The VA has revamped the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to contain the names of approximately 4.7 million current and former service members from campaigns as far back as 1990. The latest version of the registry makes inclusion automatic and based on deployment location, and eliminates the need for the VA questionnaire for registry enrollment.
Veterans enrolled in the previous registry have been carried over to the new system. The VA has also added procedures so service members and veterans can opt out or re-enter the registry. To confirm enrollment status, active-duty service members can submit an inquiry, while veterans can contact their local environmental health coordinator.
Veterans or service members will be enrolled if they served in:
- Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom or New Dawn
- Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Djibouti, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Persian Gulf waters, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, Syria or Uzbekistan between Aug. 2, 1990 and Aug. 31, 2021
- Somalia, Egypt or the Southeast Asian theater of military operations since Aug. 2, 1990
- Afghanistan, Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan or Yemen anytime after Sept. 11, 2001
- Airspaces associated with the aforementioned countries.
If you have questions about VA disability benefits, please contact the experienced Veterans’ disability attorneys at Gardberg & Kemmerly, P.C. today for a free case evaluation. Gardberg & Kemmerly serves Veterans across the United States from their home office in Mobile, Alabama. Please call our office at 251-343-1111 or 1-800-332-1529 for a free consultation.