Asbestos
Exposure to asbestos can be a serious health risk if asbestos-containing material is disturbed in such a way that the particles and fibers become airborne. Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases, such as shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pain, often do not appear until 20 to 50 years after the exposure.
If you are concerned about health problems associated with asbestos exposure during your military service, talk to your health care provider or contact your local VA Environmental Health Coordinator to help you get more information from a health care provider.
How Veterans may have been exposed to asbestos
Pipefitter
Veterans who served in any of the following occupations may have been exposed to asbestos: mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing.
Veterans who served in Iraq and other countries in that region could have been exposed to asbestos when older buildings were damaged and the contaminant released into the air.
Health problems associated with exposure to asbestos
Breathing asbestos mainly causes problems in the lungs and the membrane that surrounds the lungs, including:
- Asbestosis: Scarring of lung tissue that causes breathing problems, usually in workers exposed to asbestos in workplaces before the Federal government began regulating asbestos use (mid-1970s).
- Pleural plaques: Scarring in the inner surface of the ribcage and area surrounding the lungs that can cause breathing problems, though usually not as serious as asbestosis. People living in areas with high environmental levels of asbestos, as well as workers, can develop pleural plaques.
- Cancer: The two types of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos are lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lung (pleural membrane) or abdominal cavity (the peritoneum). Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer usually caused by asbestos exposure.
Learn more about asbestos and its health effects from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Health concerns?
If you are concerned about health problems associated with exposure to asbestos during your military service, talk to your health care provider or contact your local VA Environmental Health Coordinator to help you get more information from a health care provider.
VA offers a variety of health care benefits to eligible Veterans. Not enrolled in the VA health care system? Find out if you qualify for VA health care.
Compensation benefits for health problems
Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems they believe are related to exposure to asbestos during military service. VA decides these claims on a case-by-case basis. File a claim online.
Learn more about VA benefits.
Asbestos
Mineral fiber used in older buildings
Veterans who served in any of the following occupations may have been exposed to asbestos: mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing. Also, Veterans who served in Iraq and other countries in that region could have been exposed to asbestos when older buildings were damaged and the contaminant released into the air.
Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases, such as shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pain, often do not appear until 20 to 50 years after the exposure.
Breathing asbestos mainly causes problems in the lungs and the membrane that surrounds the lungs, including:
- Asbestosis: Scarring of lung tissue that causes breathing problems, usually in workers exposed to asbestos in workplaces before the Federal Government began regulating asbestos use (mid-1970s).
- Pleural plaques: Scarring in the inner surface of the ribcage and area surrounding the lungs that can cause breathing problems, though usually not as serious as asbestosis. People living in areas with high environmental levels of asbestos, as well as workers, can develop pleural plaques.
- Cancer: The two types of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos are lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lung (pleural membrane) or abdominal cavity (the peritoneum). Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer usually caused by asbestos exposure.
- VA Asbestos webpage
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/asbestos/index.asp
- ATSDR – Asbestos FAQs
- https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts61.pdf
Get a Registry Evaluation
- VA Environmental Health Coordinator
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp
- Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) / Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) / Operation New Dawn (OND) Team
- https://www.oefoif.va.gov/map.asp
Contact your local https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp, https://www.oefoif.va.gov/map.asp, or VA Primary Care Team about getting a registry evaluation.
WRIISC Link
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC)
- https://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/WARRELATEDILLNESS/referral/index.asp
For evaluation for difficult-to-diagnose conditions, contact your local https://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/WARRELATEDILLNESS/referral/index.asp.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
VA presumes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosed in all Veterans who had 90 days or more continuous active military service is related to their service.
1900 2100 1910 2110 All Conflicts Southwest Asia
Gulf War (Medically Unexplained Illnesses)
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/benefits/index.asp
Gulf War Veterans with the following presumptive illnesses do not need to prove a connection with their military service in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations if they appear by December 31, 2016 and are at least 10 percent disabling. They may be eligible for disability compensation if they have a service-connected condition and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. These conditions include:
Medically unexplained illnesses (popularly called 'Gulf War Syndrome')
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - a condition of long-term and severe fatigue that is not relieved by rest and is not directly caused by other conditions.
- Fibromyalgia - a condition characterized by widespread muscle pain. Other symptoms may include insomnia, morning stiffness, headache, and memory problems.
- Functional gastrointestinal disorders - a group of conditions marked by chronic or recurrent symptoms related to any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Examples include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, and functional abdominal pain syndrome.
- Undiagnosed illnesses - symptoms may include but are not limited to: abnormal weight loss, fatigue, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, headache, menstrual disorders, neurological and psychological problems, skin conditions, respiratory disorders, and sleep disturbances
*These conditions are not necessarily associated with any specific exposure, but have been determined to be associated with service in Southwest Asia. The policy also provides compensation for certain infectious diseases.
*For more information, visit: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/benefits/index.asp
1900 2100 Gulf War, Operation Joint Endeavor (OJE), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Southwest Asia
Case-by-Case Compensation
When no presumed service connection has been established by law, Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems they believe are related to their exposures during military service. VA decides these claims on a case-by-case basis.
1900 2100 All Conflicts All Locations
Healthcare - Basic Eligibility
If you served in the active military service and were separated under any condition other than dishonorable, you may qualify for VA health care benefits. Current and former members of the Reserves or National Guard who were called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty may be eligible for VA health benefits as well. Most Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980, or entered active duty after October 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty in order to be eligible.
1900 2100 All Conflicts All Locations
Healthcare - Enhanced Eligibility
Certain Veterans may be afforded enhanced eligibility status when applying and enrolling in the VA health care system. Veterans who:
1900 2100 All Conflicts All Locations
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
When a Veteran of any period of service receives a valid diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), service connection may be granted if the illness is associated with an in-service stressful event.
1900 2100 All Conflicts All Locations
Gulf War Registry
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/benefits/registry-exam.asp
Veterans who served in the Gulf during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn are eligible for the Gulf War Registry examination.
- For more information, visit: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/benefits/registry-exam.asp
1990 1991 2001 2100 Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Southwest Asia
Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry
- https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/
- http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/action-plan.asp
Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry: VA's Office of Public Health has established a registry for individuals concerned about exposure to airborne hazards during recent deployments. To be eligible, you must be a Veteran or Servicemember who deployed to contingency operations in Southwest Asia at any time on or after August 2, 1990 (as defined in 38 CFR 3.317(e)(2)), or Afghanistan or Djibouti on or after September 11, 2001. These regions include the following countries, bodies of water, and the airspace above these locations:
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
- Kuwait
- Saudi Arabia
- Bahrain
- Djibouti
- Gulf of Aden
- Gulf of Oman
- Oman
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Waters of the Persian Gulf, Arzabian Sea, and Red Sea
The registry consists of a web-based self-assessment to be completed by the eligible individual, which can be found at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/action-plan.asp. Participants may also schedule an optional in-person clinical evaluation by a VA provider. Active Duty Servicemembers who would like a similar voluntary medical evaluation may contact your local military hospital or clinic and state that you would like an appointment specifically to address health concerns related to the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry exposures. Please note a medical evaluation is NOT required to be in the registry.
- For more information, visit: https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/
1990 2100 Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Southwest Asia, South-Central Asia, Africa
