If you served on a military base, here is a question worth sitting with:
What was in the water?
Most veterans never asked it. They were not told to. They trained where they were assigned, lived where the installation put them, and trusted that the environment was safe.
Now, decades later, science is catching up — and the answer is not always reassuring.
A new study by researchers from Brown University and Harvard University found that U.S. veterans between the ages of 20 and 39 carry significantly higher PFAS levels in their blood than civilians the same age. See Study Finds ‘Forever Chemicals’ Levels Higher in Younger Vets Than General Population — Military Times.
That gap does not happen by accident.
It points directly at something in military service. And the VA has a responsibility to respond.
What PFAS Actually Is
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — a large group of synthetic chemicals used in manufacturing and industrial processes since the 1940s.
They are called “forever chemicals” for a straightforward reason: they do not break down in the environment. They do not break down in the human body. Once they get in, they tend to stay.
The Environmental Protection Agency has published extensive guidance on what PFAS is, how it spreads, and what health effects are associated with exposure. See PFAS Explained — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
How Military Bases Became the Source
The primary route of PFAS exposure on military installations was AFFF — Aqueous Film-Forming Foam.
AFFF is a firefighting agent used extensively at Air Force bases, Navy airfields, and Army training facilities because it is exceptionally effective against jet fuel and aircraft fires. For decades, it was standard for training exercises, emergency drills, and routine maintenance.
The problem: AFFF is heavily loaded with PFAS. Every time it was applied, it soaked into the ground, drained into water supplies, and contaminated the environment around the installation.
The Department of Defense and the EPA have identified hundreds of military installations with documented PFAS contamination in soil or groundwater. Many veterans living and training on those bases were drinking contaminated water for months or years without anyone telling them there was a problem.
What the New Research Found
The Brown and Harvard study confirmed something veterans deserve to know.
U.S. veterans between the ages of 20 and 39 had measurably higher PFAS levels in their bloodstream than civilians of comparable age. Not a marginal difference — a statistically meaningful gap that points to military service itself as a source of exposure civilians did not share.
For veterans dealing with unexplained health conditions, that research matters. It says the exposure was real. The gap is real. And the connection between military service and elevated PFAS levels is real.
What Conditions Are Linked to PFAS Exposure
The conditions most consistently documented in PFAS research include:
- Kidney cancer
- Thyroid disease and thyroid cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Immune system disorders
- High cholesterol
- Liver damage
- Ulcerative colitis
If you have been diagnosed with any of these conditions and you served on a base with documented or likely AFFF use, your military service may have contributed to your illness.
The VA’s current guidance on toxic exposure and disability benefits covers several of these conditions under active review. See Hazardous Materials Exposure and VA Disability Benefits — VA.gov.
What the PACT Act Changed
The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — the PACT Act — was signed into law in 2022.
It was the largest expansion of VA benefits for toxic-exposed veterans in decades. The law created presumptive service connection for a growing list of toxic exposures and directed the VA to expand its review of additional environmental hazards, including PFAS.
Veterans filing PFAS-related claims now are working under a better framework than existed even five years ago. The VA’s PACT Act guidance explains the current scope of coverage. See The PACT Act and Your VA Benefits — VA.gov.
If your exposure connects to burn pit or other Gulf War-era toxins as well, see our post on Gulf War Presumptive Conditions and the December 31, 2026 filing window.
Can You File a VA Disability Claim for PFAS Exposure?
Yes. And if you have a qualifying diagnosis and a service history that includes a contaminated installation, you should.
A successful PFAS-related VA disability claim generally requires three things.
Evidence of service on a base with PFAS exposure. Military records, orders, and your DD-214 can establish where you served. The DoD and EPA have publicly identified hundreds of contaminated installations.
A current diagnosis. A documented medical diagnosis of a condition connected to PFAS exposure.
A nexus opinion. A medical professional’s written statement linking your diagnosis to your exposure history. This is often the element that makes or breaks a claim.
The VA will not connect those dots for you.
The system requires veterans to make the connection themselves — or get help doing it. See How to File a VA Disability Claim — VA.gov.
What Tucker Disability Reviews
At Tucker Disability, when a veteran comes to us with a possible PFAS-related claim, we look at the full picture.
That includes:
- Where the veteran was stationed and whether those installations have documented PFAS contamination
- Whether the current diagnosis appears on the list of conditions tied to PFAS exposure
- Whether there is a medical nexus opinion in the file connecting the diagnosis to service
- Whether the PACT Act creates a presumptive pathway for this veteran’s specific situation
- Whether prior VA decisions should be revisited in light of the new research
Because sometimes the problem is not a missing diagnosis.
Sometimes the problem is a missing connection the VA was never asked to make.
See VA Disability Claims — Tucker Disability Law and VA Disability Appeals for more on how we work these cases.
Frequently Asked Questions About PFAS and VA Disability Claims
What is PFAS and how were veterans exposed?
PFAS are synthetic chemicals that do not break down in the environment or in the body. Veterans were primarily exposed through AFFF firefighting foam used on military installations for training and emergency response. The DoD and EPA have identified hundreds of contaminated military sites. See PFAS Information — EPA.
What conditions are most connected to PFAS exposure?
The most consistently documented conditions include kidney cancer, thyroid disease, bladder cancer, testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, immune disorders, high cholesterol, liver damage, and ulcerative colitis. Research continues to expand this list.
Do I need a formal PFAS diagnosis to file a VA claim?
No. You need a diagnosis of a condition linked to PFAS exposure — not a diagnosis that specifically says “caused by PFAS.” The connection between your condition and your service exposure is established through a medical nexus opinion.
What is the PACT Act and does it cover PFAS claims?
The PACT Act expanded VA benefits for toxic-exposed veterans and directed the VA to review PFAS as part of its expanded toxic exposure framework. Veterans filing now are operating under a more favorable framework than existed before 2022. See The PACT Act and Your VA Benefits — VA.gov.
How long do I have to file a PFAS claim?
There is no fixed deadline, but earlier filing generally creates a stronger record and an earlier effective date for benefits. See our post on VA Back Pay and Effective Dates for more on how this works.
Key Takeaways
- PFAS “forever chemicals” have been documented at hundreds of military installations and do not break down in the body.
- A 2026 study confirmed younger veterans carry significantly higher PFAS levels in their blood than civilians the same age — a gap tied directly to military service.
- Conditions linked to PFAS exposure include kidney cancer, thyroid disease, immune disorders, and more.
- A successful VA disability claim requires evidence of service exposure, a current diagnosis, and a medical nexus connecting the two.
- The PACT Act improved the legal framework for toxic exposure claims — veterans filing now are in a stronger position than those who wait.
The VA Has Not Closed the Door on PFAS Claims — But You Have to Open It
If you served on a base where AFFF was used and you are dealing with a health condition that could be connected, Tucker Disability Law can review your record, your exposure history, and your current diagnosis to help you understand what options exist.
We Never Give Up.™