VA Disability Compensation for Gulf War Veterans

Gulf War veterans are eligible for VA disability compensation for service-connected disabilities that were incurred or worsened during active duty. In recent years, Congress has made it easier for Gulf War vets to establish service connection by adding new medical impairments to the list of "presumptive conditions." Presumptive conditions are illnesses, injuries, or diseases that the VA will automatically link to your military history due to the nature of your time in service.

The presumptive conditions list includes a specific set of symptoms that can be collectively referred to as "Gulf War syndrome." Veterans may qualify for presumed service-connected benefits for Gulf War syndrome and other disorders depending on the exact time and location they served.

What is Gulf War Syndrome?

Gulf War syndrome is a widely used term to refer to unexplained illnesses occurring in veterans of the Persian Gulf War. When Congress passed the Persian Gulf War Syndrome Compensation Act of 1999 (H.R. 2697), the statute identified the following chronic symptoms as qualifying for presumptive service connection, regardless of whether the cause has been diagnosed:

• joint and muscle pain
• fatigue
• severe headache
• memory loss
• respiratory disorder
• sleep disturbances
• skin rash, and
• circulatory disorder.

Additional symptoms may include weight loss, neurological or neuropsychological symptoms, and menstrual disorders. While the exact symptoms may vary from person to person, they are so common to Gulf War veterans that they are often referred to as "Gulf War syndrome." However, the VA prefers not to use the term "Gulf War syndrome," opting instead for "chronic multisymptom illness" and "undiagnosed illnesses."

Proving Presumptive Service Connection for Gulf War Syndrome

The VA will presume that the following chronic multisymptom illnesses are service-connected provided that you served in a recognized location on or after August 2, 1990, the symptoms appeared while you were on active duty (or since separation but before December 31, 2026), and you've been ill for at least six months:

• chronic fatigue syndrome
• fibromyalgia
• functional gastrointestinal disorders, and
• any medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness or other undiagnosed illnesses, such as cardiovascular signs and symptoms, muscle and joint pain, and headaches.

Recognized locations for undiagnosed illness presumptive conditions include the following:

• the countries of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• the airspace above Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
• the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia (including airspace), and
• the waters of the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea.

You'll also need to show that your symptoms have manifested to the point where they're at least 10% disabling according to the VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities. A 10% VA rating for chronic fatigue syndrome, for example, means that your symptoms may come and go over time but that you're incapacitated at least one week per year—or that your symptoms are controlled by continuous medication.

Getting a VA Rating for Gulf War Syndrome

Once the VA has determined that your chronic multisymptom illness is presumed service-connected, the agency will then assign you a disability rating percentage based on the length and intensity of your symptoms. The more severe and long-lasting your symptoms are, the higher your disability rating will be—and the higher your rating is, the larger your monthly disability compensation will be.

The VA will assign ratings to all your service-connected conditions, not just your chronic multisymptom illness. Any residual symptoms or limitations you have from your time in service should be medically documented so that the VA can rate these conditions (potentially increasing your compensation amount). For more information, see our article on how the VA assigns veterans disability percentage ratings.

Presumptive Service Connection for Other Gulf War Illnesses

Following the passage of the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, many new illnesses and diseases were added to the VA's presumptive conditions list. This includes dozens of infectious diseases and cancers that Gulf War veterans are at a heightened risk of contracting as a result of exposure to toxins and other hazards, such as burn pits.

Infectious Diseases

The VA will presume that the following infectious diseases are service connected provided that you served in a recognized location on or after August 2, 1990 and you received a diagnosis from a health care provider within one year after your military separation:

• brucellosis
• campylobacter jejuni
• coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
• malaria
• nontyphoid salmonella
• shigella, and
• West Nile virus.

In addition, the VA will presume that two infectious diseases—mycobacterium tuberculosis and visceral leishmaniasis—are service connected if you're diagnosed with them at any time following separation from service. The recognized locations for all infectious disease presumptive conditions are:

• Afghanistan (not including airspace and only service after September 19, 2001)
• the countries of Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
• the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and
• the waters of the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea.

Except for Afghanistan, the airspace above all of the listed countries and locations is recognized for the purpose of presuming disability for infectious diseases within the relevant timeframe. As with Gulf War Syndrome, you must also show that your symptoms have appeared to a 10% degree of severity according to the VA disability ratings schedule.

Cancers and Respiratory Disorders

The VA will presume that the following cancers and respiratory disorders are service connected provided that you served in a recognized location on or after August 2, 1990:

The recognized locations for cancers and respiratory disorders are Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the UAE, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea, including the airspace above any of these locations.

What If I Can't Establish Presumptive Connection For My Gulf War Illness?

Not all Gulf War veterans will be able to establish presumptive service connection for their medical conditions. Some veterans don't have a syndrome, illness, infection, or cancer that is on the presumptive conditions list for the Gulf War. Being unable to show presumptive service connection doesn't mean that you can't qualify for disability compensation, however. You can still get VA benefits by establishing another kind of "nexus" between your condition and your active duty—such as direct, aggravated, or secondary service connection.

Do Gulf War Veterans Get Bonus VA Compensation?

Gulf War veterans don't get bonus compensation solely on the basis of having served in the Persian Gulf War. However, retired veterans who became disabled during hazardous duty, war training, using an instrumentality of war, or armed conflict are eligible for combat-related special compensation (CRSC). Presumptive conditions resulting from service in the Gulf War are considered combat-related for purposes of receiving CRSC benefits.

How to Apply for VA Disability Compensation

To file for VA disability benefits, you'll need to complete Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits. Many people find it easiest to fill out the electronic online application, but you also have several other options if you'd prefer to mail, fax, or personally deliver the form to the VA.

If you choose to hire a veterans' disability attorney before you begin your application, your lawyer can help you complete the form and gather the records you'll need to get benefits for any disabling conditions resulting from your time on active duty in the Gulf War.