38 U.S.C. § 1101

For the purposes of this chapter— (1) The term “veteran” includes a person who died in the active military, naval, air, or space service. (2) The term “period of war” includes, in the case of any veteran— (A) any period of service performed by such veteran after November 11, 1918 , and before July 2, 1921 , if such veteran served in the active military, naval, air, or space service after April 5, 1917 , and before November 12, 1918 ; and (B) any period of continuous service performed by such veteran after December 31, 1946 , and before July 26, 1947 , if such period began before January 1, 1947 . (3) The term “chronic disease” includes— Anemia, primary Arteriosclerosis Arthritis Atrophy, progressive muscular Brain hemorrhage Brain thrombosis Bronchiectasis Calculi of the kidney, bladder, or gallbladder Cardiovascular-renal disease, including hypertension Cirrhosis of the liver Coccidioidomycosis Diabetes mellitus Encephalitis lethargica residuals Endocarditis Endocrinopathies Epilepsies Hansen’s disease Hodgkin’s disease Leukemia Lupus erythematosus, systemic Myasthenia gravis Myelitis Myocarditis Nephritis Organic diseases of the nervous system Osteitis deformans (Paget’s disease) Osteomalacia Palsy, bulbar Paralysis agitans Psychoses Purpura idiopathic, hemorrhagic Raynaud’s disease Sarcoidosis Scleroderma Sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis, multiple Syringomyelia Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger’s disease) Tuberculosis, active Tumors, malignant, or of the brain or spinal cord or peripheral nerves Ulcers, peptic (gastric or duodenal) and such other chronic diseases as the Secretary may add to this list. (4) The term “tropical disease” includes— Amebiasis Blackwater fever Cholera Dracontiasis Dysentery Filiariasis Hansen’s disease Leishmaniasis, including kala-azar Loiasis Malaria Onchocerciasis Oroya fever Pinta Plague Schistosomiasis Yaws Yellow fever and such other tropical diseases as the Secretary may add to this list.