VA BENEFITS REFERENCE
Brain Cancer And Related Presumptive Pathways
Official presumptive service rules for Brain cancer and 1 conditions sharing these pathways, including listed locations, dates, criteria and sources.
These 2 named conditions share the service pathways reproduced below. Their diagnosis must still match the condition named in the governing source. Each row retains its own dates and limitations. Listing a condition does not decide an individual award.
Conditions In This Reference
- Brain cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
The table uses Brain cancer as the row label; the same listed pathways apply to each condition above. Source-specific diagnoses remain distinct.
| Condition | Exposure | Listed Service Locations | Service Dates | Criteria And Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brain cancer | Burn Pits and Particulates | Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and United Arab Emirates | On or after August 2, 1990 | VA lists this condition under the statutory toxic-exposure presumption. Diagnosis and the listed service requirements must be established; rebuttal rules apply. Covered active service at a duty station in a listed country or its airspace. 38 U.S.C. 1119 and 1120. Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 |
| Brain cancer | Burn Pits and Particulates | Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen | On or after September 11, 2001 | VA lists this condition under the statutory toxic-exposure presumption. Diagnosis and the listed service requirements must be established; rebuttal rules apply. Covered active service at a duty station in a listed country or its airspace. 38 U.S.C. 1119 and 1120. Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Atmospheric nuclear-test sites and direct support activities | Trinity: July 16, 1945 through August 6, 1945; Crossroads: July 1, 1946 through August 31, 1946; Sandstone: April 15, 1948 through May 20, 1948; Ranger: January 27, 1951 through February 6, 1951; Greenhouse: April 8, 1951 through June 20, 1951; Buster-Jangle: October 22, 1951 through December 20, 1951; Tumbler-Snapper: April 1, 1952 through June 20, 1952; Ivy: November 1, 1952 through December 31, 1952; Upshot-Knothole: March 17, 1953 through June 20, 1953; Castle: March 1, 1954 through May 31, 1954; Teapot: February 18, 1955 through June 10, 1955; Wigwam: May 14, 1955 through May 15, 1955; Redwing: May 5, 1956 through August 6, 1956; Plumbbob: May 28, 1957 through October 22, 1957; Hardtack I: April 28, 1958 through October 31, 1958; Argus: August 27, 1958 through September 10, 1958; Hardtack Ii: September 19, 1958 through October 31, 1958; Dominic I: April 25, 1962 through December 31, 1962; Dominic Ii/Plowshare: July 6, 1962 through August 15, 1962 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Onsite participation during a listed operational period, or qualifying project-completion or decontamination duties at the test or staging area within six months afterward. Atmospheric testing includes underwater detonations. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Eniwetok garrison and maintenance forces | June 21, 1951 through July 1, 1952; August 7, 1956 through August 7, 1957; November 1, 1958 through April 30, 1959 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Service as a member of garrison or maintenance forces during one of the specific periods. This is separate from the 1977-1980 cleanup provision. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Naval shipyards decontaminating Operation Crossroads ships | The regulation specifies qualifying duties, without a separate universal calendar window | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Assignment to official military duties at naval shipyards involving decontamination of ships that participated in Operation Crossroads. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan | August 6, 1945 through July 1, 1946 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Official military duties within ten miles of either city limit, required to perform or support occupation functions. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Qualifying former prisoners of war in Japan | August 6, 1945 through July 1, 1946 for the specified exposure opportunity | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Comparable exposure opportunity includes internment or demonstrated work within 75 miles of Hiroshima or 150 miles of Nagasaki, qualifying occupation duties immediately after internment, or repatriation through Nagasaki. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Paducah, Portsmouth and Oak Ridge K25 gaseous diffusion plants | At least 250 days before February 1, 1992 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Official military duties on plant grounds; each counted day requires dosimetry monitoring or duties with comparable exposure to monitored jobs. Any portion of a calendar day counts. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Amchitka Island, Alaska | Before January 1, 1974 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Duty-related exposure to ionizing radiation connected to the Long Shot, Milrow or Cannikin underground nuclear tests. 38 CFR 3.309(d). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Service equivalent to a Department of Energy Special Exposure Cohort | Dates and day-count requirements depend on the qualifying statutory cohort or designation | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Military service in a capacity that, if performed as a DOE employee, would qualify under 42 U.S.C. 7384l(14). The specific cohort criteria must be checked; general DOE-site service is insufficient. |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Enewetak Atoll cleanup | January 1, 1977 through December 31, 1980 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Participation in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll. |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Palomares, Spain nuclear-weapons response | January 17, 1966 through March 31, 1967 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Onsite participation in the response to the B-52 and refueling-plane collision and release of nuclear weapons. |
| Brain cancer | Radiation | Thule Air Force Base, Greenland nuclear-weapons response | January 21, 1968 through September 25, 1968 | VA lists this disease for a radiation-exposed veteran who participated in a defined radiation-risk activity during active duty or qualifying Reserve training. No disease-specific onset deadline appears in 38 CFR 3.309(d); rebuttal rules apply. Onsite participation in the response to the B-52 fire and crash that released nuclear weapons. |
Read The Exposure Rules
Official Sources
Last verified 2026-10-25. Source publication or legal effective dates are shown separately where available.
- uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t38/s1120/
- www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/
- uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t38/s1119/
- www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-3.309
- www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/7384l
- www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/ionizing-radiation/
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