U.S. troops during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 (Photo: U.S. Department of War)
More than three decades after the Gulf War, Veterans and advocates are calling on the VA to change how it handles disability claims involving Gulf War Illness.
Veterans for Common Sense, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Gulf War Veterans are calling on the VA to recognize Gulf War Illness as a distinct condition within its disability rating system. They say Veterans diagnosed with the illness should be able to pursue compensation for Gulf War Illness itself instead of relying on individual symptoms, undiagnosed illnesses, or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.
Stars and Stripes reported the latest call for a dedicated VA rating on Aug. 25. It comes less than a year after Gulf War Illness received its own ICD-10-CM diagnostic code. The CDC introduced the code last year on Oct. 1, 2025. The change gave health care providers a standardized way to identify Gulf War Illness in medical records. VA later confirmed that Veterans can request to have the code added to their VA medical record.
VA has not created a separate disability rating for Gulf War Illness. The department currently handles many Gulf War-related claims through presumptive rules covering undiagnosed illnesses and medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses. These can include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, muscle and joint pain, neurological symptoms, respiratory problems, skin symptoms, and sleep disturbances.
VA estimates that Gulf War Illness affects a significant portion of the nearly 700,000 Service Members who deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. A Department of Defense estimate cited by VA researchers placed the number of affected Veterans between 175,000 and 250,000.
Symptoms can include persistent fatigue, headaches, joint or muscle pain, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory symptoms, skin conditions, sleep problems, and difficulty with memory or concentration.
The VA says Veterans do not need the newer diagnostic code in their medical records to receive treatment for Gulf War Illness. Eligible Gulf War Veterans can still receive health care and disability compensation under existing rules.
Veterans with qualifying Gulf War service may also receive presumptive service connection for certain chronic conditions. In those cases, Veterans generally do not have to prove that military service caused the qualifying condition independently.
As of Aug. 31, the VA has not announced a dedicated Gulf War Illness disability rating or a compensation schedule tied specifically to the diagnosis. Advocates are now pressing the department to bring its disability system more in line with the medical recognition Gulf War Illness received last year.
Veterans experiencing unexplained chronic health problems after qualifying Gulf War service can file a disability claim or seek help from an accredited Legion Veterans Service Officer. The VA also provides eligible Veterans with a free Gulf War Registry health examination to document health concerns that may be connected to their service.
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Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.