PACT Act Presumptive Conditions — Current Complete List
Cancers presumptive under the PACT Act (burn-pit / airborne hazards)
- Brain cancer.
- Glioblastoma.
- Head cancer of any type.
- Neck cancer of any type.
- Gastrointestinal cancer of any type (including stomach, colorectal).
- Kidney cancer.
- Lymphatic cancer of any type (including lymphoma).
- Melanoma.
- Pancreatic cancer.
- Reproductive cancer of any type.
- Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type (lung, larynx, trachea).
Respiratory illnesses presumptive under the PACT Act
- Asthma diagnosed after service.
- Chronic bronchitis.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Chronic rhinitis.
- Chronic sinusitis.
- Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis.
- Emphysema.
- Granulomatous disease.
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD).
- Pleuritis.
- Pulmonary fibrosis.
- Sarcoidosis.
Vietnam-era and Agent Orange additions
- Hypertension — added by the as an presumptive (joins the existing list of ischemic heart disease, diabetes type II, Parkinson's, Parkinsonism, B-cell leukemias, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, soft-tissue sarcomas, and the previously added bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, MGUS).
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).
Who qualifies — service location windows
- Persian Gulf War / Southwest Asia: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the UAE — Aug 2, 1990 to present.
- Post-9/11: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen — Sept 11, 2001 to present.
- Vietnam-era : Republic of Vietnam, Thai bases, Laos, Cambodia (per regulation), Korean DMZ, and Air Force / Air Force Reserve C-123 personnel for specified periods.
- water (separate statutory presumptive): served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River 30+ cumulative days between Aug 1, 1953 and Dec 31, 1987.
Where these claims break down
- ×Submitting a nexus letter for a PACT Act presumptive — not required and slows the file. The location + diagnosis is the chain.
- ×Filing as 'direct service connection' instead of identifying the PACT Act / presumptive pathway on the 21-526EZ.
- ×Missing the one-year retroactivity for claims filed in the PACT Act's grace window — effective date can reach back to August 10, 2022 in many cases.
- ×Assuming a prior denial under the old rules sticks — a Supplemental Claim under PACT Act presumptive criteria is the way to revisit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Tools & Topics
Have questions about your specific case?
Every veteran's facts are different. A free initial consultation with a VA-Accredited Claims Agent can tell you whether your matter is a fit for representation — and what the right next step looks like either way.
Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Oakridge Claims is a private business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. No guarantees of outcomes are made. Each claim is decided on its individual facts.
Related guides
Burn-Pit Cancer Cluster (Hub)
All PACT Act presumptive cancers tied to burn-pit and airborne-hazard exposure — lung, brain (glioblastoma), kidney, pancreatic, melanoma, and head & neck — in one place with links to each rating page.
PACT Act Presumptives
Burn pit, airborne hazard, and toxic exposure presumptives for post-9/11 and Vietnam-era veterans.
Sinusitis & Rhinitis VA Rating Criteria
Sinusitis and rhinitis rating under 38 CFR § 4.97 DCs 6510-6514, 6522 — non-incapacitating vs. incapacitating episodes, polyps, and burn-pit / Gulf War presumptive pathways.
Agent Orange & Herbicides
Vietnam, Korean DMZ, Thailand, and other recognized herbicide exposure presumptive conditions.