December 31, 1946
- Occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan between Aug 6, 1945 – Jul 1, 1946
- Were a prisoner of war in Japan between Aug 6, 1945 – Jul 1, 1946
- Atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted primarily in Nevada and the Pacific Ocean between 1945 and 1962
May 7, 1975
- Republic of Vietnam from Jan 9, 1962 – May 7, 1975: Or on a U.S. military vessel that operated on inland waterways of Vietnam or within 12 nautical miles seaward of the demarcation line of waters of Vietnam and Cambodia
- C123 Aircraft: Involved in ground maintenance or were an aeromedical crew member in the Air Force or Air Force Reserve operating, maintaining, or aboard in C-123 planes flown during and after the Vietnam War
- Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from Sep 1, 1967 – Aug 31, 1971
- Thailand from Jan 9, 1962 – Jun 30, 1976: On any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand
- Laos from Dec 1, 1965 – Sep 30, 1969
- Cambodia from Dec 1, 1965 – Sep 30, 1969: At Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province
- Guam or American Samoa from Jan 9, 1962 – Jul 31, 1980: Or in their territorial waters thereof
- Johnston Atoll from Jan 1, 1972 – Sep 30, 1977: Or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll
- Were otherwise exposed to herbicides military installations in the United States and at locations in other countries?
- Edgewood/Arsenal from 1955 – 1975: Experiments involving various chemicals
- Project 112/Project SHAD from 1962 – 1973: Or Shipboard Hazard and Defense, in conducting tests for chemical and biological warfare agents
- U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina from Aug 1, 1953 – Dec 31, 1987: Serving for no less than 30 days (consecutive or nonconsecutive)
- Enewetak Atoll from Jan 1, 1977 – Dec 31, 1980: Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll
- Air Force B-52 bomber coast of Palomares, Spain from Jan 17, 1966 – Mar 31, 1967: Cleanup of the bomber carrying nuclear weapons
- Air Force B-52 bomber near Thule Air Force Base in Greenland Jan 21, 1968 – Sep 25, 1968: Response to the fire onboard the bomber carrying nuclear weapons
- Amchitka Island, Alaska before Jan. 1, 1974: Participated in underground nuclear weapons testing
- Paducah, Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio; or K25 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee gaseous diffusion plants for at least 250 days before Feb. 1, 1992
- Chernobyl in Ukraine on April 26, 1986: Involved in the accident at the nuclear power plant
- Ft. McClellan, Alabama: Exposed to hazardous materials
Present
- Burn pits, dust, and particulates
- Oil well fires
- Nerve agents (such as sarin and cyclosarin mixes)
- Depleted uranium
- Toxic embedded fragments
- Pesticides
- Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (paint used on military vehicles to make metal surfaces highly resistant to corrosion and penetration of chemical agents)
- Sulfur fire at Mishraq State Sulfur Mine on June 24, 2003
- Assigned to the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Facility from approximately Apr – Sep 2003
- Environmental contaminants at NAF Atsugi, Japan between 1985 and 2001
- Explosive ordinances such as mustard agents or sarin
- Asbestos (examples include mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing).
- High levels of industrial solvents such as cleaning, degreasing, paint stripping, and thinning oil-based paints.
- Petroleum products, such as engine oils, diesel, and jet fuel.
- Elevated lead levels by:
- Spending many days at indoor firing ranges, such as in a special operations unit
- Having contact with lead-based paints that were deteriorating
- Drinking water from old lead pipes
- Having contact with lead in the air, dust, soil, water, and some commercial products
- Worked on repair and maintenance of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) transformers, capacitors, and conduits (before 1977)
- Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (present in fire-fighting foams)
- Served on nuclear submarines and other nuclear ships or in shipyards
- Were involved in nuclear weapons handling and maintenance, including clean-ups after accidents
- Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation, such as work as an x-ray technician, in a reactor plant, or in nuclear medicine or radiography
- Involved in the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan from March 12 to May 11, 2011
- Served at McMurdo Station, Antartica nuclear power plant from 1954 to 1973
- Asbestos (examples include mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing).
- High levels of industrial solvents such as cleaning, degreasing, paint stripping, and thinning oil-based paints.
- Petroleum products, such as engine oils, diesel, and jet fuel.
- Elevated lead levels by:
- Spending many days at indoor firing ranges, such as in a special operations unit
- Having contact with lead-based paints that were deteriorating
- Drinking water from old lead pipes
- Having contact with lead in the air, dust, soil, water, and some commercial products
- Worked on repair and maintenance of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) transformers, capacitors, and conduits (before 1977)
- Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (present in fire-fighting foams)
- Served on nuclear submarines and other nuclear ships or in shipyards
- Were involved in nuclear weapons handling and maintenance, including clean-ups after accidents
- Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation, such as work as an x-ray technician, in a reactor plant, or in nuclear medicine or radiography
- Involved in the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan from March 12 to May 11, 2011
- Served at McMurdo Station, Antartica nuclear power plant from 1954 to 1973
TERA Exam Exceptions
VA has identified specific criteria and exceptions to the requirement to provide an examination and medical opinion related to TERA in non-presumptive disability compensation claims. There are two categories of exceptions: condition-based and circumstance-based.
VA determines whether a condition-based exception applies for each claimed disability. If you claim multiple disabilities, it is possible some may fall under an exception and some may not. Regardless of whether your disability is a TERA exam exception, you should still file your claim; however, VA may not provide you with an examination and medical opinion regarding the TERA if an exception applies.
Condition-Based TERA Examination Exceptions
Circumstance-Based TERA Examination Exceptions
The PACT Act requires VA to review and consider evidence in exposure tracking record systems, including the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Records (ILER). This is a joint VA-Department of Defense system that allows VA and others to manage and review exposure details that are important for processing claims and other purposes.
VA considers two circumstance-based exceptions if the ONLY evidence of TERA is related to the evidence in an exposure tracking record system, and either of the following are true:
- The information in the system does not demonstrate that the veteran performed an activity with the potential for exposure to toxic substances, chemicals, or airborne hazards (this may include entries such as routine medical treatment); or
- The information in the system is self-reported by the veteran and is inconsistent with the other evidence available and circumstances of the veteran’s service (for example, if a veteran reports serving in a combat zone but the military personnel records do not corroborate this report).
If one of these exceptions applies, you should still submit your claim but VA may not provide you with an examination and medical opinion regarding the TERA if an exception applies.
VA requires medical or lay evidence of a current disability or symptoms of a disability for claims for disability compensation. This could be medical evidence from a doctor or other medical provider, or lay evidence including your own statement regarding your symptoms. If you were treated at VA, the military, or a private doctor, VA has a duty to obtain this evidence for you.
Important: Toxic exposure alone is not a disability.
TERA Exam Exceptions
VA has identified specific criteria and exceptions to the requirement to provide an examination and medical opinion related to TERA in non-presumptive disability compensation claims. There are two categories of exceptions: condition-based and circumstance-based.
VA determines whether a condition-based exception applies for each claimed disability. If you claim multiple disabilities, it is possible some may fall under an exception and some may not. Regardless of whether your disability is a TERA exam exception, you should still file your claim; however, VA may not provide you with an examination and medical opinion regarding the TERA if an exception applies.
Condition-Based TERA Examination Exceptions
Circumstance-Based TERA Examination Exceptions
The PACT Act requires VA to review and consider evidence in exposure tracking record systems, including the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Records (ILER). This is a joint VA-Department of Defense system that allows VA and others to manage and review exposure details that are important for processing claims and other purposes.
VA considers two circumstance-based exceptions if the ONLY evidence of TERA is related to the evidence in an exposure tracking record system, and either of the following are true:
- The information in the system does not demonstrate that the veteran performed an activity with the potential for exposure to toxic substances, chemicals, or airborne hazards (this may include entries such as routine medical treatment); or
- The information in the system is self-reported by the veteran and is inconsistent with the other evidence available and circumstances of the veteran’s service (for example, if a veteran reports serving in a combat zone but the military personnel records do not corroborate this report).
If one of these exceptions applies, you should still submit your claim but VA may not provide you with an examination and medical opinion regarding the TERA if an exception applies.
What is TERA?
TERA is a new concept created by the PACT Act in August of 2022. Subject to certain exceptions, if a veteran participated in a TERA and there is evidence of a current disability, VA must request an examination and medical opinion to determine if there is a relationship between the TERA(s) and any claimed conditions.
TERA includes any activities that happened during military service that potentially exposed service members to toxic substances, necessitating documentation in a tracking system.
Examples of these activities include:
- Exposure to burn pits
- Handling hazardous materials like pesticides and herbicides (Agent Orange)
- Working in close proximity to radiation sources
- Drinking or utilizing toxic drinking water (Camp LeJeune)
- Exposure to industrial solvents, asbestos, lead and chemical agent resistant coating in paints
- Inhaling particulates from oil well fires, sulfur fires or dust and sand in arid environments
Veterans who participated in activities like the ones listed above (among others) during active duty, training sessions or while on inactive duty are considered under TERA guidelines for VA benefits.
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