Enacted in August 2022, the PACT Act is the biggest single piece of legislation that benefits Veteran health in the last 50 years. As of January 1, the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) arm of the VA is now ruling on claims submitted by Veterans from the Vietnam war, Desert Storm (Gulf War), Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve (incl. all other post-9/11 operations). The VA Secretary McDonough directed that the VBA would accept Veteran claims and sort them for processing before the January 1 date mandated by the legislation. However, the VBA is now rendering PACT Act claims decisions. If you are considering a claim, it’s time (now) to develop your claim and submit it to the VBA…think master arm on.

As we have said before and it bears repetition: DO NOT procrastinate. If you put it off and your cancer overtakes you, you are forcing your widow to start from a position of zero information and experience in claims submission to the VBA. This is an avoidable outcome. To learn about submitting a claim, ww.va.gov has abundant information written in simplified, streamlined language. They’ve done everything they can short of writing your claim for you—which they cannot do (nor would you want someone in a cubicle to attempt this).

The PACT Act specifically lists the following reproductive cancers that make these conditions qualifying for VA medical care and disability compensation:

Testicular cancer, Penile cancer, Prostate cancer, Cervical cancer, Ovarian cancer, Uterine cancer, Vaginal cancer, Vulvar cancer, and Breast cancer.

The following cancers now qualify for VA medical care and disability rating when your medical records, service locations, dates of service, and exposure details support a disability rating award and compensation:

Brain cancer, Gastrointestinal cancer (of any type), Glioblastoma, Head cancer (of any type), Kidney cancer, Lymphatic cancer (of any type), Lymphoma (of any type), Melanoma, Neck cancer (of any type), Pancreatic cancer, Reproductive cancer (of any type), and Respiratory cancer (breathing, of any type).

Also, these illnesses now qualify for VA medical care and disability rating when your medical records, service locations, dates of service, and exposure details support a disability rating award and compensation:

Asthma (diagnosed after service dates), Chronic bronchitis, COPD, Chronic Rhinitis, Chronic Sinusitis, Bronchiolitis (constrictive or obliterative), Emphysema, Granulomatous disease, Interstitial lung disease, Pleuritis, Pulmonary fibrosis, Sarcoidosis.

We are all one diagnosis away from an illness or cancer consequence. When that happens, you won’t remember PACT Act details but you can map back to this content on the Medical Tab. 

Here’s the bottomline: submit a (PACT Act) claim when you believe you can demonstrate toxic exposure during your military service. You’ve heard us talk about aviator cancers for several years. Guess what? We cannot ignore the implications of exposure to toxic agents found in the air, ground, water, or myriad other things at your service locations as potential underlying causes of cancers we and the Air Force documented in our shared work.

The RRVA AMIC does not dispense medical advice. Our charter is to make our members aware of benefits, disability ratings, and assist where we can in claims development. You can email us at medical@river-rats.org  Go well.