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For soldiers who have done their duty for their country, the Department of Veteran Affairs offers several types of disability benefits. But not all VA benefits are created equal-- the benefits you receive for your disability claim will vary from person to person. The VA uses eight "priority groups" to determine which benefits you will receive, with "1" being the highest priority and "8" the lowest (as of 2003, no new veterans are enrolled into group 8). Your priority group depends entirely on your disability and how it first occurred (service-connected or non-service-connected), your financial situation, and your current level of disability. Since whether or not a disability is service-connected or non-service-connected can have a great effect on the benefits you will receive, it's important to have a good understanding of the specific requirements for each of these two types of benefits.