WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move to fix budget woes and stanch abuse of disability compensation, the Department of Veterans Affairs now requires applicants to disclose whether or not they were wearing their reflective green PT belt during their service-related injury.

“We want to make sure that veterans are only being compensated if they took all reasonable measures to mitigate risk of injury,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “Imagine that a soldier is running at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, and is struck by a military vehicle. The issue could have been avoided entirely had the soldier been wearing his PT belt, and neither the Department of Defense nor the VA can be held responsible for that.”

Servicemembers who were not now forfeit all entitlement to benefits for that injury. Nearly all opponents of the new measure contest that it goes too far, though.