The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has added to its list of presumptive service-related conditions for Gulf War and post-9/11 Veterans, reducing the burden of proof for healthcare and other Veteran benefits.
Effective from January 2, 2025, the following are covered:
- Urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary cancers
Effective from January 10, 2025, the following are covered:
- Acute and chronic leukemias
- Multiple myelomas
- Myelodysplastic syndromes myelofibrosis
Gulf War Veterans are those who served in Somalia or the Southwest Asia theater of operations (which includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations) during the Persian Gulf War on or after August 2, 1990.
Post-9/11 Veterans are those who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, or Uzbekistan and the airspace above these locations during the Gulf War on or after September 11, 2001. This includes Veterans who served at the Karshi- Khanabad (K2) base in Uzbekistan after September 11, 2001.
If you are a Veteran who served in the Gulf or in post-9/11 operations and have one of these conditions, the VA encourages you to apply for benefits today. Additionally, if you are eligible and previously had your claim denied, you should reapply. To apply for benefits, and for more information, Veterans and survivors may visit VA.gov or call 1-800-MYVA411.
If you are an AAFMAA Member and have questions about your VA benefits, email the Member Benefits team [email protected] or call 800-522-5221 for assistance. If you’re interested in becoming an AAFMAA Member, call 877-398-2263 to speak with an AAFMAA Membership Benefits Coordinator.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Gulf War Deployment. Soldiers deploying to the Gulf War make their way to a plane in 1990 at Volk Field, Wis. (U.S. Army file photo). Courtesy photo.