In This Section

Introduction

• end product (EP) control and tracking for environmental and military occupational hazard claims
• action to take when the Veteran claims environmental or military occupational hazards exposure but does not claim a disability
• verifying environmental or military occupational hazard exposure, and
• what to include in medical opinion requests in environmental or military occupational hazard claims.

Change Date

VIII.iii.9.B.1.a.  EP Control and Tracking for Environmental and Military Occupational Hazard Claims

• establish the end product (EP), and
• affix the relevant special issue indicator(s), if one exists, in accordance with M21-4, Appendix E.

VIII.iii.9.B.1.b.  Action to Take When the Veteran Claims Environmental or Military Occupational Hazards Exposure but Does Not Claim a Disability

VIII.iii.9.B.1.c.  Verifying Environmental or Military Occupational Hazard Exposure

• the circumstances under which it is necessary to issue Section 5103 notice, see
  • M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.B, and
  • M21-1, Part X, Subpart ii, 2.A.1.c
• annotating documents, see the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) Core User Guide
• requesting evidence from
  • the claimant, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.D, and
  • other sources, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 1–3, and
• verifying military service, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.B.

VIII.iii.9.B.1.d.  What to Include in Medical Opinion Requests in Environmental or Military Occupational Hazard Claims

• Advise the examiner of the specific environmental or military occupational hazard(s) and the location(s) and timeframe of exposure established by the evidence.
• Provide the examiner each fact sheet (found under the heading Fact Sheets on the Disability Benefits Questionnaires Switchboard) related to the specific exposure(s) established by the facts and circumstances of the Veteran’s service. 
• Ask the examiner to
  • review the medical and other evidence in the claims folder, including the fact sheets, and
  • provide a medical opinion and rationale as to the likelihood that the Veteran’s claimed disability is related to the specific environmental or military occupational hazard exposure.

• In all claims where service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations is established, review M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 9.B.3.a to determine if the provisions of 38 CFR 3.317 must be applied.
• Do not request an examination or medical opinion until exposure has been established.
• All relevant fact sheets must be uploaded into the claims folder and identified for the examiner’s review in accordance with M21-1, Part IV, Subpart i, 2.A.8.d.

• establishing exposure to a claimed environmental hazard, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 9.B.2, and
• developing claims based on Southwest Asia service, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart ii, 1.B.

Introduction

• establishing exposure to environmental or military occupational hazards
• reviewing evidence to establish exposure to environmental or military occupational hazards
• considering lay statements in establishing exposure to environmental or military occupational hazards
• verifying service at the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Plant
• establishing exposure to
  • the sulfur fire at the Mishraq State Sulfur Mine, and
  • pollutants near the Naval Air Facility (NAF) at Atsugi, Japan, and
• establishing military occupational exposures.

Change Date

VIII.iii.9.B.2.a.  Establishing Exposure to Environmental or Military Occupational Hazards

• direct SC, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart ii, 2.A, and
• using alternate evidence or lay statements to establish exposure, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 9.B.2.b and c.

• personal statements
• buddy statements
• unit histories
• news articles
• other lay evidence, and
• the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) Military Exposures site.

• 38 U.S.C. 1154(a), and
• 38 CFR 3.303(a). 

VIII.iii.9.B.2.c.  Considering Lay Statements in Establishing Exposure to Environmental or Military Occupational Hazards

VIII.iii.9.B.2.d.  Verifying Service at the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Plant

VIII.iii.9.B.2.e.  Establishing Exposure to the Sulfur Fire at Mishraq State Sulfur Mine 

• Qayyarah Airfield West (Camp Q West), which is 25 km to the south, and
• the area approximately 50 km to the north up to the Mosul Airfield area.

• sulfur fire at Mishraq State Sulfur Mine, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 9.A.1.e, and
• health effects of the Mishraq sulfur fire, see VHA’s Sulfur Fire at Mishraq State Sulfur Mine site.

VIII.iii.9.B.2.f.  Establishing Exposure to Pollutants Near NAF at Atsugi, Japan

VIII.iii.9.B.2.g.  Establishing Military Occupational Exposures 

Change Date

VIII.iii.9.B.3.a.  General Rules When Rating Claims Based on Exposure to Environmental or Military Occupational Hazards

• considered on the basis of direct SC or other theory(ies) of SC raised by the Veteran or evidence of record, and
• affixed with the appropriate special issue, such as Burn Pit Exposure, in VBMS – Rating (VBMS-R), if one exists.

• considering unclaimed theories of SC, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 1.A.2.e
• direct SC, see
  • 38 CFR 3.303, and
  • M21-1 Part V, Subpart ii, 2.A
• processing claims under 38 CFR 3.317, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart ii, 1, and
• assigning a special issue in VBMS-R, see the VBMS Rating User Guide.