Emerald Empire Chapter of MOAA

     On April 26, 2022 VA announced the addition of nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumed service-connected disabilities due to exposure to fine particulate matter for Veterans who served any amount of time in  Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria or Uzbekistan during the Persian Gulf War, from September 19, 2001, to the present, or The Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, to the present. 

     VA is taking a new approach to making decisions on presumptives, one that takes all available science into account, with one goal in mind – getting today’s Veterans, and Vets in the decades ahead – the benefits they deserve, as fast as possible.  

     VA identified, through a focused review of scientific and medical evidence, a biological plausibility between airborne hazards, specifically particulate matter, and carcinogensis of the respiratory tract; the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection.  

     Veterans and survivors who had claims previously denied for any of the below respiratory cancers are encouraged to file a supplemental claim for benefits;  

1. Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx; 

2. Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea; 

3. Adenocarcinoma of the trachea; 

4. Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea; 

5. Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung; 

6. Large cell carcinoma of the lung; 

7. Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung; 

8. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung 

9. Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung. 

     VA will contact impacted Veterans and survivors to inform them about their eligibility and it will provide information on how to apply.  

To apply for benefits, Veterans and survivors may visit VA.gov or call toll-free at 800-827-1000.

You may be eligible for newly enacted service-connected benefits.  

Over the course of the last six months, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun processing service-connected disability claims for six new presumptive conditions related to environmental exposures during military service. We request your help in making more Veterans aware of these newly added presumptive conditions to help them file a claim and obtain any earned benefits. 

In May 2021, VA started implementing provisions of the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), adding: 

1. Bladder cancer

2. Hypothyroidism 

3. Parkinsonism 

to the list of medical conditions presumptively associated with exposure to Agent Orange. A few months later VA added

4. asthma

5. rhinitis

6. sinusitis (to include rhinosinusitis) 

on a presumptive basis based on particulate matter exposures during military service in Southwest Asia and certain other areas.  

Any Veteran who was previously denied service-connection for any of these six conditions but had symptoms manifest within 10 years of military service would need to file a supplemental claim. Be sure to use VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim when filing. The claim form should include the name of the condition and specify that the condition is being claimed due to in-service exposure to environmental hazards.  

VA is committed to assisting Veterans who may have been exposed to hazardous materials during their military service.  

Be sure to stay plugged in to www.va.gov for the most recent developments around environmental exposures during military service, as VA is constantly conducting research and surveillance as well as reviewing scientific literature for conditions that may be related to exposure during military service.  

For more information about VA benefits and eligibility, or how to file a claim, Veterans and survivors can visit VA’s website at www.va.gov or call toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.