NewsBytes August 28, 2026

In this issue:
Troops Get Exposure Records
Abbey Gate Valor Upgrades
VA Health Records Reach Indiana
New VA Records Portal
Gulf War Recognition Push

Troops Get Exposure Records
The Department of War has officially expanded access to the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) web portal, providing active-duty, reserve, and guard personnel with unprecedented, direct visibility into their documented occupational, environmental, and deployment-related exposures. The updated platform not only allows service members to view their official exposure history, but also introduces a key self-reporting feature that enables troops to formally submit exposure data that may be missing from their official records.

Service members holding an active Common Access Card (CAC), including active-duty personnel and retirees with active CAC privileges, are strongly encouraged to log into the ILER system to review their complete history. Defense health officials emphasize that checking and updating ILER profiles is especially critical following operational deployments, permanent changes of station (PCS), or during transition planning prior to separation or retirement. Looking ahead, the Department of Veterans Affairs is forecasted to roll out expanded veteran access to ILER using VA-approved verification credentials beginning in the Fall of 2026.

The FRA urges all active-duty and retired Shipmates to proactively access and review their ILER files. For decades, sea service personnel operating in engine rooms, flight decks, firing ranges, and overseas combat theaters have faced toxic hazards and blast overpressures that were historically difficult to track. Ensuring that every occupational and toxic exposure is fully documented, or self-reported, directly protects your health and fulfills a critical element of the "Sacred Trust," guaranteeing seamless VA disability recognition and specialized healthcare coverage throughout your post-service life.

Abbey Gate Valor Upgrades
Five years after the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan, defense leaders officially upgraded the combat valor awards for three Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. During a ceremony at the Pentagon, Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the Bronze Star Medal with Valor to retired Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Eby and retired Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor to retired Cpl. Michael Gretzon.

Following the blast that killed 13 U.S. service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians, the three Marines stepped forward in the immediate aftermath:

Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Eby: Reorganized remaining forces, re-established perimeter security, and oversaw the emergency evacuation of wounded personnel.

Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston: Pulled multiple injured Marines to safety despite suffering blast injuries himself amid gunfire and tear gas clouds.

Cpl. Michael Gretzon: Maintained an exposed position to control desperate crowds and facilitate medical evacuation for severely wounded casualties.

The FRA commends the Department of War for recognizing the unyielding heroism of these Marines. For years, our sea service personnel operating in high-risk expeditionary environments have put their lives on the line for their brothers and sisters in arms. Upgrading these awards ensures that historical records accurately reflect their combat bravery, fulfilling a core duty of honoring our warfighters' sacrifices.

VA Health Records Reach Indiana
The Department of Veterans Affairs expanded its accelerated health IT rollout on August 22 by deploying the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system across three major medical centers in Indiana (the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis and the Northern Indiana Health Care System facilities in Fort Wayne and Marion), along with 16 regional outpatient clinics.

The Indiana deployment connects over 102,000 veterans and 6,000 VA staff to a single digital health network. Across 2026, the VA has now deployed the modern EHR to 11 hospital systems, bringing the nationwide total to over 617,000 veterans. The standardized software enables seamless transfer of medical data between the VA, Department of Defense, and private sector providers, preventing redundant clinical testing and speeding up care delivery for military personnel transitioning into the VA system.

The FRA strongly supports modernizing health IT infrastructure to ensure seamless medical transitions for separating sea service personnel. Establishing a unified electronic health record eliminates administrative delays, speeds up disability claims evidence gathering, and ensures our active-duty Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen carry complete medical histories directly into veteran status.

New VA Records Portal
To eliminate administrative delays and simplify record retrieval, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a modernized FOIA and Personal Records Request portal. The centralized online hub allows veterans, surviving family members, and accredited representatives to select specific record categories such as C-Files, Service Treatment Records, DD-214s, and C&P exam reports, and to immediately access or submit the correct digital forms.

By pairing the portal with VA Form 20-10206 (Freedom of Information Act / Privacy Act Request), veterans can submit digital identity verifications online without mailing paper applications to Janesville, Wisconsin. Department officials noted that standardizing digital submission pathways provides better tracking visibility within electronic claims files, helping veterans gather necessary service evidence faster for ongoing benefit appeals.

The FRA commends the VA for reducing paperwork burdens for veterans seeking their official records. Accessing personal medical and service files is essential when filing service-connection claims or appealing benefits decisions. Providing a clear, online self-service option helps our Shipmates avoid unnecessary administrative gridlock.

Visit the VA FOIA website at: https://department.va.gov/foia/ 
 

Gulf War Recognition Push
A coalition of Gulf War veterans and national advocates is mounting a renewed push demanding that federal agencies fully recognize Gulf War Illness (GWI) as a service-connected toxic exposure condition and declassify remaining government documents tied to chemical exposure events from the 1990 to 1991 conflict. Advocates emphasize that despite recent steps such as the CDC approving a formal diagnostic code, thousands of aging veterans continue to battle chronic undiagnosed symptoms while facing high denial rates on VA disability claims.

The advocacy push comes at a critical juncture as the VA's long-standing December 31, 2026, manifestation deadline approaches for Gulf War undiagnosed illness presumptions. Under current regulations, veterans must prove their undiagnosed chronic symptoms manifested to at least a 10 percent disabling degree before the end of 2026 to utilize presumptive claim rules. Veteran groups argue that without formal toxic exposure designations and full document declassification regarding chemical depot demolitions, thousands of affected warfighters risk being locked into higher evidentiary burdens.

The FRA strongly supports Gulf War veterans in their fight for full recognition and transparent medical records. For over three decades, sea service personnel who served in the Persian Gulf theater have lived with debilitating, unexplained health conditions. The Association maintains that the VA and Department of War must ensure no Gulf War veteran is left behind due to arbitrary manifestation deadlines or classified record barriers.