The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was signed by President Biden on August 10, 2022. This law brings a huge change with much needed increases in covered conditions, health care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to burn pits or other airborne toxins.
PACT Act Details
While some changes will be immediate, the Act will take several years to be fully implemented. The Act notably adds numerous presumptive conditions to the list for those exposed to burn pits and airborne toxins. Part 1 of this series will lay out the new presumptive conditions for those who served during the Gulf War Era or after 9/11/01.
What are Presumptive Conditions?
A condition, illness, or disability is presumptive if it is assumed to have been caused or worsened by service in the military.
Gulf War Era & Post 9/11 Veterans
Here is a list of conditions, illnesses and cancers both, that are now presumptive for veterans who served in the Gulf War era or after September 11, 2001.
| · Brain cancer | · Melanoma | · Chronic bronchitis |
| · Chronic rhinitis | · Chronis sinusitis | · Neck cancer |
| · Gastrointestinal cancer (any kind) | · Head cancer (any kind) | · Asthma (diagnosed after service) |
| · Kidney cancer | · Emphysema | · Interstitial lung disease (ILD) |
| · Glioblastoma | · Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) | · Granulomatous disease |
| · Lymphatic cancer (any type) | · Pleuritis | · Respiratory cancer (any type) |
| · Constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis | · Pancreatic cancer | · Reproductive cancer (any type) |
| · Sarcoidosis | · Pulmonary fibrosis | · Granulomatous disease |
Were you Exposed?
If you served during these times and in any of these areas, you are now presumed to have experienced exposure.
9/11/01 to Now
- Afghanistan
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Yemen
- Lebanon
- Jordan
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Airspace over any of the above locations
August 2, 1990 and On
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- Saudi Arabia
- Iraq
- Oman
- Qatar
- Somalia
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Airspace over any of the above locations
How to File for Presumptive Conditions
If you were exposed to burn pits or other toxic air conditions during certain time frames during your years of service, you could be eligible for increased disability ratings, benefits and care.
- If you haven’t filed for these presumptive conditions before:
- File a new claim now! You can do this online.
- Learn more about this process by visiting the VA website here.
- Download VA Form 21-526EZ if you want to fill out by hand and mail or drop off in person
- Once the form has been printed off and filled out completely, mail to:
- Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Deliver in person to your VA Regional Office. Search for the closest one here.
- Once the form has been printed off and filled out completely, mail to:
- File a new claim now! You can do this online.
- For those who filed a claim before, but were denied, for a condition that is now presumptive:
- File a VA Form 20-0995, supplemental claim
Additional Resources
- Read our blog that’s all about supplemental claims
- Download and reference our supplemental claim guide
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