Compensation benefits for health problems VA offers a variety of health care benefits to eligible Veterans. Ask to be screened for depleted uranium exposure. Veterans who served in the Gulf War, Bosnia, OEF, OIF, or OND may be eligible for the Depleted Uranium Follow-up Program at the Baltimore VA Medical Center, a program to screen and monitor health problems associated with depleted uranium exposure from friendly fire incidents. If you are concerned about depleted uranium exposure during service, talk to your health care provider or local VA Environmental Health Coordinator. The BMD results require further study to determine if they persist over time and researchers and clinicians continue to monitor the health of these Veterans. To date, in a group of Veterans exposed to DU in friendly fire events, there has been no health impact to the kidney noted, however, recent research shows there may be an association between elevated urine uranium in these Veterans and lower bone mineral density (BMD). Older studies in U manufacturing workers show high exposures to U may especially affect the kidneys. The potential for health effects from internal exposure is related to the amount of DU that enters a person’s body. Inhaled DU particles are likely cleared from the lungs over several years. DU fragments may remain for many years. Simply riding in a vehicle with DU weapons or DU shielding will not expose a service member to significant amounts of DU or external radiation. This is because U’s radiation, while of high energy, penetrates poorly through tissues in the body. Health problems associated with depleted uraniumĭU is a potential health hazard if it enters the body, such as through embedded fragments, contaminated wounds, and inhalation or ingestion. Small DU fragments can also scatter and become embedded in muscle and soft tissue. When a projectile made with DU penetrates a vehicle, small particles of DU can be formed and breathed in or swallowed by service members in the struck vehicle.

Some Gulf War, Bosnia, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) Veterans may have been exposed to DU when they were: on, in, or near vehicles hit with friendly fire entering or near burning vehicles near fires involving DU munitions or salvaging damaged vehicles.

VA Software Documentation Library (VDL).

Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations).

War Related Illness & Injury Study Center.

Military Exposure Related Health Concerns.

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