I feel ashamed to even call myself a Marine veteran sometimes. I feel like a fraud.

Has anyone else dealt with this feeling? How did you come to terms with it?