United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Academic Affiliations

Unique Health Risks by Military Service Era

Environmental Exposures

  • Asbestos
  • Burn Pit Smoke
  • Contaminated Water (benzene, trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride)
  • Endemic Diseases
  • Hexavalent Chromium
  • Ionizing & Non-Ionizing Radiation
  • Jet Fuel
  • Lead
  • Nerve Agents
  • Particulate Matter
  • Pesticides
  • TCDD & other dioxins

Operation Iraqi Freedom /
Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation New Dawn
(OIF /OEF / OND):

  • Animal Bites/Rabies
  • Combined Penetrating, Blunt Trauma, and Burn Injuries (Blast Injuries)
  • Dermatologic Issues
  • Embedded Fragments (shrapnel)
  • Leishmaniasis
  • Mental Health Issues
  • Multi-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter
  • Reproductive Health Issues
  • Traumatic Amputation
  • Traumatic Brain or Spinal Cord Injury
  • Vision Loss

Gulf War:

  • Chemical or Biological Agents
  • Depleted Uranium (DU)
  • Dermatologic Issues
  • Immunizations
  • Infectious Diseases (i.e. Leishmaniasis)
  • Oil Well Fires
  • Reproductive Health Issues

Vietnam:

  • Agent Orange Exposure
  • Hepatitis C

Cold War:

  • Nuclear Weapons Testing (Atomic Veterans)

Korea:

  • Agent Orange Exposure
  • Cold Injury
  • Chemical Warfare Agent Experiments
  • Exposure to Nuclear Weapons (including testing or cleanup)

World War II:

  • Cold Injury
  • Chemical Warfare Agent Experiments
  • Exposure to Nuclear Weapons (including testing or cleanup)