Agent Orange and CRSC: how VA presumptive conditions are treated

Information verified through October 1, 2026.

The short answer. VA presumptive conditions, including Agent Orange (herbicide) conditions, can be approved for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC). But the current DD Form 2860 says they are not criteria for an automatic combat-related determination. They may be considered strong evidence. For Agent Orange, the form says the VA must have specifically granted the condition as presumptive to herbicide exposure, and the rating decision must show the cause, not just service connection.

Why presumptive conditions need their own guide

A VA presumption is a shortcut on the VA side. If you served in a qualifying place and time and later developed a listed condition, the VA presumes the connection to service so you do not have to prove exactly how it happened. CRSC asks a different question: was the disability combat-related under 10 U.S.C. § 1413a, meaning caused by armed conflict, hazardous service, duty simulating war, an instrumentality of war, or a Purple Heart injury? The DD Form 2860 instructions bridge the two, and the bridge has conditions. If you are new to CRSC, start with CRSC for Dummies.

What DD Form 2860 says about presumptives

The general instructions on the current form (AUG 2026 edition) say:

“The following Department of Veterans Affairs presumptive conditions are presumptive of service connectedness and are not criteria that make the Service Member eligible for an automatic determination of combat related disabilities. However, they may be considered strong evidence in making combat-related determinations.”

The form lists five presumptive codes for item 14.c: Agent Orange (AO), Ionizing Radiation Exposure (IRE), Mustard Gas or Lewisite (MGL), Persian Gulf War (PGW) and Prisoner of War (POW). For every disability you claim, item 14.c asks whether it involves a presumptive condition, with “None” as the alternative.

The same instructions say an ordinary service-connected injury “does not necessarily mean that the disability is combat-related.” Presumptives sit between those two points: more than plain service connection, less than an automatic approval.

Agent Orange: the specific requirements

Appendix A of DD Form 2860 defines the Agent Orange code and sets out what the board needs. In summary, the form says:

• The VA must have specifically granted the condition as presumptive to Agent Orange (herbicide) exposure.
• The initial VA rating decision must show not just service connection but the specific cause. The form's example is a member who has diabetes due to Agent Orange exposure.
• Secondary conditions must be specifically granted by the VA as secondary to the Agent Orange condition. The form's example is hypertension secondary to Agent Orange diabetes.
• If the condition was diagnosed after Vietnam service and before retirement, evidence must show the date of diagnosis and proof of Vietnam service. The form lists examples of proof such as service medical records, evaluations, decoration citations, travel vouchers or PCS orders.

The form's Agent Orange language is written around Vietnam service. VA's herbicide presumptions have expanded over the years to other locations. If your VA presumption is based on a location other than Vietnam, make sure the rating decision states the herbicide basis clearly, document your service there, and confirm with your branch how the claim should be coded. We are not aware of published branch guidance addressing every location, and we will not speculate about how a board will treat a specific one.

Gulf War, mustard gas and radiation

For Persian Gulf War and mustard gas or lewisite conditions, Appendix A says the codes relate to disabilities VA awarded on the basis of presumption, “even though there is no direct connection and the disability did not occur immediately.” The initial VA rating decision must show the specific cause; the form's example is fibromyalgia from service in the Persian Gulf War. The documentation should also describe the place, period and conditions of exposure, and secondaries must be specifically granted by the VA as secondary to that condition.

For radiation, the appendix defines combat-related radiation exposure narrowly, including documented onsite participation in an atmospheric nuclear test, the occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki between August 6, 1945 and July 1, 1946, internment as a prisoner of war in Japan during World War II, and specified service at certain gaseous diffusion sites for at least 250 days before February 1, 1992.

For prisoners of war, see our dedicated guide to CRSC for POWs and detained veterans.

What about burn pits?

Burn pit and other airborne hazard claims under the PACT Act are not one of the five presumptive codes listed on DD Form 2860. They have had their own developments in 2026. Read burn pit CRSC and the Smoke v. Driscoll settlement explainer.

Common reasons presumptive claims stall

• The rating decision only says “service connected.” The form requires the cause. Look in the reasons-and-bases section of the original decision, not only the most recent one.
• No proof of qualifying service. The VA may have accepted your service location, but the CRSC board still wants documents in the packet.
• Secondaries not tied to the presumptive. A condition VA rated separately does not ride on the presumptive condition. See CRSC and secondary conditions.
• Item 14.c left blank. The form says not to leave items blank; enter the presumptive code or “None.”

Back pay for long-held presumptive ratings

Many Vietnam-era retirees have held Agent Orange ratings for years without ever applying for CRSC. Each CRSC condition has its own effective date, and after the Supreme Court's decision in Soto v. United States the old six-year limit on retroactive CRSC no longer applies. A long-held presumptive rating that qualifies may carry retroactive value. One caution from the FMR: no retroactive CRSC may be paid to a deceased member or a survivor based on a retroactive VA increase awarded after the member died, which is one more reason not to wait. See effective dates per condition.

What you should do now

1. Find the original VA rating decision for each presumptive condition and confirm it names the cause.
2. Gather proof of qualifying service: orders, travel vouchers, evaluations, award citations or medical records from the location.
3. If the condition was diagnosed before you retired, find the record showing the date of diagnosis.
4. List any VA-granted secondaries and the decision that ties them to the presumptive condition.
5. On DD Form 2860, enter the correct presumptive code in item 14.c for each condition.

Not sure where you stand? Take the 30-second CRSC quiz or book a free 15-minute CRSC review.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• DD Form 2860, Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation (AUG 2026 edition), instructions and Appendix A
• 10 U.S.C. § 1413a, Combat-related special compensation
• DoD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7B, Chapter 63 (June 2024)
• VA.gov, Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)

This article is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal, tax, financial or medical advice, and it is not a guarantee of CRSC eligibility, approval, effective date or payment amount. Standfast Veterans Group is not a law firm, not a Veterans Service Organization and not VA-accredited, and is not affiliated with the VA, the Department of Defense, DFAS or any branch of service. Rules, forms and procedures can change. Verify current requirements with your military department, DFAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or an appropriately accredited representative.