CFS, Fibromyalgia and Veterans Affairs

[Tina]

Due to the fact that we are an active duty military family, I get various military / VA articles that come across my Facebook feed. In the last couple of days the following link has been circulating. It came out in May so not sure why it is circulating now.

I am not sure if they were accepting CFS and fibromyalgia in the past, but the article clearly says that they are now and that if you were given a dishonorable discharged based on these (and others) you may now qualify for disability.

It may be another sign that the government is ready to take CFS seriously?

The article states, "

Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable who served in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations, which includes the areas specified by regulation, but not Afghanistan, may be entitled to disability compensation for certain undiagnosed illnesses, certain diagnosable chronic disability patterns, and certain presumptive diseases ( as described below) even though these disorders did not become manifest during qualifying service.

"

It goes on to state:

• The disability must be one or more of the following:
  

  • Undiagnosed illnesses. These are illnesses that may include but are not limited to: abnormal weight loss, fatigue, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, headache, menstrual disorders, neurological and psychological problems, skin conditions, respiratory disorders, and sleep disturbances.
  • Diagnosable functional gastrointestinal disorders. Functional gastrointestinal disorders are a group of conditions characterized by chronic or recurrent symptoms that are unexplained. These disorders may include but are not limited to irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspesia, functional vomiting, functional constipation, functional bloating, functional abdominal pain syndrome, and functional dysphagia.
  • Diagnosable Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Diagnosable Fibromyalgia

1. Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154131351683416

2. web article linked to the Facebook video:
http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-gulfwar.asp