The PACT Act is one of the largest expansions of VA health care and benefits in VA history, and there is no deadline to file. If you served in a covered location during the covered dates and have a condition on the list, VA presumes your service caused it. You don’t have to prove a burn pit was near you.

 

This guide lists:

• every burn pit, Agent Orange and radiation condition and location, including the cancers VA added in 2024 and 2025

• the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Arabian Sea waters, which count

• conditions veterans often miss, like “just allergies” sinus problems, asthma that started years later, MGUS found on bloodwork, and the cancers the law calls “any type”

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You’ll learn what to do if your condition isn’t on a list, including the exam VA may owe you. It also covers how to connect secondary conditions like neuropathy from diabetes or side effects of cancer treatment, how these conditions are rated, and when you may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). It explains who can enroll in VA health care without a rating, your free toxic exposure screening, how to file or refile after a denial, and survivor benefits. Real-life examples are included throughout, and every rule links to its official source. Download our free PACT Act Claim Guide & Condition Checker (PDF), with every location and condition list, tick-box checklists, a plan if your condition isn’t listed, secondary conditions and SMC, and printable worksheets.