Charles Phillip Bailey Sr. was born in Punta Gorda, FL, in 1918 and came of age in a segregated South that placed clear limits on Black ambition. Those barriers shaped him early. He had to leave town just to attend high school, excelling at Howard Academy before continuing to Bethune-Cookman on a football scholarship.  

When that school could not offer the aviation path he wanted, Mary McLeod Bethune helped him transfer to Tuskegee Institute, setting him on the course that would make him Florida’s first African American fighter pilot. 

Bailey went on to become one of the Tuskegee Airmen’s most decorated combat pilots. Assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron, he flew 133 combat missions across Europe and North Africa and shot down two enemy aircraft. Flying planes named for his parents, he carried both family pride and personal conviction into battle.  

On one mission over the Mediterranean, shrapnel struck near his heart, but a Bible in his flight jacket absorbed the impact and likely saved his life. For his service in World War II, he earned the Air Medal with four oak-leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. 

One thing that makes Bailey especially exemplary is that his life did not begin and end with combat. After the war, he returned to Bethune-Cookman, earned a degree in education, taught school in Florida for years, and later opened a funeral home that served his community. His story reflects a broader truth about many veterans; that service is not only what they do in war, but what they continue to build afterward. 

Bailey’s legacy reaches beyond military distinction. He stands as a figure in both Black and American military history whose achievements challenged the limits of his era without the need for mythology to make them matter.  

For veterans, his life is a reminder that courage can take many forms: persistence in the face of exclusion, excellence under pressure, and a lifelong commitment to serving others at home and abroad. 

Honor veterans like Charles Phillip Bailey Sr. and watch more stories on our YouTube channel.

Sleep apnea and hypertension are common among veterans and may be linked strongly enough to support a secondary service connection claim. The relationship can work in either direction, allowing veterans to qualify for sleep apnea secondary to hypertension or vice versa. 

VA Ratings for Hypertension 

Under Diagnostic Code 7101, the VA rates hypertension at 0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, or 60% based on blood pressure readings and the need for continuous medication. A veteran can have medically diagnosed hypertension and still receive a 0% rating if the condition does not meet VA’s compensation thresholds. 

VA Ratings for Sleep Apnea 

Under Diagnostic Code 6847, sleep apnea is rated at: 

Most veterans who use a CPAP machine are rated at 50%. 

How the Conditions Can Be Connected 

Untreated sleep apnea can lead to hypertension, as repeated oxygen deprivation during sleep triggers the body’s stress response and raises blood pressure. In the opposite direction, hypertension may contribute to the development or worsening of sleep apnea by affecting the upper airway or causing fluid retention that can obstruct the airway during sleep. 

This bidirectional relationship allows veterans to pursue secondary service connection either way. 

What Veterans Need for Secondary Service Connection 

To win a secondary claim, veterans generally need: 

Helpful supporting evidence can include medical records, a nexus letter, relevant medical research, and lay statements describing symptoms such as snoring, fatigue, or daytime sleepiness. 

Can These Conditions Lead to 100% Compensation? 

While many veterans may receive ratings such as 50% for sleep apnea and 10% to 20% for hypertension, they may still qualify for TDIU if these conditions significantly interfere with their ability to work. In that situation, VA can pay at the 100% rate even without a 100% combined schedular rating.

If you’re facing challenges with your claim and need assistance, reach out for a free case evaluation.

This weekly livestream goes beyond Q&A. In addition to answering your questions about VA disability law and the claims process, our legal team now features more information about the claims process than ever before. Comments open 1 hour prior to the Livestream starting, so get there early to get your question in. We try to answer as many as we can!

Many U.S. veterans were exposed to asbestos during their time in service, often without knowing the risks. Years later, this exposure has led to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related lung cancers for countless veterans.

If you served in the military and have been diagnosed, you may qualify for compensation. Our firm proudly helps veterans and their families pursue the benefits and justice they deserve.

Act now. Contact us today at (855) 494-1298 to learn more about your options or to begin your claim. You’ve served your country; let us serve you.

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Attorney Rachel Cheek explains how sleep apnea impacts veterans and what is needed for a successful VA disability claim in this week's video. 

Sleep apnea causes breathing to stop repeatedly during sleep, preventing the body from getting a good night's rest. There are three types: obstructive, in which throat tissue blocks the airway; central, in which the brain fails to signal breathing; and mixed, which combines both. Symptoms go well beyond snoring and can include chronic fatigue, depression, irritability, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular problems. 

To file a claim, veterans must first get a formal diagnosis through a sleep study. Service connection can then be established in a few ways: through documentation from active duty, or through secondary connection to conditions like orthopedic injuries that led to weight gain, or PTSD.  

Medical literature supports a link between PTSD and sleep apnea, but the VA does not recognize it automatically, so a strong nexus letter or supporting research is essential. 

For ratings, the key thresholds are 30% for persistent daytime sleepiness and 50% for veterans prescribed a breathing device such as a CPAP. A 100% rating is rare and reserved for the most severe cases. 

At Hill & Ponton, we specialize in helping veterans navigate the VA appeals process to secure the benefits they rightfully deserve. Whether you're facing a denied claim, an appeal for a higher rating, or need assistance gathering critical evidence, our team is ready to advocate for you.

Use our VA Disability Calculator to see if your current rating aligns with your level of disability and explore potential increases based on any secondary conditions you may have. Calculate Your VA Disability Rating Now!