Resources for Military & Veterans

The Golden West Chapter of the ALS Association is working everyday to support people with ALS and their families, including our heroes who have served in the military and who have a greater chance of developing ALS than those who have not served.

This site is designed specifically for veterans with ALS, their families, and survivors. Here you will learn what benefits are available, how you can apply for benefits, and receive answers to frequently asked questions.

Also available on this site are links to resources and tools that veterans can use to participate in advocacy efforts that make a difference in improving benefits for veterans and advancing research for effective treatments and cures.

How to Apply for Benefits

Even though a diagnosis of ALS is presumed to be service connected the veteran must still apply for benefits and enroll in the VA health care system. It is important that this be done as soon as possible after diagnosis as benefits, including compensation, are retroactive to the date of application for new applicants.

When applying for either VA Health Care or service connected benefits we encourage you to contact:

The Golden West Chapter of The ALS Association
A veteran service organization (VSO) such as Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), American Legion or Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

These organizations will help ensure that the required information and forms are properly completed and submitted so that your claim can be processed as quickly as possible. They are also up to date on the latest requirements and benefits available and can help guide you through the applications process

The application for benefits consists of filling out the appropriate form and submitting any required documentation. The forms are:

Service connection for ALS provides a minimum rating of 100% but the overall level of benefits will be based on the disability across all systems.

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 this paper, 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.

Join the Roll Call of Veterans of Honor

Resources for Military & Veterans

Living with ALS

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