PACT Act and Toxic Exposure Information

Gulf War Era Veterans

Under the PACT Act, veterans are entitled to VA health care and compensation benefits if they have qualifying service for VA to concede exposure to particulate matter and if they have manifested any of the specified diseases after their qualifying service.

Qualifying service for Gulf War era veterans means you either:

1. Performed active military service in any of the following countries during or after the Gulf War (Aug. 2, 1990): Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia or the United Arab Emirates. Or;
2. Performed active military service in any of the following countries after the start of the Global War on Terrorism (Sept. 11, 2001): Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan or Yemen.

The following cancers and diseases are now presumptive of Gulf War qualifying service:

Brain cancer; gastrointestinal cancer; giloblastoma; head cancer of any type; kidney cancer; lymphatic cancer; lymphoma; melanoma; neck cancer; pancreatic cancer; reproductive cancer of any type; respiratory cancer; asthma; chronic bronchitis; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); rhinitis; sinusitis; constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis; emphysema; granulomatous disease; interstitial lung disease (ILD); pleuritis; pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis.

*VA may also assign benefits when the veteran exhibits objective indications of a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness that is defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and functional gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, functional vomiting, functional constipation, functional bloating, functional abdominal pain syndrome and functional dysphagia). 

 

Vietnam Era Veterans

Under the PACT Act, veterans are entitled to VA health care and compensation benefits if they have covered service for VA to concede exposure to herbicides (e.g., Agent Orange) and if they have manifested any of the specified diseases after their qualifying service.

Covered service for Vietnam era veterans means active service in:

1. The Republic of Vietnam from Jan. 9, 1962, to May 7, 1975.
2. Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai Base from Jan. 9, 1962, to June 30, 1976.
3. Laos from Dec. 14, 1965, to Sept. 30, 1969,
4. Cambodia at Mimot, Krek, or the Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1962, to April 30, 1969.
5. Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from April 1, 1968, to Aug. 31, 1971.
6. Guam, American Samoa or territorial waters thereof from Jan. 9, 1962, to July 31, 1980.
7. Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from Jan. 1, 1972, to Sept. 30, 1977.
8. Air Force or Air Force Reserve veterans who regularly and repeatedly operated, maintained, or served aboard a C-123 aircraft know to have been used for spraying herbicides.

PACT Act added specified diseases for Vietnam era veterans are:

1. Hypertension
2. Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance

*Access the full list of presumptive conditions related to herbicide (Agent Orange) exposure here.

 

Nuclear and Radiation-Exposed Veterans

The PACT Act expanded veterans who are eligible for presumptive service connection for diseases which manifested as a result of radiation exposure by adding onsite participation in the following radiation-risk activities:  

1. Enewetak Atoll cleanup from Jan. 1, 1977, thru Dec. 31, 1980.
2. Palomares, Spain, response effort from Jan. 17, 1966, thru March 31, 1967.
3. Thule, Greenland, response effort from Jan. 21, 1968,  thru Sept. 25, 1968.

Here is a comprehensive list of Veterans VA has recognized as performing radiation-risk activities.

View the full list of cancers and disease that VA has acknowledged may be induced by radiation.

 

Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water

For more than three decades, service members, military families, and civilians living and working at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were exposed to toxic drinking water which have been linked to life-long health effects. The below information has been gathered to assist exposed veterans and their families.

VA Benefits
VA provides health care and compensation benefits for veterans who served at least 30 days of service at Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, from Aug. 1953 to Dec. 1987, and suffer from certain health conditions, including: kidney cancer; liver cancer; Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; adult leukemia; multiple myeloma; Parkinson’s disease; bladder cancer; aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes.

Family members who lived at Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station New River from Aug. 1953 to Dec. 1987 may be eligible for reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical expenses for health care related to any of the following conditions: bladder cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, female infertility, hepatic steatosis, kidney cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, miscarriage, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, neurobehavioral effects, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, renal toxicity and scleroderma.

The VFW's worldwide network of accredited service officers are trained and available to assist veterans and family members with Camp Lejeune related VA benefits.

 

 

 

If you’ve already met with a VFW-Accredited Service Officer and determined pursuing a Camp Lejeune lawsuit is right for you, contact a VFW-entrusted law firm today.

PACT Act information from the Department of Veterans Affairs can be found here.

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