Air Force Disability: IDES, VA Claims, and Ratings

Air Force disability benefits come from two separate systems: while you are still on active duty, the Department of Defense and VA jointly decide through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System whether you can keep serving and what compensation you leave with; after you separate, the VA pays tax-free monthly compensation for any service-connected condition, at ratings from 0 to 100 percent, along with healthcare and a range of other benefits keyed to that rating.

The Two Systems You May Deal With

The distinction matters because it changes what you can be paid for. The Air Force only compensates for conditions that render you unfit for military service. The VA compensates for any service-connected condition rated under its Schedule for Rating Disabilities. It is common for a member’s VA rating across all claimed conditions to be higher than the DoD rating used to decide separation or retirement.

If you are still serving and a physician has referred you for evaluation, you are in IDES. If you have already separated, or you are within a few months of separating, you file directly with the VA.

Conditions Air Force Service Commonly Causes

Air Force health risks come from working around aircraft, complex maintenance environments, high-altitude flight, and deployments to austere locations. The conditions most often claimed reflect that.

Hearing loss and tinnitus. Jet engines can produce noise levels of 140 decibels, and repeated exposure at or above 85 decibels causes permanent hearing damage. Tinnitus is the single most commonly claimed VA disability condition across all branches, with over 2.3 million veterans compensated for it. Tinnitus receives a flat 10 percent rating regardless of severity; hearing loss ratings run from 0 to 100 percent based on audiological testing.¹²
Back and musculoskeletal injuries. Chronic spinal conditions are rated on range of motion, from 10 percent for mild limitation up to 100 percent for complete unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.³
Cancers linked to cosmic radiation. Airmen in flying career fields face increased exposure to cosmic ionizing radiation at altitude, linked to higher breast cancer rates in female aircrew and elevated skin cancer risk.¹
PTSD and other mental health conditions. In-flight emergencies, equipment failures, and combat deployments all contribute. Airmen sometimes delay reporting because PTSD is disqualifying for aviation duties.¹
Asbestos-related illness including mesothelioma. Asbestos was historically used in aircraft brakes, cockpit heating, heat shields, gaskets, and wiring, and in on-base facilities. Maintainers who inhaled asbestos dust are at particular risk.¹
Agent Orange conditions for C-123 crews. Air Force and Air Force Reserve veterans who regularly operated, maintained, or served aboard C-123 aircraft used during Operation Ranch Hand may qualify for presumptive service connection for diabetes, ischemic heart disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, and prostate cancer.⁴

PACT Act and Toxic Exposure Presumptives

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, known as the PACT Act, expanded VA eligibility for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, radiation, and other toxins. Under a presumptive, veterans who served in designated locations during specified timeframes do not have to individually prove their illness was caused by service.⁵

Burn Pit and Deployment Exposure

Veterans who served in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, the UAE, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, or Yemen on or after August 2, 1990 (Gulf War era) or on or after September 11, 2001 are presumed to have been exposed to burn pits and other toxins.⁵

Presumptive cancers include brain cancer, glioblastoma, gastrointestinal cancers, head and neck cancers, kidney cancer, lymphomas, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, reproductive cancers, and respiratory cancers. Presumptive respiratory illnesses include asthma diagnosed after service, COPD, chronic bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, chronic rhinitis, constrictive bronchiolitis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and sarcoidosis. Gulf War veterans may also receive benefits for medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and functional gastrointestinal disorders.⁴

Radiation Exposure

The VA recognizes presumptive service connection for a broad list of cancers and other conditions tied to radiation-risk activities. These include atmospheric nuclear weapons testing between 1945 and 1962, underground testing at the Nevada Test Site and Amchitka Island, the occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and specific Air Force operations including the plutonium cleanup at Palomares, Spain (January 1966 through March 1967) and Thule, Greenland (January through September 1968).⁶

Cold War-era airmen who handled nuclear weapons or served at places like the Nevada Test and Training Range have a harder path. The VA does not currently classify general NTTR service as a radiation-risk activity, and the specific dose documentation the VA asks for is often unavailable. Pending legislation, including the PRESUME Act and PROTECT Act, would extend presumptive coverage to veterans simply present at known exposure sites, and the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act contains language aimed at developing a process to assist them.⁷

If You Were Previously Denied

Veterans whose toxic-exposure claims were denied before the PACT Act can reapply using VA Form 20-0995 (Supplemental Claim). The VA is required to conduct outreach to previously denied veterans. If your claim was pending when the PACT Act passed, the VA applies presumptive status automatically. Benefits are backdated to your original filing date.⁸

How the IDES Process Works for Active-Duty Airmen

The DoD and VA jointly evaluate active-duty members through IDES with a goal timeline of 230 days across four phases.⁹

Medical Evaluation Board

The MEB begins when a physician refers you and has a goal timeline of 100 days. A Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Officer manages your case, and a Military Service Coordinator handles the VA portion and schedules medical exams. The MEB itself is two to three medical officers reviewing your file, with a psychiatrist required on any mental health case.¹⁰⁹

After your MEB briefing you have seven days to act. You can concur, request an Impartial Medical Review by an independent physician, submit a rebuttal letter, or submit a Letter of Exception stating your preferences on retention or separation.¹¹

Physical Evaluation Board

The PEB phase has a 120-day goal and decides whether you are “fit” or “unfit” for continued service. The Informal PEB has at least two members, including a physician and a field-grade or higher personnel officer. If you are found unfit, the VA Disability Rating Activity Site assigns ratings for the unfitting conditions.¹¹

If you disagree with the Informal PEB, you can accept, request a one-time reconsideration of the VA rating, or demand a Formal PEB. The Formal PEB is a courtroom-style hearing where a Judge Advocate attorney represents you.¹⁰

What Happens if You Are Found Unfit

The outcome depends on your rating and years of service.

Discharge with severance pay. If your rating is below 30 percent and you have fewer than 20 years of active service. Severance pay is a lump sum equal to two months of basic pay times years of service, with a minimum of three years (six for combat-zone disabilities) and a maximum of 19 years.¹²
Permanent retirement. If your rating is 30 percent or higher, or you have 20 or more years of service, and the condition is stable. You go on the Permanent Disability Retired List with full retiree benefits.¹³
Temporary Disability Retired List. For unstable conditions meeting the retirement threshold. You are re-evaluated at least every 18 months, or every six months for mental health conditions. If the condition later stabilizes below 30 percent and you have under 20 years, you are discharged from TDRL with severance pay.¹⁰¹³
Limited Assignment Status. Available at 15 to 19 years of service if you have a stable unfitting condition and expertise the Air Force needs, letting you stay on active duty under restricted duties.¹⁰

Retired pay for TDRL and PDRL members is calculated by whichever of two methods pays more: one based on the disability percentage (with a 50 percent floor used for TDRL payment purposes) and one based on years of active service.¹³

Support Available During IDES

Your PEBLO is your primary point of contact, pulling documentation together and explaining outcomes. The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program assigns a Recovery Care Coordinator for appointments, transition courses, and community resources. The independent Office of Disability Counsel provides legal guidance at any phase. AFW2 currently supports nearly 3,000 service members and is reachable at 800-581-9437.¹⁴¹⁵

Filing a VA Disability Claim After Service

After separating, you file for VA compensation using VA Form 21-526EZ. You can submit it online at VA.gov, mail it to the VA Claims Intake Center in Janesville, Wisconsin, file in person at a VA regional office, or work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization.¹⁶

File Before You Leave Through BDD

If you know your separation date, the Benefits Delivery at Discharge program lets you file 180 to 90 days before you leave. You have to provide service treatment records for your current period of service, complete Separation Health Assessment Part A, and be available for 45 days for VA exams. The VA’s goal is to deliver a decision within 30 days of your discharge. BDD is not available if you are seriously ill, injured, terminally ill, hospitalized, or need exams outside the continental United States (limited exceptions at Landstuhl, Germany and Camp Humphreys, Korea); in those cases, use the standard or fully developed claim process.¹⁷

What Your Claim Needs to Prove

A successful VA claim has three elements: a current medical diagnosis, evidence of an in-service event or exposure, and a medical nexus linking the two. Bring your DD214, service treatment records, and outside medical evidence such as doctor’s reports and test results.¹⁸

Buddy statements from fellow service members, family, or friends, submitted on VA Form 21-10210, describe when symptoms started and how they progressed. For noise-induced hearing loss, documenting a flight-line or maintenance MOS is critical to the in-service exposure element.²

A nexus letter from a medical professional carries significant weight. It should state that your condition is “at least as likely as not” caused by or related to your service and reference specific details such as noise exposure, deployments, or occupational duties. If your Air Force records were destroyed in the 1973 National Personnel Records Center fire, the VA can help reconstruct them.¹⁸

You can file either a Fully Developed Claim, submitting all available evidence up front for potentially faster processing, or a Standard Claim, where the VA takes on more of the evidence-gathering.¹⁸

The C&P Exam

The Compensation and Pension exam is usually the most consequential step. The VA or a contractor schedules it; you cannot schedule it yourself. The exam gathers evidence on whether your condition is service-connected and how severe it is. The examiner may perform a physical exam, ask questions from the Disability Benefits Questionnaire, and order tests like X-rays or blood work at no cost.¹⁹

Arrive 15 minutes early, wear comfortable clothing, and present yourself as you appear on a typical day. Be forthright about symptoms and how they affect daily life. Many examiners are contract providers unfamiliar with Air Force specifics, so be explicit about what you did and what you were exposed to.²⁰

Missing an exam without good cause (hospitalization, a death in the family, homelessness) usually means the VA decides your claim on the existing record, which often produces a lower rating or a denial. If you need to reschedule, contact the facility at least 48 hours ahead. Contract exams can typically only be rescheduled once, and the new appointment has to fall within five days.¹⁹

How Long It Takes

After you file, the VA confirms receipt, does an initial review, gathers evidence (which may include the C&P exam), reviews the record, assigns a rating, prepares a decision letter, runs a final senior review, and issues the decision. As of February 2026, the average time to complete a disability-related claim is roughly 77 days.²¹

How Ratings and Payments Work

The VA assigns ratings in 10-percent increments from 0 to 100 percent. When you have multiple service-connected conditions, the VA combines them using its combined ratings table rather than adding them, under a “whole person theory” that keeps the total from exceeding 100 percent.³

The math starts with your highest-rated condition, subtracts it from 100 to give your remaining “efficiency,” and then applies each further rating to that remainder. Two conditions rated 50 and 30 combine to 65 percent (50 from 100 leaves 50; 30 percent of 50 is 15; 50 plus 15 is 65). Add a 10 percent condition and the value becomes 69, which rounds to 70. Values ending in 5 through 9 round up; values ending in 1 through 4 round down.³²²

Monthly Payment Amounts

VA disability compensation is tax-free and adjusted each year to match the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. The COLA for benefits effective December 1, 2025 was 2.5 percent.²³ Current monthly rates for a veteran with no dependents:

10%: $180.42
20%: $356.66
30%: $552.47
40%: $795.84
50%: $1,132.90
60%: $1,435.02
70%: $1,808.45
80%: $2,102.15
90%: $2,362.30
100%: $3,938.58

²⁴

At 30 percent or higher you also receive additional compensation for dependents. Spouse aid and attendance additions run from $61 at 30 percent to $201.41 at 100 percent, with additional amounts for children under 18 and children over 18 in school.²⁴

Secondary Claims Can Raise Your Rating

Conditions caused or aggravated by an existing service-connected disability are compensable, but only if you file for them. The VA does not add secondaries automatically; you file a separate claim and provide a medical nexus opinion stating the secondary condition is “at least as likely as not” caused or worsened by the primary one.²⁵

Common Air Force secondaries include sleep apnea secondary to PTSD, depression or anxiety secondary to chronic pain from back injuries, radiculopathy secondary to spinal conditions, and joint problems from an altered gait after a knee or hip injury.

TDIU When You Cannot Work

If your disabilities prevent substantially gainful employment, you can be paid at the 100 percent rate through Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability even if your combined schedular rating is lower. You generally need one disability rated at 60 percent or higher, or a combined rating of 70 percent or higher with at least one condition at 40 percent or more. Veterans who fall short may still qualify on an extraschedular basis if their disability picture is exceptional. About 350,000 veterans receive TDIU. Apply using VA Form 21-8940.²⁶²⁷

Retirees: CRDP and CRSC

Military retirees who also receive VA disability compensation are normally subject to a dollar-for-dollar offset, waiving a portion of gross DoD retired pay equal to their VA payment. Two programs restore some or all of that lost pay.²⁸

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) is available to retirees with a combined VA rating of 50 percent or greater. Chapter 61 disability retirees need at least 20 years of service. CRDP is automatic (no application) and taxable.²⁷

Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) is available to retirees whose disabilities are determined to be combat-related. It requires an application. Air Force retirees submit DD Form 2860 to the United States Air Force Personnel Center Disability Division at Randolph AFB, Texas (1-800-616-3775). CRSC payments are non-taxable.²⁷

You can qualify for both programs but can only receive one. Rating changes often trigger retroactive adjustments between DFAS and the VA, and in fewer than 2 percent of cases those adjustments produce a debt that has to be repaid.²⁸

Other Benefits Tied to Your Rating

Your rating unlocks benefits beyond the monthly check. Higher ratings open more of them.

VA healthcare. No-cost care for any condition at 10 percent or higher. At 0 percent, no-cost care applies to your service-connected disabilities if you meet income limits.²⁹
Commissary, exchange, and MWR access. Available with any service-connected rating, including 0 percent.²⁹
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31). Available at 10 percent or higher, though the 10 percent level requires showing a serious employment handicap.²⁹
Additional dependent compensation. Starts at 30 percent.²⁹
VA home loan funding fee waiver. Available at compensable 0 percent and above.²⁹
CHAMPVA for dependents. Available when the veteran is rated permanently and totally disabled or at 100 percent.²⁹
Federal hiring preference. A 10-point preference at all service-connected rating levels, with direct hire authority beginning at 30 percent.²⁹
Property tax exemptions. Every state offers some form of relief to disabled veterans, though eligibility thresholds and amounts vary widely. Many states fully exempt veterans rated at 100 percent; others scale benefits from lower ratings. Apply through your local county assessor; the exemption is not automatic.³⁰

If Your Claim Is Denied

For decisions issued on or after February 19, 2019, you have three review options.³¹

Supplemental Claim. Use this when you have new and relevant evidence that was not part of the original review. As of February 2026, the average processing time is 60.7 days, under the VA’s 125-day goal.³²
Higher-Level Review. A more senior VA adjudicator reviews the file. No new evidence allowed.
Board of Veterans’ Appeals. A Veterans Law Judge reviews the case. You can request a hearing, submit new evidence, or both.

You have one year from the date of the decision notification letter to request a review. Accredited attorneys, claims agents, and Veterans Service Organizations such as the DAV, VFW, and American Legion assist at no cost.³¹

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