Department of Veterans Affairs

Gulf War Veterans Information System 

November 2005 

Release Date: December 28, 2005 
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

November 2005 GWVIS Report 

Table of Contents 

Section Description Page

One GWVIS Report Introduction 1 

Overview 1 

History and Partnership 1 

Preparation 1 

Categories 2 

Data Sources 3 

Limitations 3 

Two November 2005 GWVIS Reports 5 

Service Member Statistics 6 

Compensation and Pension (C&P) Statistics 7 

Undiagnosed (UDX) C&P Statistics 8 

Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah C&P Statistics 9 

Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah UDX C&P Statistics 10 

Inpatient and Outpatient Health Care Use 11 

Readjustment Counseling Service - Vet Center Benefit Utilization 12 

Healthcare Enrollment by Priority Group 13 

Mortality Data 14 

Three Glossary of Terms, Definitions, and Limitations 15 

Terms, Definitions, and Limitations 15 
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Section One 

GWVIS Report Introduction 

Overview 

The Gulf War Veterans Information System (GWVIS) provides the best available current data 

identifying the Gulf War service member population. The GWVIS reports monitor, in part, the service 

members’ use of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare and disability benefits. 

GWVIS reports are distributed each quarter during the following months: March, June, September, and 

December. 

History and Partnership 

In 1997, VA’s Office of Policy, Planning, and Preparedness, working with the Veterans Benefits 

Administration (VBA), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and other VA organizational 

elements, created the GWVIS reports to identify Gulf War service members and monitor, in part, their 

VBA compensation and pension benefit use. 

VBA works to enhance GWVIS reports with several governmental partners, including: DoD’s Defense 

Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and Deployment Health Support Directorate (DHSD), VHA, VA’s 

Office of Policy, Planning and Preparedness, VA’s Office of the General Counsel, VA’s Readjustment 

Counseling Service (RCS), and VBA’s Compensation and Pension Service (C&P Service). 

GWVIS reports are consistent with the “Veterans Health Care Act of 1992” (Public Law 102-585) in 

identifying Gulf War service members and reporting on various aspects of their VA healthcare and 

benefit activity. 

Preparation 

VBA uses four steps to prepare the quarterly GWVIS reports: 

1. Every three months, the Department of Defense (DoD) sends VBA an updated list identifying all 

current and prior military service members since the start of the Gulf War on August 2, 1990. 

2. VBA compares DoD’s updated list of service members with VBA information systems. 

3. VBA uses the results from the comparison to prepare reports about Gulf War veterans and their 

compensation and pension benefit use sorted by specific cohorts based on Gulf War deployment 

status. 

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

4. VBA provides VHA a copy of the DoD data. VHA prepares the following reports for inclusions in 

the GWVIS Reports: 

• Gulf War Readjustment Counseling Service – Vet Center Utilization 

• Gulf War Service Member VHA Healthcare Enrollment by Priority Group 

• Gulf War Mortality Data 

Categories 

GWVIS reports are prepared for all categories shown below. The following describes how some 

categories are combined to create other categories: 

The Count for this category ... ... Is the sum of these categories 

Total Era + Deployed 

Deployed Conflict + Theater 

Conflict Al Jubayl + Khamisiyah + Other Conflict 

TOTAL 

All Service Members 

8/2/90 - Present

ERA 

Non-Deployed Service Member 

8/2/90 - Present 

The illustration above shows how GWVIS categories are combined in this report 

http://www.vba.va.gov/reports/gwvis/chart.txt

 

CONFLICT 

Desert Shield / Desert Storm 

1st Year Only 

8/2/90 – 7/31/91

DEPLOYED 

Active Duty and 

Activated Reserve Forces Only 

8/2/90 - Present 

THEATER 

Other Deployments 

Starting 2nd Year 

8/1/91-Present

AL JUBAYL

01/19/91 

OTHER

CONFLICT 

Excludes Al Jubayl 

And Khamisiyah 

KHAMISIYAH 

03/04/91-03/10/91 08/02/90-07/31/91

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Data Sources 

VBA uses data from the Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) to prepare GWVIS 

reports. The list below identifies the DoD and VA organizational source and specific file names. 

DoD: 

Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC): 

• Active Duty Master File 

• Active Duty Loss File 

• Reserve Components Common Personnel Data System 

• Operation Desert Shield/Storm Files 

• Operation Mission/Contingency Files 

Deployment Health Support Directorate (DHSD): 

• Khamisiyah Master File 

VA: 

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA): 

• Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) 

• Compensation and Pension Master Record (CPMR) 

• Pending Issue File (PIF) 

Veterans Health Administration (VHA): 

• VHA Gulf War Veteran Mortality Study 

• VHA Patient Treatment Files and Outpatient Care Files 

• VHA Healthcare Enrollment Files 

• Readjustment Counseling Service - Vet Center Utilization File 

Limitations 

There are twelve limitations to the GWVIS report. 

1. GWVIS reports do not contain information about individual veterans. 

2. GWVIS reports do not provide information on how claims are adjudicated. Questions raised on this 

matter should be referred to VBA’s Compensation and Pension Service (C&P Service). 

3. GWVIS reports do not cite statutes or regulations for terms and definitions. Questions about 

compensation and pension terms and definitions should be referred to C&P Service. Questions 

about any healthcare terms and definitions should be referred to VHA. The terms and definitions 

used in this document are intended for this report only, and they should not be relied upon for any 

other purpose, such as the presentation of claims for VA benefits. 

3
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

8. 

9. 

10.

11.

12.

4. Unless otherwise noted, this report provides current counts from the data sources listed. This report 

does not contain cumulative counts of C&P benefit use. 

5. GWVIS reports do not distinguish between a veteran and a “civilian veteran.” Some veterans 

counted in the GWVIS report may currently be on active duty due to re-enlistment to active duty or 

due to activation from the Reserve Forces to active duty. In contrast, “civilian veterans,” as defined 

by the Census Bureau and in VA’s official counts, are those no longer on active duty.

6. The GWVIS report differs from existing VBA Reports Control Symbol (RCS) and Computer Output 

Identification Number (COIN) reports. The GWVIS report identifies all veterans with military 

service on or after August 2, 1990. In contrast, the COIN and RCS reports sort veterans into only 

one period of military service, such as Vietnam Era, Peacetime, or Gulf War. COIN and RCS 

reports contain lower counts of Gulf War veterans because some veterans of the Gulf War period 

who served prior to August 1990 have multiple periods of military service. These veterans may be 

counted in the COIN and RCS reports under another period of military service. 

7. VA works closely with DoD to identify service members recently deployed to Southwest Asia as 

part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and/or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Data about these 

service members provided by DoD to VBA remains incomplete, and the data may be delayed while 

DoD updates their computer system. VA will release the data as soon as it becomes available. 

This report contains “Gulf War Mortality Data.” Please contact VHA’s Office of Public Health and 

Environmental Hazards for more information regarding Gulf War mortality data. The GWVIS 

statistical reports, containing death counts, do not constitute a Gulf War veteran mortality study. 

Some of the veterans identified in this report had prior active military service. Therefore, not all of

the claims counted in this report were incurred during the Gulf War period or deployment to 

Southwest Asia. VBA’s computer systems do not attribute each of a veteran’s disabilities to a 

specific period of service or deployment. 

The report, “Gulf War Readjustment Counseling Service - Vet Center Utilization,” contains counts 

of unique veterans who sought or are using RCSVC services. The counts do not constitute a VA 

study of war zone veterans. 

The report, “Gulf War Service Member VHA Healthcare Enrollment by Priority Group” is limited to 

counts of Gulf War service members’ VHA healthcare enrollment by priority group. VA services 

and treatment available to enrolled veterans generally are not based on priority groups. 

This report gathered information only from the Benefits Delivery Network (BDN). Therefore, a 

small number (less than 1,300) of new veteran records processed in the VBA corporate environment 

are excluded from this report. Only VBA-related tables are effected by the data exclusion. 

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Section Two 

November 2005 Reports 

Report Name Page 

Service Member Statistics 6 

Compensation and Pension (C&P) Statistics 7 

Undiagnosed (UDX) C&P Statistics 8 

Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah C&P Statistics 9 

Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah UDX C&P Statistics 10 

Inpatient and Outpatient Health Care Use 11 

Gulf War Readjustment Counseling Service - Vet Center Utilization (RCSVC) 12 

Gulf War Service Member VHA Healthcare Enrollment by Priority Group 13 

Mortality Data 14 

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Service Member Statistics 

November 2005 

Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Service Member Separations 617,938 330,528 948,466 4,538,717 5,487,183

Active Duty Separations 502,646 324,053 826,699 2,858,648 3,685,347

Activated Reserve Forces Separations 115,292 6,475 121,767 306,982 428,749

Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations 0 0 0 1,373,087 1,373,087

Non-Activated Reserve Forces, Service- Connected1 0 0 0 113,797 113,797

Veteran Deaths2 11,620 3,656 15,276 46,353 61,629

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

Interpreting GWVIS Categories 

The Count for this category: ... Is the sum of: And: 

Total Deployed Era 

Deployed Conflict Theater

 1

 1. VBA identified 113,797 Non-Activated Reservists who are service-connected or pensioners as "veterans." VBA 

identified 7,428 deaths among the 113,797. The 7,428 deaths are included in the count for Deaths reported under "Era." The 

106,369 remaining living veterans are included in the count of "Estimated Living Veterans" reported under "Era." 

2

 These counts reflect raw data that has not been subjected to any statistical analysis nor has it been adjusted in any way to

make it a mortality study. There has been no adjustment to account for age, gender, race, and other items required for a valid

mortality study. In addition, the data will not reflect deaths that occurred after November 2005. The use of these data to draw 

conclusions regarding mortality rates will result in inaccurate conclusions. For analysis of Gulf War veteran mortality, see 

"Mortality among US Veterans of the Persian Gulf War: 7-Year Follow-up, "Han K. Kang and Tim A. Bullman, American

Journal of Epidemiology, 2001,154(5): 399-405.

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Compensation and Pension Statistics 

November 2005 

Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

Claims Filed 256,481 112,442 368,923 1,047,870 1,416,793

Claims Processed 225,390 98,794 324,184 917,231 1,241,415

C&P Benefit Granted 197,320 90,948 288,268 806,865 1,095,133

Claims Granted Service Connection 196,191 90,732 286,923 803,523 1,090,446

Claims Denied Service Connection 29,199 8,062 37,261 113,708 150,969

Claims Pending 31,091 13,648 44,739 130,639 175,378

Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

Receiving Compensation or Pension. 146,505 70,531 217,036 596,432 813,468

Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), Receiving 

Compensation or Pension 3,367 1,623 4,990 13,061 18,051

Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, No 

Compensation or Pension 5,728 1,796 7,524 27,535 35,059

Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), No 

Compensation or Pension 40,591 16,782 57,373 166,495 223,868

Non-Service Connected, Receiving Pension 1,129 216 1,345 3,342 4,687

Non-Service Connected, No Pension 28,070 7,846 35,916 110,366 146,282

Interpreting GWVIS Categories 

The Count for this category: ... Is the sum of: And: 

Total Deployed Era 

Deployed Conflict Theater

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) 

Compensation and Pension Statistics 

November 2005 

Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Claims Processed 12,807 1,421 14,228 Not 

Applicable 14,228

UDX, Claims Granted Service Connection 3,302 271 3,573 Not 

Applicable 3,573

UDX, Claims Denied Service Connection 9,505 1,150 10,655 Not 

Applicable 10,655

UDX, Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

Receiving Compensation or Pension 2,808 229 3,037 Not 

Applicable 3,037

UDX, Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), Receiving 

Compensation or Pension

215 23 238 Not 

Applicable 238

UDX, Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

No Compensation or Pension 124 7 131 Not 

Applicable 131

UDX, Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), No 

Compensation or Pension 

155 12 167 Not 

Applicable 167

UDX, Nonservice-Connected, Receiving Compensation 

or Pension 3,775 507 4,282 Not 

Applicable 4,282

UDX, Nonservice-Connected, No Pension 5,730 643 6,373 Not 

Applicable 6,373

Interpreting GWVIS Categories 

The Count for this category: ... Is the sum of: And: 

Total Deployed Era 

Deployed Conflict Theater

8
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

 Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah

Compensation and Pension Statistics 

November 2005 

Category Al Jubayl Khamisiyah1 Other 

Conflict Conflict 

Service Members 1,334 145,451 550,056 696,841

Estimated Living Veterans 1,194 127,981 477,143 606,318

Veteran Deaths 35 2,713 8,872 11,620

Claims Filed 453 63,677 192,351 256,481

Claims Processed 409 55,617 169,364 225,390

C&P Benefit Granted 333 47,975 149,012 197,320

Claims Granted Service Connection 332 47,687 148,172 196,191

Claims Denied Service Connection 77 7,930 21,192 29,199

Claims Pending 44 8,060 22,987 31,091

Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

Receiving Compensation or Pension. 244 35,267 110,994 146,505

Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), Receiving 

Compensation or Pension

6 707 2,654 3,367

Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

No Compensation or Pension 12 1,580 4,136 5,728

Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), No 

Compensation or Pension

70 10,133 30,388 40,591

Non-Service Connected, Receiving Pension 1 288 840 1,129

Non-Service Connected, No Pension 76 7,642 20,352 28,070

 1

 The total number of service members ever identified with possible low-level chemical warfare agent exposure or serving at 

or near Khamisiyah, Iraq, at the time of the demolition of chemical warfare munitions is 145,467 as of December 21, 2004. 

This is an increase of 2 service members' records based on new data from DoD since November 2004. In this report, VBA 

displayed compensation and pension statistics on 145,451 service members. VA and DoD have completed their review of 

service member records. However, there is a possibility of future changes, if needed, based on further review by DoD. 

9
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) 

Compensation and Pension Statistics 

November 2005 

Category Al Jubayl Khamisiyah1 Other 

Conflict Conflict 

Service Members 1,334 145,451 550,056 696,841

Estimated Living Veterans 1,194 127,981 477,143 606,318

Veteran Deaths 35 2,713 8,872 11,620

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Claims Processed 66 4,339 8,402 12,807

UDX, Claims Granted Service Connection 20 1,150 2,132 3,302

UDX, Claims Denied Service Connection 46 3,189 6,270 9,505

UDX, Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

Receiving Compensation or Pension 19 986 1,803 2,808

UDX, Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), Receiving 

Compensation or Pension

0 65 150 215

UDX, Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, 

No Compensation or Pension 1 49 74 124

UDX, Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), No 

Compensation or Pension

0 50 105 155

UDX, Nonservice-Connected, Receiving Compensation 

or Pension 8 1,263 2,504 3,775

UDX, Nonservice-Connected, No Pension 38 1,926 3,766 5,730

 1

 The total number of service members ever identified with possible low-level chemical warfare agent exposure or serving at 

or near Khamisiyah, Iraq, at the time of the demolition of chemical warfare munitions is 145,467 as of December 21, 2004. 

This is an increase of 2 service members' records based on new data from DoD since November 2004. In this report, VBA 

displayed compensation and pension statistics on 145,451 service members. VA and DoD have completed their review of 

service member records. However, there is a possibility of future changes, if needed, based on further review by DoD. 

10
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Gulf War Inpatient and Outpatient Healthcare Utilization 

October 1990 through October 2004 

The tables below provide cumulative numbers for inpatient and outpatient care for deployed Gulf War 

veterans from October 1990 through October 2004. 

Gulf War Veteran Inpatient Stays 

Inpatient Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

Unique Gulf War Veteran Inpatients 38,433 8,539 46,972 128,109 175,081

Total Gulf War Veteran Inpatient Stays 95,580 17,482 113,062 328,422 441,484

Gulf War Veteran Outpatient Visits

Outpatient Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

Unique Gulf War Veteran Outpatients 297,125 108,281 405,406 1,058,138 1,463,544

Total Gulf War Veteran Outpatient Visits 6,589,285 1,388,381 7,977,666 20,947,923 28,925,589

Interpreting GWVIS Categories 

The Count for this category: ... Is the sum of: And: 

Total Deployed Era 

Deployed Conflict Theater

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Gulf War Readjustment Counseling Service – 

Vet Center Benefit Utilization3

The tables below provide counts of unique Gulf War veterans using Readjustment Counseling Service – 

Vet Center (RCSVC) as of August 20054

.

Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

 Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

 Count of Unique Veterans Using Vet Centers5 70,803 26,607 97,410 203,754 301,164

Category Al Jubayl Khamisiyah Other 

Conflict 

 

Conflict 

Service Members 1,334 145,451 550,056 696,841

Estimated Living Veterans 1,194 127,981 477,143 606,318

Count of Unique Veterans Using Vet Centers 133 16,161 54,509 70,803

Interpreting GWVIS Categories 

The Count for this category: ... Is the sum of: And: 

Total Deployed Era 

Deployed Conflict Theater

 3

 The report, “Gulf War Readjustment Counseling Service – Vet Center Benefit Utilization” contains counts of unique

veterans who sought or are using RCSVC services. The counts do not constitute a VA study of war zone veterans. For 

further information about RCSVC, please go to: http://www.va.gov/rcs/ 

4

 The Readjustment Counseling Service, effective with the August 2005 report, used a new data matching methodology, 

which ensured a more reliable result. 

5

 The Readjustment Counseling Service Vet Centers were created through legislation passed by Congress. Vet Centers 

provide a continuum of care during the post-war adjustment from military to civilian life for veterans (and family members) 

in or near their local communities. Key access links to community agencies, VA, and professional readjustment counseling, 

community education, and outreach to special veteran populations are made available to war zone veterans through the Vet 

Centers. 

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Gulf War Service Member VHA Healthcare Enrollment by Priority Group6 

The tables below show counts of Gulf War service members’ VHA healthcare enrollment by priority 

group, as of August 2005. 

Category Conflict Theater Deployed Era Total 

Gulf War Service Members 696,841 432,498 1,129,339 5,278,799 6,408,138

Estimated Living Veterans 606,318 326,872 933,190 3,233,074 4,166,264

Enrollment Priority Group 1 37,068 14,120 51,188 128,631 179,819

Enrollment Priority Group 2 33,034 16,218 49,252 130,347 179,599

Enrollment Priority Group 3 54,028 25,374 79,402 231,087 310,489

Enrollment Priority Group 4 1,725 412 2,137 6,282 8,419

Enrollment Priority Group 5 46,627 24,244 70,871 255,343 326,214

Enrollment Priority Group 6 22,197 2,482 24,679 36,290 60,969

Enrollment Priority Group 7 2,404 1,185 3,589 12,898 16,487

Enrollment Priority Group 8 44,722 17,676 62,398 182,934 245,332

Total Enrollment 241,805 101,711 343,516 983,812 1,327,328

Interpreting GWVIS Categories 

The Count for this category: ... Is the sum of: And: 

Total Deployed Era 

Deployed Conflict Theater

 6

 For definitions of VA’s eight enrollment priority groups, please see the Glossary of Terms, Definitions, and Limitations. 

13
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Gulf War Mortality Data 

1990 - 1997

This report, supplied by VHA, shows death rates from 1990 to 1997 of US Gulf War veterans deployed 

to the Gulf War region before March 1, 1991 compared to non-Gulf War veterans over the same period.1 

Gulf War Mortality Data Chart 

Gulf War 

Veteran 

Gender 

Gulf War 

Veteran 

Number of 

Deaths 

Gulf 

War 

Veteran 

Death 

Rate2

Non-Gulf 

War Veteran 

Number of 

Deaths 

Non-Gulf 

War 

Veteran 

Death 

Rate2

Ratio of 

Death Rates3 Significance of the 

ratio of death rates4, 5, 6

Male 4,312 11.1 5,542 12.9 0.95 Not significant

Female 194 6.6 376 5.7 1.16 Not significant

1 This study compared the mortality among the 621,902 Gulf War veterans who served at least one day during Operations 

Desert Shield and Desert Storm (those arriving in the Southwest Asia theater of operations after August 2, 1990, but 

before March 1, 1991) to the mortality among 746,248 non-Gulf War veterans who served during this conflict but were 

not deployed to this area, and includes Active Duty, and activated Reserve Forces. 

The Southwest Asia theater of operations is as defined by DoD’s Defense Manpower Data Center. 

Non-Gulf War veterans used for comparison in this study were service members who served during this period but did 

not deploy to the Southwest Asia theater of operations, and includes Active Duty, and activated Reserve Forces (from 

“Mortality among US Veterans of the Persian Gulf War: 7-Year Follow-up,” Kang, Han K., and Tim A. Bullman, 

American Journal of Epidemiology, 2001, 154(5): 399-405). 

This study by the Department of Veterans Affairs is still ongoing. 

2

 Crude death rate for all causes of death, per 10,000 person years. 

3

 Death rate ratio comparing death rate of Gulf War veterans to the death rate of Non-Gulf War veterans, controlling for, race, 

branch of service, unit component and marital status. A ratio of 1 indicates that the death rates are the same for the two 

groups. 

4

 Determination if the death rate ratio was statistically significantly different from 1. Differences are considered significant 

when there is 95% confidence that the difference did not occur by chance. 

5

 Although this study found no real difference between death rates among Gulf War and Non-Gulf War veterans, it found that 

death rates for both groups were less than half of that found in their civilian counterparts. 

6

 An increased death rate among Gulf War veterans from motor vehicle accidents found in an earlier VA study has 

disappeared in this seven year follow up study.

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Section Three 

Glossary of Terms, Definitions, and Limitations 

This section provides the terms, definitions, and limitations used in the GWVIS report. Questions about 

terms and definitions should be referred to C&P Service or VHA, as appropriate. The terms and 

definitions in this document are intended for this report only, and they should not be relied upon for any 

other purpose, such as the presentation of claims for VA benefits. 

 

Activated Reserve Forces Separations

Activated Reserve Forces Separations is a subset of Service Member Separations. Activated Reserve 

Forces Separations identifies only current and former activated Reserve Forces personnel with a 

discharge who were called to active duty on or after August 2, 1990, by the Federal Government. All 

Activated Reserve Forces are counted, regardless of: 

• Length of enlistment 

• Re-enlistment 

• Character of service 

• Death 

Limitations: In some cases, DMDC cannot determine if a service member enlisted directly into active 

duty or if a service member was activated from the Reserve Forces. In those cases, the service members 

are counted under Active Duty Separations.

Active Duty Separations

Active Duty Separations is a subset of Service Member Separations. Active Duty Separations identifies 

current and former active duty personnel with a discharge and with service on or after August 2, 1990. 

All Active Duty Separations are counted, regardless of: 

• Length of enlistment 

• Re-enlistment 

• Character of service 

• Death 

Limitations: In some cases, DMDC cannot determine if a service member enlisted directly into active 

duty or if a service member was activated from the Reserve Forces. 

In those cases, the service members are counted under Active Duty Separations.

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Al Jubayl

Al Jubayl is a subset of the Conflict category. On or about January 19, 1991, service members serving in 

and around Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia reported an incident involving a “loud noise,” “bright flash,” and 

possible “Iraqi chemical warfare agent attack.” There are 1,334 service members identified by the DoD 

as having served in and around the port city of Al Jubayl on January 19, 1991. DoD concludes that the 

chemical attack was “unlikely.” Additional information regarding events at or near Al Jubayl can be 

viewed at DoD’s web site: http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil

Claims Denied Service Connection

A veteran’s claim is denied when VA determines none of the veteran’s conditions meet eligibility 

requirements for service connection under VA statutes and regulations. This denial is called 

“Nonservice-Connected,” or “NSC.” Claims Denied Service Connection is the sum of NonserviceConnected - No Pension and Nonservice-Connected - Receiving Pension. 

Limitation: Claims Denied Service Connection includes claims where all the veteran’s conditions were 

determined to be Nonservice-Connected even if the veteran was granted pension. The total number of 

Claims Denied Service Connection may decrease as appealed or reopened claims are granted. This is 

not a cumulative count.

Claims Filed

Claims Filed equals the total of Claims Granted Service Connection, Claims Denied Service 

Connection, and Claims Pending. This is not a cumulative count. 

Limitations: Some duplicate counting may exist in the category Claims Filed if a veteran who was 

previously granted or denied disability benefits subsequently reopens their claim. Pending claims may 

increase or decrease each quarter based on the number of veterans who open new claims or re-open prior 

claims. This is not a cumulative count. 

Claims Granted Service Connection

A veteran’s claim is granted when VA determines at least one of the veteran’s conditions meets 

eligibility requirements for service connection under VA statutes and regulations. This grant is called 

“service-connected,” or “SC.” Veterans frequently file a claim for more than one condition. For 

veterans who filed a claim for more than one condition, this category contains veterans with a full grant 

of all conditions as well as veterans with a combination of grants and denials. Disabilities are evaluated 

according to VA regulations, and the extent of the disability is expressed as a percentage from zero 

percent to 100 percent, in increments of 10 percent. Claims Granted Service Connection includes all 

service-connected disabilities, from zero percent to 100 percent, regardless of whether the veteran 

receives monetary compensation. 

16
Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Limitations: Claims Granted Service Connection excludes claims where all the veteran’s conditions 

were determined to be Nonservice-Connected even if the veteran was granted pension. The number of 

Claims Granted Service Connection includes veterans who have subsequently died. The total number of 

claims granted remains constant or increases each quarter. However, subcategories of Claims Granted 

Service Connection may increase or decrease. An increase or decrease may occur when a veteran with a 

granted claim re-enlists on active duty or is ordered to active duty from the Reserve Forces. Veterans 

who return to active duty are not permitted to receive both active duty pay and VA payments. This is 

not a cumulative count.

Claims Pending

Claims Pending identifies where VA is reviewing a veteran’s claim for compensation or pension 

benefits. This includes appealed and reopened claims, diary issues, issues pending authorization, and 

issues pending acceptance. 

Limitations: The count of Claims Filed is the sum of Claims Pending and Claims Processed. Therefore, 

duplicate counting may exist in the category Claims Filed if a veteran who was previously granted or 

denied disability benefits subsequently reopens their claim. Pending claims may increase or decrease 

each quarter based on the number of veterans who open new claims or re-open prior claims. This is not 

a cumulative count.

Claims Processed

Claims Processed equals the total of Claims Granted Service Connection and Claims Denied Service 

Connection. Claims Processed does not include pending claims. This is not a cumulative count.

Conflict

Conflict is a subset of Deployed. Conflict identifies active duty service members deployed to Southwest 

Asia during the Gulf War, from August 2, 1990, through July 31, 1991. This includes Active Duty as 

well as Activated Reserve Forces. 

Limitations: The initial Gulf War air campaign began on January 17, 1991, and it lasted through 

February 28, 1991. The Gulf War ground invasion into Iraq and Kuwait began February 24, 1991, and it 

stopped on February 28, 1991. VA defines the Southwest Asia theater as Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, 

the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the 

Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above 

these locations.

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C&P Benefit Granted 

C&P Benefit Granted is a sum of "Claims Granted Service Connection” and "Non-Service connected, 

Receiving Pension." This is not a cumulative count. 

Deployed

Deployed identifies active duty service members who served at least one day in the Southwest Asia 

theater of operations from August 2, 1990, through the present. VA uses the period from August 2, 

1990, to the present to identify service members deployed to the Southwest Asia theater of operations 

who are potentially eligible for additional VA benefits (such as undiagnosed illness compensation). 

Deployed includes Activated Reserve Forces. Deployed equals the sum of the Conflict and Theater 

categories.

Limitations: VA defines the Southwest Asia theater as Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone 

between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the 

Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations. 

Era

Era identifies service members who did not deploy to the Gulf War. This includes Active Duty, 

Activated Reserve Forces, and Non-Activated Reserve Forces. 

Estimated Living Veterans

Estimated Living Veterans is a subset of the Service Member population. It identifies individuals with 

active duty service and a discharge on or after August 2, 1990. Estimated Living Veterans includes 

service members called to active duty from the Reserve Forces. Subtractions are made for deaths. 

Limitations: Estimated Living Veterans includes living Non-Activated Reserve Forces with a VA 

service-connected condition or who are in receipt of pension. Subtractions are made for deaths from 

among those Non-Activated Reserve Forces who had a VA service-connected condition or who were in 

receipt of pension. This report does not distinguish between a veteran and a “civilian veteran.” Some

veterans counted in this report may currently be on active duty due to re-enlistment to active duty or due 

to activation from the Reserve Forces to active duty. In contrast, “civilian veterans” (as defined by the 

Census Bureau and in VA’s official counts) are those no longer on active duty. 

VBA continues to work with VA's Office of Policy, Planning and Preparedness to resolve differences in 

the number of estimated living Gulf War veterans counted in GWVIS and those determined to be Gulf 

War veterans in VetPop2004, v1.0 which is 4,423,000 as of November 30, 2005. VetPop2004 

estimates the number of civilian veterans (veterans not on active duty), while the VBA counts unique 

social security numbers, and includes both civilian veterans and veterans who are on active duty. 

Moreover, VetPop2004 includes a combination of reported separations up through September 2003 and 

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projected separations after 2003 whereas VBA includes reported separations up through May 2005. The 

number of estimated living Gulf War veterans has increased as the number of service members 

discharged from active duty exceeded the number of Gulf War veterans who died.

Healthcare Enrollment Priority Group 

The table below describes VA Healthcare Priority Groups 1 through 8. 

Healthcare Enrollment Priority Group 

Priority 

Group Description of Priority Group 

Priority 1 • Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 50% or more disabling, or 

• Veterans determined by VA to be unemployable due to service-connected 

conditions 

Priority 2 Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 30% or 40% disabling 

Priority 3 • Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 10% or 20% disabling 

• Veterans who are former POWs

• Veterans awarded the Purple Heart 

• Veterans whose discharge was for a disability that began in the line of duty 

• Veterans who are disabled because of VA treatment or participation in VA 

vocational rehabilitation program

• Veterans whose receipt of disability compensation is suspended because of the 

receipt of military retired pay 

• Veterans receiving compensation at the 10 percent rating level based on 

multiple non-compensable service-connected disabilities that clearly interfere 

with normal employability 

Priority 4 • Veterans who are receiving aid and attendance or housebound benefits (on

pension) from VA 

• Veterans who have been determined by VA to be catastrophically disabled 

Priority 5 • Veterans receiving VA pension benefits 

• Veterans who are eligible for Medicaid programs 

• Veterans with income and assets below VA Means Test Thresholds 

Priority 6 • Veterans with 0% service-connected conditions, but receiving VA 

compensation 

• Veterans seeking care only for disorders relating to Ionizing Radiation and 

Project 112/SHAD 

• Veterans seeking care for Agent Orange Exposure during service in Vietnam 

• Veterans seeking care for Gulf War Illness or for conditions related to exposure 

to Environmental Contaminants during service in the Persian Gulf

• Veterans of World War I or the Mexican Border War 

• Veterans who served in combat in a war after the Gulf War or during a period 

of hostility after November 11, 1998 for 2 years following discharge or release 

from the military 

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Priority 

Group Description of Priority Group 

Priority 7 Veterans who agree to pay specified copayments with income and/or net worth above 

VA Means Test threshold and income below the Geographic Means Test Threshold 

• Subpriority a: Noncompensable 0% service-connected veterans who were 

enrolled in VA Health Care System on a specified date and who have remained 

enrolled since that date 

• Subpriority c: Nonservice-connected veterans who were enrolled in the VA 

Health Care System on a specified date and who have remained enrolled since 

that date 

• Subpriority e: Noncompensable 0% service-connected veterans not included in 

Subpriority a above. VA is not currently using Subpriority e

• Subpriority g: Nonservice-connected veterans not included in Subpriority c 

above. VA is not currently using Subpriority g

Priority 8 Veterans who agree to pay specified copayments with income and/or net worth above 

VA Means Test Threshold and the Geographic Means Test Threshold 

• Subpriority a: Noncompensable 0% service-connected veterans enrolled as of 

January 16, 2003 and who have remained enrolled since that date 

• Subpriority c: Nonservice-connected veterans enrolled as of January 16, 2003 

and who have remained enrolled since that date 

• Subpriority e: Noncompensable 0% service-connected veterans applying for 

enrollment after January 16, 2003 

• Subpriority g: Nonservice-connected veterans applying for enrollment after 

January 16, 2003 

Khamisiyah

Khamisiyah is a subset of the Conflict category. The DoD identified 145,467 service members as having 

served in and around the Khamisiyah Ammunition Supply Point in Iraq at the time of the demolition of 

chemical warfare munitions. On March 4, 1991, and on March 10, 1991, the U.S. military destroyed 

Iraqi “chemical warfare agent rockets,” possibly exposing U.S. service members to low levels of 

chemical warfare agents. Based on the most recent analysis of Khamisiyah, the military believes 

101,761 service members were possibly exposed to low-level chemical warfare agents. Additional 

information about the current Khamisiyah analysis can be viewed at DoD’s web site: 

http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/khamisiyah_iii/

Limitations: On December 21, 2004, VA received an updated list of 145,467 service members from 

DoD who were possibly in the hazard areas according to at least one of DoD’s modeling efforts or 

DoD’s 50-kilometer radius analysis. This is an increase of 2 service members' records since November 

2004 based on new data from DoD. In this GWVIS report, VBA displayed compensation and pension 

statistics on 145,451 service members. VA and DoD have completed their review of service member 

records. However, there is a possibility of future changes, if needed, based on review by DoD. 

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Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations

Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations is a subset of Service Member Separations. Non-Activated 

Reserve Forces Separations identifies individuals with current and former Reserve Forces service and a 

discharge from Reserve Forces on or after August 2, 1990. Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations 

are counted under Estimated Living Veterans only when the individual becomes either serviceconnected or a pensioner. All Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations are counted, regardless of: 

• Length of enlistment 

• Re-enlistment 

• Character of service 

• Death 

Limitations: Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations may include service members who are veterans 

due to active duty service prior to the start of the Gulf War on August 2, 1990. Due to system

limitations, VA cannot determine the status of these service members’ active duty service, if any. 

Non-Activated Reserve Forces, Service-Connected 

This category identifies a subset of Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations who are serviceconnected or who are pensioners. This category is included in the count of veterans because they are 

receiving service-connected or war-time related benefits. 

Limitations: Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations may include service members who are veterans 

due to active duty service prior to the start of the Gulf War on August 2, 1990. Due to system

limitations, VA cannot determine the status of these service members’ active duty service, if any.

Nonservice-Connected, No Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans who do not qualify for VA compensation or pension. 

VA determined the veteran did not qualify for compensation because none of the veterans’ conditions 

are related to military service. In addition, VA determined the veteran did not qualify for a pension 

based on VA’s disability and income requirements. This denial is called “nonservice-connected,” or 

“NSC.” This is not a cumulative count. 

Nonservice-Connected, Receiving Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA determined the veteran’s condition(s) were 

not related to military service. This denial is called “nonservice-connected,” or “NSC.” However, the 

veteran qualifies for a pension due to a nonservice-connected disability and income qualifications. This 

is not a cumulative count.

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Other Conflict

Other Conflict is a subset of Conflict. Other Conflict identifies active duty service members deployed to 

Southwest Asia during the Gulf War, from August 2, 1990, through July 31, 1991, not already identified 

in the categories Al Jubayl and Khamisiyah. This includes Active Duty as well as Activated Reserve 

Forces. 

Reserve Forces 

This category includes military service members from the following seven Reserve Forces components: 

Air National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Army National Guard, 

Army Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve. 

Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, No Compensation or Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected condition 

at ten percent (10%) or higher. However, the veteran is not in receipt of compensation or pension 

payments. For example, this category includes service-connected military retiree veterans who are 

entitled to VA compensation but who elected not to receive it. It also includes veterans with disability 

severance pay who are on the Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL) and the Permanent 

Disability Retirement List (PDRL). This is not a cumulative count. 

Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, Receiving Compensation or Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected condition 

at ten percent (10%) or higher, and the veteran receives compensation or pension payments. This is not 

a cumulative count.

Service-Connected Zero (0%) Percent, Receiving Compensation or Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected condition 

at zero percent (0%). The veteran qualifies for pension payments based on nonservice-connected 

disability and income, or the veteran qualifies for compensation based on VA regulations for multiple 

zero percent service-connected conditions. This is not a cumulative count.

Service-Connected Zero (0%) Percent, No Compensation or Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected condition 

at zero percent (0%). However, the veteran does not qualify for compensation or pension payments. 

This is not a cumulative count.

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Service Members

Service Members identifies individuals with any military service on or after August 2, 1990, the start of 

the Gulf War. VA identifies Service Members because they may be eligible for VA benefits (education, 

life insurance, home loan guaranty, and compensation and pension) under certain conditions This 

includes: 

• Active Duty Services: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard 

• Reserve Components: Air National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force 

Reserve, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve 

All Service Members are counted, regardless of: 

• Length of enlistment 

• Re-enlistment 

• Character of service 

• Death 

• Activated Reserve Forces 

• Non-Activated Reserve Forces 

Limitations: Individuals in the Public Health Service (PHS) or in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) are not identified or counted as Service Members. Details about the benefit use 

of individuals in PHS and NOAA are not provided in this report. 

Service Member Separations

Service Member Separations is a subset of Service Members. Service Member Separations identifies 

individuals with a discharge from military service on or after August 2, 1990. 

Service Member Separations equals the sum of three categories: 

• Active Duty Separations 

• Activated Reserve Forces Separations 

• Non-Activated Reserve Forces Separations 

All Service Members Separations are counted, regardless of: 

• Length of enlistment 

• Re-enlistment 

• Character of service 

• Death 

• Activated Reserve Forces 

• Non-Activated Reserve Forces

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

Theater 

Theater is a subset of Deployed. Theater identifies active duty service members who deployed to 

Southwest Asia during the Gulf War from August 1, 1991, until the present. This includes Active Duty 

as well as Activated Reserve Forces. Service members who served in both the Conflict and the Theater 

time periods are reported only under Conflict. 

Limitations: VA defines the Southwest Asia theater as Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone 

between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the 

Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations. 

Total

Total equals the sum of the categories Deployed and Era.

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Claims Denied Service Connection

An undiagnosed illness (UDX) claim is denied when VA determines none of the veteran’s UDX 

conditions met eligibility requirements under VA regulations. This denial is called “nonserviceconnected,” or “NSC.” 

Limitations: There may be overlap between the categories Undiagnosed Claims Denied Service 

Connection and Claims Granted Service Connection. This happens when a veteran had all UDX 

conditions denied and a veteran has at least one diagnosed condition granted. The Theater category 

contains counts of veterans granted and denied UDX claims even though DMDC reports some of the 

veterans as Era (non deployed). VA is reviewing these veterans’ records with DoD to determine the 

veterans’ correct deployment status. This is not a cumulative count.

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Claims Granted Service Connection

A veteran’s undiagnosed illness (UDX) claim is granted when VA determines at least one of the 

veteran’s UDX conditions meets eligibility requirements under VA regulations for service connection. 

This grant is called “service-connected,” or “SC.” This category is a subset of Claims Granted Service 

Connection because the veteran has at least one granted condition. For veterans who filed a claim for 

more than one UDX condition, this category contains veterans with a full grant of all UDX conditions as 

well as veterans with a combination of grants and denials for UDX conditions. Disabilities are 

evaluated according to VA regulations, and the extent of the disability is expressed as a percentage from

zero percent to 100 percent, in increments of 10 percent. Undiagnosed (UDX) Claims Granted Service 

Connection includes all service-connected UDX disabilities, from zero percent to 100 percent, 

regardless if the veteran receives compensation.

Limitations: The Theater category contains counts of veterans granted and denied UDX claims even 

though DMDC reports some of the veterans as Era (non deployed). VA is reviewing these veterans’ 

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

records with DoD to determine the veterans’ correct deployment status. This report provides the current 

count of veterans granted service connection for a UDX condition. This is not a cumulative count. 

Therefore, the count may increase, decrease, or remain the same. The count may decrease if a serviceconnected veteran’s UDX condition was subsequently diagnosed or resolved. 

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Claims Processed

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) Claims Processed equals the total of Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) Claims

Granted Service Connection and Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) Claims Denied Service Connection. 

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) Claims Processed does not include pending claims. This is not a 

cumulative count. 

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Nonservice-Connected, No Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans who do not qualify for VA compensation or pension. 

VA determined the veteran did not qualify for compensation because none of the veterans’ Undiagnosed 

Illness (UDX) conditions are related to military service. In addition, VA determined the veteran did not 

qualify for a pension based on VA’s disability and income requirements. This denial is called 

“nonservice-connected,” or “NSC.” This is not a cumulative count.

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Nonservice-Connected, Receiving Compensation or 

Pension

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA determined the veteran’s undiagnosed UDX 

condition(s) did not meet VA regulations for service connection. This denial is called “nonserviceconnected,” or “NSC.” However, the veteran qualified for a pension due to disability and low income, 

or the veteran was granted service connection for a diagnosed condition. 

Limitations: There may be overlap between the category Undiagnosed (UDX) Nonservice-connected 

Receiving Compensation or Pension and the category Claims Granted Service Connection. This 

happens when a veteran had all UDX conditions denied and has at least one diagnosed condition 

granted. This is not a cumulative count.

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, No 

Compensation or Pension 

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected 

Undiagnosed Illness condition at ten percent (10%) or higher. However, the veteran is not in receipt of 

compensation or pension payments. For example, this category includes service-connected military 

retiree veterans who are entitled to VA compensation but who elected not to receive it. It also includes 

veterans with disability severance pay who are on the Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL) and 

the Permanent Disability Retirement List (PDRL).This is not a cumulative count. 

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Gulf War Veterans Information System November 2005

26

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Service-Connected Ten Percent (10%) or Greater, Receiving 

Compensation or Pension 

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected 

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) condition at ten percent (10%) or higher, and the veteran receives 

compensation or pension payments. This is not a cumulative count. 

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Service-Connected Zero (0%) Percent, No Compensation or 

Pension 

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected 

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX) condition at zero percent (0%). However, the veteran does not qualify for 

compensation or pension payments. This is not a cumulative count.

Undiagnosed Illness (UDX), Service-Connected Zero Percent (0%), Receiving 

Compensation or Pension 

This category identifies the number of veterans where VA rated at least one service-connected condition 

at zero percent (0%). The veteran qualifies for pension payments based on nonservice-connected 

disability and income, or the veteran qualifies for compensation based on VA regulations for multiple 

zero percent service-connected conditions. This is not a cumulative count.

Unique Count of Veterans Using Vet Centers

This category counts the number of unique veterans where the Readjustment Counseling Service Vet 

Center (RCSVC) computer system indicates the veteran sought or is using RCSVC services. 

 

Veteran Deaths

Identifies deceased veterans reported only in VBA’s Compensation and Pension Master Record (CPMR) 

and the Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS). 

Limitations: These counts reflect raw data that have not been subjected to any statistical analysis nor 

adjusted in any way to make it a mortality study. There has been no adjustment to account for age, 

gender, race, and other items required for a valid mortality study. In addition, the data will not reflect 

deaths reported after November 2005. The use of these data to draw conclusions regarding mortality 

rates will result in inaccurate conclusions. For analysis of Gulf War veteran mortality, see “Mortality 

among US Veterans of the Persian Gulf War: 7-Year Follow-up,” Han K. Kang and Tim A. Bullman, 

American Journal of Epidemiology, 2001, 154(5): 399-405.