KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lyle Allen spent 15 years in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer, serving across the country and deploying multiple times. He survived several IED explosions during his service, but those blasts left him with a traumatic brain injury that forced him to medically retire just five years short of reaching the 20 years needed to qualify for full retirement pay.

“Unfortunately, during that time, I was injured,” Allen said. “I was in multiple IED explosions.”

Under a federal law called Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay, veterans must complete 20 years of service to receive both retirement and disability benefits. Because Allen was forced out early due to combat injuries, he only received one. He says the rule has created financial and emotional strain on injured vetera

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