By Sarah Jones, J.D., VA-Accredited Attorney
The VA Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry is a voluntary self-reported health questionnaire for veterans exposed to airborne hazards during qualifying deployments. Enrolment is free, does not require proof of an illness, and does not by itself constitute a VA disability claim — but registry data can support future claims and research.
What the registry is
The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) is a VA programme that collects self-reported health and exposure information from veterans who served near burn pits or other airborne hazards. The data informs VA research, healthcare planning, and policy, and gives veterans a structured opportunity to document exposure long before a disability claim is filed.
Although it is not a claim, the registry is one of the most enduring written records a veteran can create of their exposure history. Years from now — when a chronic condition emerges or a presumptive list expands — the registry record will already exist.
Who is eligible to enrol
Generally, veterans who served in qualifying Southwest Asia and post-9/11 locations are eligible: Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Yemen, as well as the airspace above. Eligibility was broadened under the PACT Act to cover additional locations and time periods.
Eligibility for the registry is distinct from eligibility for disability benefits. A veteran can enrol in the registry even if no claim has been filed and even if they have no current diagnosis.
How to enrol
Enrolment is online via the VA Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry portal. The questionnaire takes roughly 30–60 minutes and walks the veteran through deployment locations, work activities, observed hazards, and current symptoms. Veterans should set aside uninterrupted time, gather DD-214 and deployment records, and answer with care; this becomes part of the official record.
After completing the questionnaire, veterans may also request an optional in-person registry health evaluation at a participating VA facility. The exam is free and includes a focused medical history, a physical examination, and any clinically indicated tests.
What to put in the questionnaire
The most useful registry entries are specific. Where possible, list specific bases, dates of deployment, distance from burn pits, prevailing winds, time spent outdoors, and any specific waste materials you saw burned — plastics, batteries, electronics, medical waste, jet fuel, tires. Note any episodes of acute symptoms such as throat irritation, breathing difficulty, or skin reactions during deployment.
Include symptoms that began during or after service even if they seem unrelated to airborne hazards. Researchers and clinicians look for patterns across the registry that individual veterans cannot see in isolation.
Does enrolment affect your VA claim?
Registry enrolment is not a substitute for filing a VA disability claim. It does not by itself trigger a claim. However, the registry questionnaire and the optional health evaluation can produce useful evidence — particularly for non-presumptive conditions where you must prove exposure and a medical nexus.
Conversely, declining to enrol does not prevent you from filing a claim or affect a presumptive condition determination. Many veterans choose to enrol for the health benefits and research value even if they never need to use it for a claim.
If you have a condition you believe is exposure-related
Consider filing an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) while you gather evidence — this preserves your effective date. If your condition is on the burn pit presumptive list, the VA must presume service connection if your service meets the qualifying location and time criteria. You may also schedule the registry health evaluation to get a written exposure history into your record.
If your condition is not yet on the presumptive list, the registry exam, a strong nexus letter, and lay statements about exposure can together support a TERA-based non-presumptive claim under 38 CFR § 3.320.
How the registry relates to the PACT Act
The PACT Act made it easier for veterans with burn pit exposure to obtain VA healthcare and disability benefits, but it did not change the registry itself. The registry remains a separate research and screening tool. Many veterans now do both: enrol in the registry and file PACT Act presumptive claims.
If you served in a qualifying location and you have a condition on the burn pit presumptive list, the PACT Act framework is usually the faster route to benefits. The registry remains useful for documentation, peace of mind, and potential future expansions.
Common questions about the exam
The optional in-person evaluation is conducted at participating VA facilities. It is not a Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam — it is an independent health screening. Results are entered into the registry database and provided to the veteran.
If the registry exam identifies a condition that may be service-connected, the examiner may recommend filing a disability claim and may refer you to the appropriate VA resource. The exam itself is not a substitute for the C&P process, which is conducted separately as part of an active claim.
What the Registry questionnaire actually asks
The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry questionnaire is long, but most veterans can complete it in 40 to 60 minutes. It covers deployment locations, duration and proximity of burn pit exposure, current symptoms, and lifestyle factors such as smoking history. Answers are self-reported and not used to deny a disability claim.
The optional in-person health evaluation that follows registration is where many veterans get their first documented diagnosis. That diagnosis can then anchor a future disability claim, even though the Registry itself is not a claim.
Linking Registry participation to a stronger disability claim
Registering does not file a claim and does not, on its own, create a presumption. What it does provide is a contemporaneous, government-held record of self-reported exposure and symptoms. When combined with a current diagnosis and a qualifying deployment, that record becomes part of the evidence the VA weighs.
For non-presumptive conditions, the Registry record can support a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA) analysis under 38 CFR § 3.320, which is the framework the VA uses for non-presumptive toxic exposure claims.
- Register on the VA Airborne Hazards portal as early as possible
- Request and attend the optional in-person evaluation if offered
- Save a PDF of your completed questionnaire for your records
- Pair your Registry participation with a current diagnosis and lay statements
- If you have a non-presumptive condition, ask your representative about a TERA analysis
Working with Cross & York on a burn pit claim
For burn pit claims, our team builds a parallel file: presumptive conditions go on the fastest possible track, and any non-presumptive symptoms are developed under the TERA framework. We coordinate with treating physicians for nexus opinions where the science supports one.
If a veteran has not yet registered, we usually recommend doing so before or alongside the claim. Registration is free, takes about an hour, and can be done directly with the VA without any representative involved.
Frequently overlooked next steps
Many veterans complete the Registry questionnaire and then stop, assuming the VA will follow up. In practice, the next moves are usually the veteran's responsibility: scheduling the optional in-person evaluation, requesting copies of any records generated, and filing a disability claim if a presumptive or otherwise service-connectable condition is identified.
If you have already registered but never filed a claim, the Registry record is still sitting there working for you. A short conversation with a VSO, an accredited attorney, or your VA primary care provider can tell you whether the conditions you have today line up with current presumptives.
Veterans who served in covered locations but have not yet noticed symptoms still benefit from registering. The questionnaire captures a baseline that can be referenced years later if a presumptive condition develops.
Frequently asked questions
Is registry enrolment a VA disability claim?
No. Enrolment is a research and health screening tool. To pursue benefits, you must separately file a VA disability claim.
Does the registry health exam cost anything?
No. The optional registry health evaluation is provided free at participating VA facilities.
Will declining the registry hurt my claim?
No. Choosing not to enrol does not prevent you from filing a VA disability claim or qualifying for any presumptive condition.
Related
More veterans resources
Last reviewed by Sarah Jones, J.D., VA-Accredited Attorney. Content reviewed against VA.gov and Federal Register sources.