VA BENEFITS REFERENCE
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Related Presumptive Pathways
Official presumptive service rules for Chronic fatigue syndrome and 3 conditions sharing these pathways, including listed locations, dates, criteria and sources.
These 4 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
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness
- Undiagnosed illness
The table uses Chronic fatigue syndrome 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic fatigue syndrome | Gulf War | Southwest Asia theater, including specified waters and airspace | On or after August 2, 1990, during the Persian Gulf War | Requires objective indications of qualifying chronic disability, lasting at least six months or showing intermittent episodes over six months. Under current 38 U.S.C. 1117 it may manifest to any degree at any time; the older regulatory December 2026/10% restriction is not applied. The theater includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea, and the airspace above those locations. 38 U.S.C. 1117; 38 CFR 3.317(a). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 · Source 4 |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome | Gulf War | Afghanistan, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria and Jordan for chronic Gulf War illness | On or after August 2, 1990, during the Persian Gulf War | Requires objective indications of qualifying chronic disability, lasting at least six months or showing intermittent episodes over six months. Under current 38 U.S.C. 1117 it may manifest to any degree at any time; the older regulatory December 2026/10% restriction is not applied. These additional countries are listed in 38 U.S.C. 1117. VA excludes their airspace from this additional-country pathway. The infectious-disease list has a different service definition. 38 U.S.C. 1117; 38 CFR 3.317(a). Verified 2026-10-25. Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 |
Read The Exposure Rules
Official Sources
Last verified 2026-10-25. Source publication or legal effective dates are shown separately where available.
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