Resources for Military Veterans

Military veterans, regardless of the branch of service, era in which they served, or whether they served during a time of peace or a time of war, are at a greater risk of being diagnosed with ALS than if they had not served in the military.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recognized ALS as a service-connected disease, which means that the VA provides financial and medical support to veterans who have completed at least 90 continuous days of active duty and been honorably discharged. If you qualify for these benefits, they can provide significant assistance in obtaining medical care, assistive devices, and financial support.

ALS in the Military

Existing evidence supports the conclusion that people who’ve served in the military are at a greater risk of being diagnosed with ALS and dying from the disease than those with no history of military service.

As outlined in the paper below, study after study continues to demonstrate this to be true: If you serve in the military, regardless of the branch of service, regardless of whether you served in the Persian Gulf War, Vietnam, Korea, or World War II, and regardless of whether you served during a time of peace or a time of war, you’re at a greater risk of dying from ALS than if you hadn’t served in the military.

We’re asking these questions today:

  • Why is there a greater risk of ALS with military service?
  • What are we, as a nation, going to do about it?

It’s our goal that this paper raises awareness of the important work that’s been done so far on discovering the relationship between ALS and military service. In this effort, we hope to impress upon Congress, the Administration, and the American public the seriousness of this issue and the need to act now.