Former prisoners of war (POWs) receive special consideration in the VA disability claims process. Veterans who were held as POWs are eligible for presumptive service connection for a specific list of conditions associated with the deprivations and trauma of captivity. The conditions on the presumptive list for former POWs include various nutritional deficiency diseases, anxiety disorders, psychosis, dysthymic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and other conditions. Some conditions require a minimum period of captivity, typically 30 days or more, while others apply regardless of the length of captivity. For former POWs who were detained for 30 days or more, the list of presumptive conditions is broader and includes conditions associated with prolonged malnutrition, untreated disease, and psychological trauma. The medical and psychological evidence overwhelmingly supports that captivity causes lasting health effects, which is why these presumptions exist. If you are a former POW and have been diagnosed with any of the presumptive conditions, service connection should be granted without needing to prove a direct connection to your captivity. Simply provide evidence of your POW status and a current diagnosis. VA maintains records of POWs and can often verify your status through military personnel records.
Note: This article references sections of the VA's M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual. The VA periodically reorganizes the M21-1 and section numbers may have changed since this article was written. For the most current section references, visit the VA's public M21-1 Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS).