Denise,
Im not sure what part you are confused about. I am probably over-simplifying this, but my understanding of it is that, through the VA veterans can apply for disbiliity compensation for any chronic/persist ent medical condiitions that developed or were aggrivated during active duty. Using myself as an example...considering how long it takes a An to grow to 5 CM...mine could have easily formed while I was in the military, perhaps in relationship to Operations Desert Sheild/Storm and the whole gulf war syndrome, or perhaps from some head trauma I experienced while in the millitary, or perhaps from exposure certain elements, there doesn't seem to be any sound explanation as to cause for the AN. I started wondering if a AN & the resultant problems would even be considered by the VA as a disability after reading through the whole discussion on people obtaining Social Security Disability after they had their AN operation. Hopefully I have not created any additional confusion with this answer, although I fear I might have, as I am prone to overexamination/explanation/complicating of a relatively simple subject.