United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Public Health

Military Exposures

 
Closeup of soldier in goggles and camouflage fabric face covering in the desert

Veterans may have been exposed to a range of chemical, physical, and environmental hazards during military service.

Man with black shirt

Toxic Embedded Fragment Surveillance Center

Did you know VA offers special services to eligible Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans who have embedded shrapnel? The Center provides chemical testing and clinical care. Protect your long-term health.

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Find information about these exposures, related diseases and conditions, and VA benefits.

Helicopter spraying herbicidesAgent Orange
Military herbicides used during Vietnam Era; related diseases

Gulf War soldier in combat gearGulf War Veterans’ Illnesses
Potential exposures during Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn; related illnesses

Smoke rising from a burn pitBurn Pits
Potential exposure to toxins from burn pits, health-related problems

Dog snout with teeth showingRabies
Iraq or Afghanistan Veterans recently bitten or exposed to saliva from animals: get checked

Soldier on side of hill in AfghanistanOEF/OIF/OND Exposures
Exposures during Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn; possible health problems

Side of tank in IraqDepleted Uranium
Used in nuclear reactors, tanks, bullets; potential health problems

Radiation symbol on side of storage containerRadiation
Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation exposure; possible health problems

Pits left from roadside bombToxic Embedded Fragments
Shrapnel and other metals that remain in the body after injury

Oil wellFuels (Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants)
Potential hazards of fuels such as diesel and JP-8 used to operate vehicles in military

Factory with smokestacksOccupational & Environmental Exposures
Potential exposure to asbestos, CARC paint, chromium, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and industrial solvents

Aircraft carrierProject 112/Project SHAD
Military tests in the 1960s and early 1970s with biological and chemical warfare materials; possible health problems

Researcher filling test vials with blood samples Edgewood/Aberdeen Experiments
Classified medical studies to test protection from biological/chemical warfare (1955-1975)

Closeup of a faucet with running waterCamp Lejeune Water Supplies
Drinking water systems contaminated with industrial chemicals (1950s - 1980s)

Soldiers marching through snowCold and Heat Injuries
Possible health problems from extremely cold and hot temperatures

Servicemen covering their ears to shield from the noise of a blastNoise, Vibration & Other Physical Exposures
How these exposures may result in illness or injury

syringe and row of vialsVaccinations & Medications during Service
Possible health effects of certain military vaccinations and medications

World War I soldier in trench wearing gasmaskMustard Gas
Exposure during World War I, World War II, and military tests in the 1940s

 


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Environmental Health
Coordinators Directory

  • Health Care
    1-877-222-8387
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    1-800-827-1000
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