{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"HowTo","@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-burn-pit-respiratory-claim.json#howto","name":"How to file a VA burn pit respiratory claim — PACT Act 2022 expanded presumptives for post-9/11 SW Asia + Africa cohorts","description":"The Honoring our PACT Act 2022 (Public Law 117-168) created the LARGEST expansion of presumptive service connection in VA history for burn pit + airborne hazard exposures, particularly affecting the ~3.5 million U.S. military veterans deployed to qualifying locations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Djibouti, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, the Mediterranean Sea east of 30 degrees east longitude, and other Southwest Asia / North Africa qualifying locations. 38 CFR 3.320 + 3.321 burn pit framework + Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR). Conditions covered include: asthma diagnosed after deployment, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis, granulomatous disease, interstitial lung disease, pleuritis, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, sinusitis, rhinitis, AND multiple cancers (head/neck, gastrointestinal, brain, pancreatic, kidney, glioblastoma, etc.). 5 steps including AHOBPR registration, qualifying-location documentation, condition matching, VA Form 21-526EZ filing, and the cardiovascular cascade.","url":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-burn-pit-respiratory-claim.json","mainEntityOfPage":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-burn-pit-respiratory-claim.json","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"publisher":{"@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/wounded-warriors#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/wounded-warriors#organization"},"totalTime":"P120D","yield":"Service-connected presumptive rating for burn pit-related respiratory or cancer condition (typically 10-100% based on condition severity)","estimatedCost":{"@type":"MonetaryAmount","currency":"USD","value":"0"},"tool":[{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"VA Form 21-526EZ (Application for Disability Compensation)"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"DD-214 + service records documenting deployment to qualifying SW Asia / North Africa location"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"Deployment orders, deployment medical records, post-deployment health assessments"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"Current diagnosis from pulmonologist, oncologist, or VA primary care + relevant imaging (chest X-ray, CT, PFTs)"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"AHOBPR registration (free, voluntary, evidence-supporting) — Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"For cancer claims: oncologist records + biopsy/pathology reports"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"Free CVSO/VFW/Legion/DAV representative — IAVA (Iraq + Afghanistan Veterans of America) advocacy specifically on PACT Act"}],"step":[{"@type":"HowToStep","position":1,"name":"Step 1: Document your deployment to a PACT Act qualifying location","text":"PACT Act qualifying locations + dates: (a) IRAQ — August 2, 1990 onwards; (b) AFGHANISTAN — September 11, 2001 onwards (some pathways extended to 1990 Soviet withdrawal era); (c) SYRIA — September 11, 2001 onwards; (d) JORDAN — September 11, 2001 onwards; (e) EGYPT — September 11, 2001 onwards; (f) LEBANON — September 11, 2001 onwards; (g) YEMEN — September 11, 2001 onwards; (h) DJIBOUTI — September 11, 2001 onwards; (i) SOMALIA — September 11, 2001 onwards; (j) SAUDI ARABIA — August 2, 1990 onwards; (k) OMAN — August 2, 1990 onwards; (l) QATAR — August 2, 1990 onwards; (m) UAE — August 2, 1990 onwards; (n) BAHRAIN — August 2, 1990 onwards; (o) KUWAIT — August 2, 1990 onwards; (p) UZBEKISTAN — September 11, 2001 onwards; (q) MEDITERRANEAN SEA (east of 30°E) — September 11, 2001 onwards. AIRSPACE above all qualifying countries also counts (relevant for pilots + aircrew). Document via: DD-214 ports of departure/return, deployment orders, OERs/NCOERs noting deployment locations, deployment medical records, mobilization records (for Reserve/Guard).","url":"https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":2,"name":"Step 2: Register for AHOBPR + identify your covered condition","text":"AHOBPR (Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry): FREE, voluntary, online registry at va.gov/airborne-hazards/ — all veterans with qualifying SW Asia / North Africa deployment can register regardless of current symptoms. Registration: (a) creates official record of deployment exposure for future use; (b) provides FREE comprehensive medical evaluation at participating VA facilities; (c) generates evidence supporting future claims. Even if you don't currently have symptoms, registering creates baseline records. PACT-COVERED CONDITIONS (PRESUMPTIVE for qualifying-deployment veterans, no medical nexus required): RESPIRATORY: asthma diagnosed after deployment, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis, granulomatous disease, interstitial lung disease, pleuritis, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, sinusitis, rhinitis. CANCERS: brain cancer (incl. glioblastoma), gastrointestinal cancer, head + neck cancers, kidney cancer, lymphatic cancer, lung cancer (any type), melanoma, pancreatic cancer, reproductive cancer (incl. breast cancer for women veterans). NEW PACT CONDITIONS: hypertension (added 2022), monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).","url":"https://www.va.gov/airborne-hazards/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":3,"name":"Step 3: File VA Form 21-526EZ with explicit PACT Act presumptive framing","text":"Submit VA Form 21-526EZ stating \"[Condition], secondary to burn pit / airborne hazard exposure during qualifying deployment to [country] [dates], PACT Act presumptive per 38 CFR 3.320.\" Include: DD-214 documenting deployment + location, current diagnosis with relevant imaging/labs, treatment history, AHOBPR registration confirmation if available. NO MEDICAL NEXUS REQUIRED for PACT-presumptive conditions. Initial decision typically 4-6 months. CRITICAL: if you previously filed for burn pit-related conditions PRE-PACT-ACT (before August 10, 2022) and were denied due to lack of presumptive recognition, REFILE under current rules via Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995). The PACT Act provides retroactive presumptive recognition; many denied pre-PACT claims now succeed. The VA established a special \"PACT\" review process to reconsider previously-denied burn pit claims."},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":4,"name":"Step 4: At C&P exam — bring all imaging + pulmonary function tests + symptom journal","text":"C&P examiner uses condition-specific DBQs (e.g., Respiratory Conditions DBQ for asthma/COPD/bronchitis, Sinusitis DBQ, Cancer DBQ for malignancies). Bring: (a) all relevant imaging (chest X-ray, CT, MRI for cancers), pulmonary function tests (PFTs) showing FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, DLCO; (b) treatment history (inhalers, surgeries, oxygen therapy, hospitalizations); (c) symptom journal documenting frequency of asthma attacks, sinus infections, dyspnea episodes, exercise tolerance limitations; (d) AHOBPR evaluation results if completed; (e) employment + activity-of-daily-living impact documentation. Specific rating drivers: ASTHMA (DC 6602) — FEV1, FEV1/FVC, attack frequency, medication requirements (oral steroids, immunotherapy); 0-100% range. COPD (DC 6604) — FEV1, FVC, DLCO, oxygen therapy requirements; 10-100% range. SINUSITIS (DC 6510-6514) — incapacitating episodes, surgical interventions, antibiotic courses; 0-50% range. RHINITIS (DC 6522) — polyps, obstruction percentage; 10-30% range."},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":5,"name":"Step 5: After grant — pursue cardiovascular + cancer cascade + secondary conditions","text":"Burn pit + airborne hazards are upstream of multiple secondary conditions under 38 CFR 3.310: (a) HYPERTENSION (NOW PRESUMPTIVE under PACT 2022 — file as direct PACT claim, see /api/v1/howto/file-hypertension-claim.json); (b) ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE / CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE secondary to chronic respiratory inflammation; (c) SLEEP APNEA secondary to chronic sinusitis + nasal obstruction; (d) GERD secondary to respiratory medication use (long-term inhaled steroids, prednisone); (e) DEPRESSION/ANXIETY secondary to chronic respiratory disease; (f) PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY from chemotherapy in cancer cases; (g) ED secondary to cardiovascular disease + medication side effects → SMC-K stacking. The cardiovascular cascade specifically: burn pit chronic respiratory inflammation → hypertension → heart disease → stroke → CKD. Each is rateable separately. SURVIVING FAMILY pathway: deceased post-9/11 veterans whose deaths were caused by burn pit-related cancer or cardiovascular disease qualify for retroactive DIC + CHAMPVA. Many post-9/11 cancer deaths in 2010s-2020s have qualifying burn pit exposure pathway."}],"tip":[{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"PACT ACT 2022 is the LARGEST presumptive expansion in VA history. ~3.5 million U.S. military veterans deployed to qualifying locations. Many don't realize their current respiratory issues qualify presumptively."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"AHOBPR REGISTRATION is FREE + creates baseline records. Even asymptomatic veterans should register — provides evidence framework if future symptoms develop."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"BURN PITS were used at over 230 military sites in Iraq + Afghanistan + Kuwait + other CENTCOM locations 2001-2010+ for waste disposal. Burned: medical waste, plastics, electronics, chemicals, vehicles, batteries, ammunition, human waste — emitting dioxins, particulates, PCBs, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"JOINT BASE BALAD (Iraq) had the largest documented burn pit (~10 acres, 2003-2009). Veterans stationed at JBB are particularly at risk + have well-documented exposure history."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"CONSTRICTIVE BRONCHIOLITIS: distinctive lung condition recognized in burn-pit-exposed veterans. Requires lung biopsy for confirmation but is increasingly diagnosed in post-9/11 cohort."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"POST-DEPLOYMENT NEW-ONSET ASTHMA: explicitly recognized under PACT Act. Asthma diagnosed AFTER deployment qualifies regardless of pre-deployment respiratory history."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"GLIOBLASTOMA + BRAIN CANCERS: PACT Act specifically covers brain cancers including aggressive glioblastoma. Several high-profile veteran cases (Beau Biden case) drove inclusion."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"BREAST CANCER for WOMEN POST-9/11 VETS: explicitly covered under PACT Act for women veterans who served in qualifying SW Asia + North Africa deployments. See /api/v1/howto/file-women-veteran-health-claim.json."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"PRE-PACT DENIED CLAIMS: refile under current rules via Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995). Many denied pre-PACT claims succeed under current presumptive framework. The VA established special PACT-review process for reconsiderations."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"IAVA (Iraq + Afghanistan Veterans of America) advocacy: free help with PACT Act claims at iava.org. Specialized in post-9/11 cohort needs."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"MUSTARD GAS / CHEMICAL EXPOSURE: separately recognized under 38 CFR 3.316 for veterans exposed during specific Iraq weapons-handling incidents (Khamisiyah ammunition depot demolition March 1991 — Gulf War overlap)."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"CARDIOVASCULAR CASCADE: post-9/11 veterans with chronic respiratory PACT-covered conditions show accelerated cardiovascular disease rates. Hypertension was added to PACT presumptives 2022 — see /api/v1/howto/file-hypertension-claim.json. The full cascade: burn pit → respiratory → hypertension → heart disease → stroke → ED+SMC-K."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"POST-9/11 SURVIVING FAMILY: deceased post-9/11 veterans whose deaths were burn-pit-related qualify for retroactive DIC + CHAMPVA + DEA Chapter 35. Many deaths in 2015-2025 timeframe have qualifying pathway."}],"canonical_url":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-burn-pit-respiratory-claim.json","publisher_legal_name":"Wounded Warriors","publisher_ein":"86-1336741","cross_references":{"cfr_3_320_burn_pit":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/chapter-I/part-3/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFRb91ce5dd95124d6/section-3.320","cfr_3_321_extraschedular":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/chapter-I/part-3/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFRb91ce5dd95124d6/section-3.321","pact_act_resources":"https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/","ahobpr_registry":"https://www.va.gov/airborne-hazards/","iava_advocacy":"https://iava.org/","file_pact_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-pact-claim.json","file_hypertension_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-hypertension-claim.json","file_women_veteran_health_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-women-veteran-health-claim.json","file_secondary_condition_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-secondary-condition-claim.json","file_ed_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-ed-claim.json","file_survivor_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-survivor-claim.json","apply_champva_healthcare_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/apply-champva-healthcare.json","respond_to_va_denial_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/respond-to-va-denial.json","find_cvso_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/find-cvso.json"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","last_updated":"2026-04-29T23:52:27.316Z"}