Veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, or other toxic substances during their service have until Monday, August 14, 2026, to file a PACT Act claim, or an intent to file, if they want any resulting benefits backdated all the way to August 2022. Miss that date, and the same claim will only be paid from whenever the VA actually receives it.
What the PACT Act Actually Covers
The PACT Act, signed into law in August 2022, is the largest expansion of VA health care and benefits in a generation. It made veterans automatically eligible for VA health care and disability benefits if they have one or more of roughly 20 conditions linked to toxic exposure, from certain respiratory illnesses to specific cancers. For veterans who served near burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, or who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam or radiation during the Cold War, it closed gaps that had kept legitimate claims from being recognized for years.
The Backdating Window
There is no overall deadline to apply for PACT Act benefits, that program isn't going anywhere. What expires on August 14 is narrower: the special window that lets an approved claim be backdated to August 2022, potentially covering years of retroactive disability compensation. Sen. Jon Ossoff's office has been publicly reminding veterans of the date, and the deadline itself applies to any eligible veteran nationwide, not just those in Georgia.
Filing an intent to file, rather than a complete claim, is enough to lock in the backdated eligibility window while you gather the rest of your paperwork. It's a lower bar than people often assume, and it's worth doing even if your full claim isn't ready by the 14th.
How to File
Veterans can review PACT Act eligibility and submit a claim or intent to file directly at VA.gov/PACT. A local Veterans Service Officer or accredited claims agent can also help put together supporting documentation, at no cost.
Benefits like this one are part of the reason Operation WarriorFit exists: sound bodies and sound finances both matter for veterans rebuilding structure after service. If you're an eligible veteran, service member, or first responder, see how OWF's free race entries work and check your eligibility for an upcoming event.