Gulf War Review, Update Options

[pete992]

Since I am registered on the Gulf War Registry I get these reviews every now and then, they don't do them often or I just get them when they realize they have not sent me one in a while.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/gulfwa...etter_aug09.pdf

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Conditions Automatically Recognized for Service Connection

Enacted in 1994, Public Law 103-446 allows VA to pay compensation to Gulf War Veterans with certain chronic disabilities resulting from illnesses that VA could not diagnose that appeared during active duty in the Gulf War or within a specified time period after their Gulf War service, which led to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more.

Three health conditions suffered by some Gulf War Veterans are presumptively (automatically) recognized by VA for service connection. These are fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome. In 2001, Public Law 107-103, expanded the definition of "qualifying chronic disability" to include these three conditions.

VA encourages Veterans with these conditions—including those denied service connection before this law was passed—to apply for VA disability compensation.

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Compensation for Undiagnosed Illnesses.

Many Gulf War Veterans encountered problems when trying to prove that their difficult-to-diagnose or undiagnosed illnesses were connected to military service. This affected these Veterans' access to disability compensation.

In response, VA asked Congress for the authority to provide compensation benefits to Gulf War Veterans who are chronically disabled by undiagnosed illnesses. The 1994 statute authorizes VA to pay compensation for disabilities that cannot be diagnosed as a specific disease or injury, or for certain illnesses with unknown cause, including chronic fatigue, persistent rashes, hair loss, headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, neurological symptoms, neuropsychological symptoms such as memory loss, respiratory system symptoms, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiovascular symptoms, abnormal weight loss, and menstrual disorders.

More than 3,400 Gulf War Veterans have received service connection for their undiagnosed or difficult-to-diagnose illnesses under this authority. Veterans from the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are also eligible for this special benefit.



This post has been edited by pete992: Sep 12 2009, 01:20 PM