Your civilian career wasn't as physical as the military. While your back did improve, you always guarded it and were cautious that you didn't injure yourself again. So you toughed it out, used a lot of aspirin. Books didn't complain about his back pain, why should you? 'Pain', we learn, 'is weakness leaving your body.' Pain is good. Fellow soldiers will know that they have to carry your load as well as their own. From day one we're trained that complaints of pain will bring about scorn from superiors. The team depends on each member being ready to complete the mission and the mission is all that counts. The military culture demands that we don't complain of our 'minor' aches and pains. Your light duty was increased to restricted duty for a month with orders of no lifting, no PT and so on.

This time an x-ray was ordered and you were given some stronger pain pills.

The back became more painful so you were back on sick call a week later. You were given some APC tablets and sent on your way to light duty for 3 days. Your sore back was diagnosed as a 'pulled muscle' or something similar. That was in 1970 and you went on sick call. You may have hurt your back in some fashion while serving your country. Let's consider, for example, a back injury. In many cases this connection, or 'nexus' may be tenuous at best. This third test is the connection or 'nexus' between what happened to you in the military and your current medical condition.

evidence that the condition started during your military service or, if your condition was preexisting, that it was aggravated by military service.

To get benefits, you must meet three tests. What is the 'Nexus' and Why is it Important?

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