Regulation benefiting Vets of Persian Gulf and Afghanistan

VA has proposed extending presumptive service connection to veterans who have served in Southwest Asia Theater of Operation on or after September 19, 2001 and who develop one of the following infectious diseases:
1. Brucellosis
2. Campylobacter jejuni
3. Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
4. Malaria
5. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
6. Nontyphoid Salmonella
7. Shigella
8. Visceral leishmaniasis
9. West Nile Virus.
With the exception of Malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Visceral leishmaniasis, the infectious disease must have become manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year from the date of separation from a qualifying period of service.
Malaria must have become manifested to a degree of 10 percent of more within one year from the separation from a qualifying period of service or at a time when standard or accepted treatises indicate that the incubation period commenced during a qualifying period of service. There is no time limit for Mycobaterium tuberculosis or Visceral leishmaniasis.
If the regulation passes, these diseases will be the first diagnosed illnesses entitled to presumptive service connection associated with service in the Persian Gulf.