Today I want to address “presumptive service connection” for Gulf War Veterans. As noted on my previous post “Presumptive Service Connection” means the VA presumes that certain disabilities were caused by military service. This is because of the unique circumstances of a specific Veterans military service. If a presumed condition is diagnosed in a Veteran within a certain group, they can be awarded disability compensation.

You may be asking what is the criteria for presumptive service connection for Gulf War Veterans?

The Veteran must have served in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operation, have a condition that is at least 10 percent disabling by Dec. 31, 2026, and have continuous symptoms (preferably documented) for at least 6 months.

The following locations are considered the Southwest Asia Theater.

• Iraq

• Kuwait

• Saudi Arabia

• The neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

• Bahrain

• Qatar

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• Oman

• The Gulf of Aden

• The Gulf of Oman

• The waters of the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea

• The airspace above these locations

What is considered a presumed condition for Gulf War Veterans?

A medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses that exist for six months or more, such as:

· Chronic fatigue syndrome

· Irritable bowel syndrome or Gastroesophageal reflux disease

· Fibromyalgia

· Certain infectious diseases diagnosed within 1 yr. of separation

It is important that you establish this is a chronic condition. That is why it is so important that you see your primary care doctor or one of our providers at Precision Health DPC if you think you are suffering from these illnesses. Getting a diagnosis is the first step in getting your claim approved. Let our providers at Precision Health DPC help you navigate through the medical requirements of your VA disability claim.