benefit of doubt , my a$$

After you inform them for your denial call the investigators at the Ombudsman's office. I remember reading something similar about this that as a sailor you are on duty when at sea 24/7. Maybe they have something on paper you could give your BPA.
Got to agree with you if the knuckleheads (not the phrase I wanted to use but this is a language friendly forum) should get it by now. What do they expect you to do if you are not on duty on a boat you have to stay in your bunk like a freakn' boat person trying to sneak into Canada?!?!?!?

I just received my denial letter from VAC for lumbar arthritis. The reason, or at least one of them they list, was that even though they have the medical report that states that I was hit in the lower back by the forward Port breezeway door (200lb+ steel door) while serving on HMCS Toronto in 1999, they say there is no evidence I was on duty at the time. I was at sea, preparing to come alongside, and as a sailor, you are always on "Duty" while onboard! Obviously this is another case where the person making decisions has no clue about the people they are screwing over, or the things that they have to endure.