TL;DR — Quick Summary
- Who qualifies: Veterans with 90+ continuous days of active duty including tropical service
- Time limit: Disease must manifest within 1 year of separation OR during recognized incubation period
- Minimum rating: Must be at least 10% disabling during that period
- 16+ diseases covered: Including malaria, cholera, dysentery, and more
What happens in the jungle does not always stay in the jungle. Veterans who served in tropical locations may develop certain diseases years after their service.
Eligibility Requirements
- Veteran served at least 90 continuous days on Active Duty
- That service included time in a tropical location
Do You Have Tropical Service?
If you have to ask whether you had tropical service, you probably don't. Tropical service means you were stationed in or deployed to tropical regions (jungles, equatorial areas, etc.) for a significant period.
Covered Tropical Diseases
The veteran must have developed these diseases within one year of separation OR at a time when standard medical treatises indicate that the incubation period commenced during active service.
Additional Requirements
- The disease MUST have been at least 10% disabling during the qualifying period
- Service connection can be rebutted by clear and unmistakable evidence that the disease was not of service origin
Presumptive Tropical Diseases
Also covered: Resultant disorders or diseases originating because of therapy administered in connection with such diseases or as a preventative thereof.
Established Incubation Periods
Some tropical diseases have established incubation periods longer than one year. If your disease manifested during the incubation period that began during active service, you may still qualify.
| Tropical Disease | Incubation Period |
|---|---|
| Dracontiasis | 14 months |
| Filariasis | 8 to 12 months |
| Leishmaniasis (including Kala-azar) | 12 months |
| Leishmaniasis, Old World | 18 months |
| Loiasis | 3 years |