Burn Pit Exposure

PACT Act Benefits & How to File Your Claim

The PACT Act of 2022 is the largest expansion of VA benefits for toxic-exposed veterans in decades. If you were near burn pits, you likely qualify.
Section 1

What Were Burn Pits?

Open-air burn pits were used by the U.S. military as the primary waste disposal method at military sites in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations. They burned everything:

🗑️ Human and medical waste
🛢️ Chemicals, paint, and solvents
🔋 Batteries, electronics, and metals
🩺 Pharmaceuticals and biomedical waste
🛞 Tires, rubber, and plastics
⛽ Jet fuel used as accelerant
Where: Iraq, Afghanistan, Southwest Asia, the Horn of Africa, Syria, Jordan, Uzbekistan, and other locations. Joint Base Balad in Iraq had one of the largest — burning 100+ tons of waste daily in a pit the size of 10 acres.
Section 2

PACT Act Concessions

What the PACT Act Changed

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act made sweeping changes:

✅ Concedes exposure: If you deployed to a covered location, the VA now concedes you were exposed to burn pits and airborne hazards — no more proving exposure
✅ New presumptives: Added 23+ conditions as presumptive for burn pit / airborne hazard exposure
✅ Expanded healthcare: Post-9/11 veterans can enroll in VA healthcare for 10 years after discharge regardless of disability rating
✅ Toxic exposure screening: Required at every VA healthcare visit

For the full scope of PACT Act benefits across all eras, see our PACT Act Hub.

Section 3

Presumptive Conditions for Burn Pit Exposure

Cancers

  • Head cancer of any type
  • Neck cancer of any type
  • Respiratory cancer of any type
  • Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
  • Reproductive cancer of any type
  • Lymphatic cancer of any type
  • Kidney cancer
  • Urinary cancer of any type
  • Melanoma
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Glioblastoma
  • Lymphomatic cancer of any type

Other Conditions

  • Constrictive bronchiolitis
  • Constrictive pericarditis
  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Chronic rhinitis
  • Chronic laryngitis
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Desquamative interstitial pneumonia
  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
  • Organizing pneumonia
  • Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
  • Chronic obliterative bronchiolitis
  • Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
  • Interstitial lung disease
  • Pleuritis
  • Pulmonary granuloma
  • Sarcoidosis
Section 4

Airborne Hazards & Open Burn Pit Registry

The VA's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry allows veterans to document their exposure and health concerns:

1
Sign up at the VA's registry website through your VA.gov account
2
Complete the online questionnaire about your deployment locations and exposures
3
Optionally schedule a free registry exam at your VA medical center

Why Register?

  • Documents your exposure officially
  • Free medical evaluation
  • Helps the VA track health trends
  • Supports future presumptive additions
  • Does NOT negatively affect any claim
Section 5

Evidence Strategies

For presumptive conditions, evidence requirements are minimal. For non-presumptive conditions, build your case with:

📋 Deployment Records: DD-214, deployment orders, travel vouchers showing you were in a covered location
👥 Buddy Letters: Statements from fellow service members describing burn pit proximity and exposure. Generate one here →
📸 Photos/Videos: Any pictures of burn pits at your location — extremely powerful evidence
🏥 Medical Records: Current treatment records showing your diagnosis and ongoing symptoms
🔬 Nexus Letter: For non-presumptive conditions, get a medical opinion linking your condition to burn pit exposure. See our Nexus Guide
✍️ Personal Statement: Your own account of exposure and how it has affected your health. Use our generator →
Section 6

Healthcare Enrollment for Exposed Veterans

Expanded VA Healthcare

The PACT Act expanded healthcare eligibility for toxic-exposed veterans:

🏥 Post-9/11 veterans can enroll for 10 years after discharge — no disability rating needed
🏥 Vietnam, Gulf War, and other era veterans with toxic exposure can enroll at any time
💊 Covers all healthcare — not just conditions related to toxic exposure
📋 Enroll using VA Form 10-10EZ or at your local VA medical center
Don't wait: Even if you don't have symptoms now, enrolling in VA healthcare establishes a baseline for your health and makes future claims easier to support. See our VA Healthcare guide.