Gulf War Illness (Chronic Multisymptom Illness)
Veteran’s guide to VA disability compensation, presumptive eligibility, filing the claim, and finding help.
At-a-glance
Presumptive status:
Presumptive for veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater between Aug 2, 1990 and present.
Presumptive for veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater between Aug 2, 1990 and present.
Rating tiers:
Rated under 38 CFR § 3.317 as medically-unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). Functional impairment-based.
Rated under 38 CFR § 3.317 as medically-unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). Functional impairment-based.
How common is Gulf War Illness among veterans?
An estimated 175,000–250,000 of the 697,000 U.S. Gulf War (1990–1991) veterans have Gulf War Illness.
What every veteran should know
- Symptoms include: fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, neurological/cognitive symptoms, respiratory symptoms, sleep disturbance, GI symptoms.
- You do NOT need to prove the cause. MUCMI is a recognized framework specifically because the etiology is multi-factor.
- Eligible theater includes: Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and airspace above.
- The 2022 PACT Act expanded the symptom list — re-file old denials via VA Form 20-0995 Supplemental Claim.
- Many Gulf War veterans qualify for simultaneous burn-pit presumptive claims — stack them.
What to do next
Check PACT Act eligibility →
Our free matcher checks your service era against 60+ presumptive conditions.
Find a County VSO (free claims help) →
County or state service officers file claims for you at no charge.
Download VA Form 21-526EZ + 21-0960L-2 (Gulf War General Medical Examination) →
Official VA form for Gulf War Illness claims. File directly or work through a CVSO.
Other veteran-condition guides
Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderTraumatic Brain InjuryMilitary Sexual TraumaBurn Pit and Airborne Hazards ExposureAgent Orange Herbicide ExposureSleep Apnea — VA Disability Rating GuideTinnitus — VA Disability Rating GuideHearing Loss — VA Disability Rating GuideCamp Lejeune Water Contamination — Veterans and FamiliesDepression — VA Disability Rating GuideAnxiety — VA Disability Rating Guide
Informational only — not legal, medical, or clinical advice. Maintained by Wounded Warriors , a Texas 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 86-1336741. Verify our credentials or support our mission.