The OIF GenerationA field guide to the Iraq War and the generation that fought it
For Veterans

The PACT Act for Iraq Veterans

The most significant expansion of veterans' benefits in a generation, and Iraq is squarely covered.

The White House on August 10, 2022, before the signing of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act.
The White House on August 10, 2022, before the signing of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act. Official White House photo by Erin Scott (public domain)

What it is

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, the PACT Act, expanded VA health care and disability benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.

Iraq is covered

The VA lists Iraq among the locations where service on or after August 2, 1990, qualifies for burn pit and airborne hazard presumptions, along with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Somalia, and the airspace above them.

Presumptive conditions

If you served in a covered location and have a presumptive condition, the VA presumes it was caused by your service. Presumptive conditions include many cancers, among them brain, gastrointestinal, head, neck, kidney, pancreatic, reproductive, and respiratory cancers, lymphoma, melanoma, and glioblastoma, and respiratory illnesses including asthma diagnosed after service, chronic bronchitis, COPD, chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, constrictive bronchiolitis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and sarcoidosis.

Toxic exposure screening

Every veteran enrolled in VA health care receives an initial toxic exposure screening and a follow-up at least once every five years.

If you were denied before

If the VA denied a claim for a condition that is now presumptive, you can file a Supplemental Claim.

Getting help

Accredited veterans service officers can help you file at no charge. Always confirm current rules on va.gov.