Southwest Asia Veterans

If you served in the Middle East on or after August 2, 1990, this benefit is specific to you in addition to all the other benefits. If you experience any health issues outlined below you may qualify for VA disability benefits.

NON-PACT ACT ILLINESSES

These GULF WAR illnesses are considered Presumptive.

UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESSES: If diagnosed within 6 months of separation:
-Chronic fatigue syndrome
-Fibromyalgia
-Functional gastrointestinal disorders
-Medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness
-Other undiagnosed illnesses, such as cardiovascular signs and symptoms, muscle and joint pain, and headaches

INFECTIOUS DISEASES: If diagnosed within 1 year of separation:
-West Nile virus
-Brucellosis 
-Campylobacter jejuni
-Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
-Malaria (or sooner in some cases)
-Nontyphoid salmonella
-Shigella

INFECTIOUS DISEASES: If diagnosed anytime after separation:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Visceral leishmaniasis

Service Areas:
-Afghanistan (airspace not included)
-Bahrain
-Egypt (airspace not included)
-Iraq
-Israel (airspace not included)
-Jordan (airspace not included)
-Kuwait
-Neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
-Oman
-Qatar
-Saudi Arabia
-Syria (airspace not included)
-Turkey (airspace not included)
-The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
-The waters of the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

PACT ACT ILLNESSES

Under the PACT Act these illnesses are considered Presumptive. The PACT Act added more than 20 burn pit and other toxic exposure presumptive conditions. They include:

These cancers were added under the PACT Act:
Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type
Brain cancer
Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
Glioblastoma
Genitourinary cancer
Head cancer of any type
Hematologic and lymphatic cancers
Lymphoma of any type
Melanoma
Neck cancer of any type
Pancreatic cancer

These illnesses were added under the PACT Act:
Sarcoidosis
Asthma that was diagnosed after service
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic rhinitis
Chronic sinusitis
Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
Emphysema
Granulomatous disease
Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Pleuritis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Reproductive cancer of any type

Qualification Locations:

ON LAND [On or After September 11, 2011]:
Afghanistan
Djibouti
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Uzbekistan
Yemen
The airspace above any of these locations

ON LAND [On or After August 2, 1990]:
Bahrain
Iraq
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The airspace above any of these locations

AT SEA [On or After August 2, 1990]:
Arabian Sea
Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Oman
Neutral zone between Iraq/Saudi Arabia
Persian Gulf
Red Sea

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Download the current VA Form 21-526EZ
See an example of how to fill out the VA Form 21-526EZ

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