PACT Act & TERA
Toxic Exposure Screener
Most veterans have no idea they already qualify. Check where you served and what your job exposed you to, and see in seconds which conditions the VA presumes are connected to your service under the PACT Act.
PACT Act & TERA
Most veterans already qualify — and don’t know it
Check where you served and what your job exposed you to. In seconds you’ll see which conditions the VA presumes are connected to your service — no nexus letter, no proof of exposure required.
Before you file: how these claims actually work
Tap any topic below to open it. Two winning paths, the predictable traps that sink good claims, and how to reopen an old denial — know them before you touch a form.
You served. The burden shouldn’t be on you to out-lawyer the VA.
The rules above are winnable — but the VA won’t walk you through them, and a thin record or a bad exam can cost you the claim you earned. That’s exactly what an accredited agent is for: we pull the record, build the exposure memo, and connect your diagnosis to your service the way the law intended.
Screen your service in 60 seconds
Check everything that applies. Your results update live in the panel on the right.
1. Your branch and service era
This lines up the right presumptions and exposure windows for your service — and it’s the starting point for the job-based exposures below.
2. What was your military job?
Pick the job families that match your MOS, rating, or AFSC. We’ll show the toxic substances the VA ties to that work — a starting point for your exposure history, not an automatic qualification.
Type your code or title to match it to the substances the VA ties to that work. Codes are non-exhaustive; if nothing matches, just pick a family below.
Hands-on exposures & duties
3. Were you stationed at a known contaminated site?
Some bases, and older buildings and ships, have well-documented contamination. Only Camp Lejeune is presumptive — but the rest still build your exposure history for a direct or TERA claim.
4. Where and when did you serve?
Check every location that matches your service. If you served in any of these places during the dates shown, the VA presumes you were exposed — you don’t have to prove it.
Agent Orange & herbicides
Burn pits & airborne hazards
Camp Lejeune contaminated water
Ionizing radiation (Atomic Veterans)
5. Have you been diagnosed with a health condition?
This tailors your next step. A presumptive claim needs a current diagnosis plus proof of service in a qualifying location.
Your exposure screening
Start above — check where you served, pick your military job, or flag a known contaminated site. We’ll build your exposure picture as you go.
Free & no obligation — our accredited claims agents pull your ILER, build the TERA memo, and file it right the first time.
The full scope of PACT Act coverage
Four exposure categories, dozens of covered locations, and dozens of presumptive conditions. Any category you matched above is marked You.
| Exposure category | Who it covers | Covered locations | Presumptive conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent Orange & herbicides | Vietnam-era herbicide exposure | 8 | 18 |
| Burn pits & airborne hazards | Gulf War and post-9/11 service | 2 | 23 |
| Camp Lejeune contaminated water | Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune / MCAS New River | 1 | 8 |
| Ionizing radiation (Atomic Veterans) | Nuclear testing, cleanup, and occupation duty | 4 | 6 |
The VA updates presumptive lists, locations, and dates over time. Check the boxes above to see the exact conditions unlocked for your service, or verify the current lists on VA.gov.
PACT Act questions, answered
What is the PACT Act?
Signed in 2022, the PACT Act is the largest expansion of VA benefits in decades. It added dozens of presumptive conditions and new covered locations for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, burn pits and other airborne hazards, Camp Lejeune water, and ionizing radiation — and it required the VA to offer every enrolled veteran a toxic-exposure screening.
What does “presumptive” actually mean?
It means the VA automatically accepts that your service caused the exposure. If you served in a qualifying location during the qualifying dates and you are diagnosed with a condition on that list, you do not need a nexus letter or any evidence of how you were exposed — the connection is presumed by law.
I served somewhere that is not on the presumptive list — am I out of luck?
No. When your location is not presumptive, you can still qualify through a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA) determination based on your job and duties. TERA claims are not automatic — they need a documented exposure finding plus a medical opinion linking your condition to it — but they win every day.
What are the TERA memo and the ILER, and why do they matter?
The TERA memo is the VA’s written finding that you had a qualifying exposure. It is built from your Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) — the DoD/VA database of where you served and what you were around. Together these two documents make or break a non-presumptive claim.
My exposure record is blank. Does that mean I was not exposed?
Absolutely not. The ILER is notoriously incomplete, especially for older service and for units whose exposure was never logged. A blank or thin ILER is a starting point, not a verdict — it can be supplemented with unit histories, buddy statements, and service records. Do not let an empty record stop you from filing.
I was denied before the PACT Act. Can I reopen my claim?
Yes. If you were previously denied for a condition that is now presumptive, you can file a Supplemental Claim with the new law as new and relevant evidence. Many pre-PACT denials are being overturned — and in some cases the effective date can reach back to the original claim.
What do I need to file a presumptive claim?
Two things: proof you served in the qualifying location (usually your DD-214) and a current medical diagnosis of a listed condition. You file with VA Form 21-526EZ. If you do not have a diagnosis yet, a VA toxic-exposure screening or your own doctor is the place to start.
What is a nexus letter, and when do I need one?
A nexus letter is a written opinion from a medical provider saying your condition is "at least as likely as not" connected to your service or exposure. You do not need one for a presumptive claim — the law makes the connection for you. You do need one for a TERA or direct claim, where that opinion is what links your diagnosis to the documented exposure.
What is a C&P exam, and why does it matter so much?
A Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam is the medical exam the VA orders to evaluate your claim. The examiner’s opinion carries enormous weight — a thorough exam can win your claim, and a rushed or dismissive one can sink it. If a C&P exam gets your exposure or history wrong, that is not the end: a stronger independent medical opinion can rebut it on appeal.
A blank exposure record shouldn’t decide your claim
The difference between a denial and an award is usually the TERA memo and a complete ILER. Our VA-accredited agents pull your record, fill the gaps, and connect your diagnosis to your service — the way the PACT Act intended.
Denied before the PACT Act? We can reopen it — often with an effective date reaching back to your first claim.
About this benefit
The PACT Act is the largest expansion of VA benefits in decades. It added dozens of presumptive conditions and new exposure locations for veterans of Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the post-9/11 era, plus Camp Lejeune and radiation-risk service. “Presumptive” means that if you served in a covered place during the covered dates and you have a listed diagnosis, the VA presumes your condition is service-connected — you don’t have to prove how the exposure happened.
If your service doesn’t fall in a presumptive location, you may still qualify through a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA) determination. The VA documents this in a TERA memo, built from your Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER). These two documents make or break a claim — and the ILER is frequently incomplete, so a blank record does not mean you weren’t exposed. That is one of the most common ways good claims get wrongly denied.
How to use it
- 1Check every location where you served that matches the dates shown — each one carries a presumption of exposure.
- 2If none fit, check the job duties that exposed you to hazards so we can flag a possible TERA determination.
- 3Tell us whether you already have a diagnosis — a presumptive claim needs a current diagnosis plus proof of service.
- 4Review the presumptive conditions unlocked, then get a free review to pull your ILER and build the TERA memo.
What it covers
- Agent Orange / herbicide locations and their presumptive conditions
- Gulf War and post-9/11 burn-pit locations and the full PACT Act condition list
- Camp Lejeune contaminated water and ionizing-radiation (Atomic Veteran) service
- How the TERA memo and ILER work — and why claims get denied when they are wrong
Work with our accredited claims agents
Ready to turn this estimate into a claim? Let a specialist handle it.
Calculators are a starting point. Our VA-accredited claims agents can review your situation, make sure you’re not leaving benefits on the table, and file or appeal your claim for you — your first case evaluation is free, with no obligation.
This screener is an educational tool, not an official eligibility decision. Presumptive lists, locations, and dates are set by the VA and change over time. Confirm your situation with VA.gov, and consider a free review with our accredited claims agents before you file. VA Benefits Calculators is not affiliated with the VA — the VA makes all final decisions about eligibility and payment amounts. Always confirm details at va.gov.