Veterans who served in the first Gulf War or Post-9/11 conflicts suffering from leukemia, bladder cancer and other illnesses will be granted presumptive benefits status under plans announced by Veterans Affairs leaders Wednesday.
That includes troops formerly stationed at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan, a group that has long lobbied for better recognition of the damaging long-term health effects connected to that site.
The decision is the latest in a series of moves by department officials to ease the burden associated with applying for veterans disability benefits for former troops exposed to toxic chemicals during their time in service.
“Adding these presumptives lowers the burden of proof for veterans to get the benefits they deserve for the conditions that followed them home from war,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement. “We encourage veterans with these conditions — and all veterans — to apply today for the benefits they deserve.”
Typically, veterans applying for disability benefits must prove that their injuries were directly connected to time in the military. That can be difficult for indirect injuries caused by exposure to toxic chemicals at military bases from hazards like burn pits or groundwater contamination.
Presumptive status allows veterans applying for benefits to skip paperwork establishing their condition as a result of military service. That can cut months of wait times off the benefits process, as well as reduce the frustration of families waiting for answers.
Additionally, when veterans are established as having a service-connected health condition — either through the claims process or by the presumptive process — they become eligible for free VA health care for that condition.
The new announcement covers acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, myelodysplastic syndromes, myelofibrosis, urinary bladder, ureter and genitourinary cancers.
Veterans who served in the Middle East during the first Gulf War or in Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen or Uzbekistan after Sept, 11, 2001, will be granted presumptive disability status for those conditions, starting next week.
That includes the so-called K2 veterans. The Uzbekistan base was used by U.S. troops as a point into and out of Afghanistan during the early 2000s. Individuals who served there were exposed to numerous contaminants, including jet fuel in groundwater and lead-based paint.
About 13,000 of the 16,000 troops known to have served there are already enrolled in VA health care. At least 11,800 have already been rated as disabled for at least one service- condition, with many topping more than a dozen health issues.
The decision on the new presumptives is connected to the 2022 PACT Act, which dramatically expanded benefits for troops with toxic exposure injuries.
Since it was signed into law, nearly 900,000 veterans have enrolled in department health care, an increase of about 40% from the comparable period before the bill was adopted.
More information on how to apply for benefits is available on the VA website.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
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