🎖️ VALOR

David Hackworth’s Combat Leadership and Dissatisfaction with Bureaucracy  

David H. Hackworth was born on Nov. 11, 1930, in Ocean Park, CA. Both of his parents had passed away before he was a year old, leaving him and his siblings to be raised by their grandmother during the Great Depression.  

Money was scarce, but stories were not. She filled their home with tales of the Old West and earlier American wars, instilling in Hackworth a sense of history, toughness, and restlessness that never really left him. 

That restlessness showed early. At fourteen, he lied about his age and talked a stranger into posing as his father so he could join the Merchant Marine. By the final months of World War II, he was sailing the South Pacific. When he returned home, civilian life felt too small, and in 1946, still a teenager, he enlisted in the Army, using his Merchant Marine paperwork to get in. There, he served as an infantry rifleman in postwar Europe, earned his GED, and quickly proved he belonged in combat arms. 

However, his time during the Korean War is what would define his legacy. Fighting with the 25th Infantry Division, Hackworth earned a battlefield commission and became known for leading from the front. He was wounded three times, awarded three Silver Stars for heroism, and hand-selected to create and lead a volunteer raider unit, the 27th Wolfhound Raiders. By the end of the war, he was a captain and already had a reputation as a fearless, aggressive combat leader. 

After the war, Hackworth briefly left the Army, only to return when civilian life once again felt hollow. He felt that the Cold War-era Army was more bureaucratic than the one he had known, but he worked through staff jobs, completed college, and eventually returned to infantry command. By the time Vietnam escalated, Hackworth was determined to go, and when he finally deployed in 1965, he did so as a major with the 101st Airborne Division. 

In Vietnam, Hackworth became both famous and controversial. He founded Tiger Force, a unit designed to fight the South Vietnamese guerrillas using their own tactics. He later commanded the 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry in the Mekong Delta, transforming a struggling unit into an effective counter-insurgency force. Promoted to colonel, he became the youngest US Army colonel in Vietnam and was praised by General Creighton Abrams as the best battalion commander he had ever seen. 

But the war also hardened Hackworth against the Army’s leadership. Staff tours at the Pentagon and close exposure to decision-making convinced him the war could not be won as it was being fought. In 1971, he said so publicly on national television, criticizing senior commanders and calling for US withdrawal. The backlash was immediate. Investigations followed, and though charges were ultimately dropped, Hackworth retired from the Army soon after. 

What followed was a second career just as intense. He lived in Australia for a time, then returned to the United States as a journalist, becoming a sharp and often abrasive critic of military leadership. Through books, columns, and television appearances, he positioned himself as a voice for enlisted soldiers and junior officers, the people he called “the grunts.” He never softened his opinions, even when they were abrasive. 

Hackworth passed away in 2005 from bladder cancer, which those close to him believed was linked to chemical exposure in Vietnam. He left behind a complicated legacy: a brilliant combat leader, a relentless critic of authority, and a man who never stopped fighting, even when the battlefield changed. 

Honor veterans like David Hackworth and watch more stories on our YouTube channel.

⚖️ EXPERTS

What VA Disability Conditions Are Secondary to Hypertension? 

Hypertension can strain major organ systems. High blood pressure damages vessels over time, affecting the heart, kidneys, brain, eyes, and circulation. These resulting conditions may qualify as secondary service-connected disabilities if caused or worsened by service-connected hypertension or its treatments. 

Secondary conditions may also be disabling and can receive separate VA ratings if diagnosed and medically connected. 

Secondary Conditions VA May Recognize as Linked to Hypertension 

When evidence shows a link, hypertension can be medically connected to these secondary conditions: 

Kidney and Sleep Disorders 

• Chronic kidney disease. 

• Sleep apnea. 

Cardiovascular Conditions 

• Coronary artery disease. 

• Heart failure. 

• Arrhythmias. 

• Hypertensive heart disease. 

• Cardiomyopathy. 

• Pulmonary hypertension. 

• Angina. 

• Stroke (CVA). 

• Aneurysms. 

• Atherosclerosis. 

• Peripheral artery disease (PAD). 

• Portal hypertension–related liver disease. 

• Chronic venous insufficiency. 

Neurological and Cognitive Conditions 

• Hypertensive encephalopathy. 

• Peripheral neuropathy (aggravated or contributed to by hypertension). 

• Cognitive impairment. 

• Vascular dementia. 

Headache and Mental Health Conditions 

• Chronic headaches. 

• Depression. 

• Anxiety. 

• Adjustment disorders. 

• Retinopathy. 

• Choroidopathy. 

• Optic neuropathy. 

• Transient vision loss (amaurosis fugax). 

Other Conditions 

• Erectile dysfunction. 

• Gout. 

Each of these conditions has a separate VA rating. You may qualify for compensation if your condition is documented. 

Establishing Secondary Service Connection 

To receive VA disability compensation, show: A service-connected hypertension diagnosis. 

• A current diagnosis of the secondary condition. 

• A medical nexus linking the secondary condition to hypertension, showing it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by the primary condition. 

Strong medical evidence, C&P exams, and a clear nexus opinion are essential to establish service connection and secure VA benefits. 

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

🦅SUPPORT

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Join us to get your questions about VA disability law and the claims process answered by our legal team. 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!

Were You Exposed to Asbestos During Military Service?

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.

🗺️ TACTICS

A Winning Strategy for VA Migraine Claims 

In this “Carol’s Corner” segment, Hill & Ponton principal attorney Carol Ponton breaks down a common headache-claim problem: veterans get headaches or migraines service-connected, then the VA assigns a 0% rating anyway. 

Her practical fix is a one-month headache diary. She recommends tracking every headache day, how long it lasts, the symptoms, and (most importantly) what it does to your functioning: needing to lie down, retreating to a dark/cold room, struggling to concentrate, sensitivity to noise, and missing work. She says this kind of day-by-day detail can directly rebut a C&P examiner who minimizes your limitations. Their office often submits the diary attached to a VA Form 21-4138, so it’s treated as a sworn statement.  

She also warns veterans not to ignore VA letters claiming they filed the “wrong” form, since those notices can stall a claim unless you respond quickly. And if migraines are keeping you from working, she notes that you may need to push the VA to consider TDIU (including an extraschedular referral), because the VA rarely does so on its own. 

Need Help with an Appeal? Hill & Ponton is Here for You

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!