Share Your Experience

COWAC advocates for those affected by military occupational blast exposure, both the low-level blast of the training environment and deployment and the high-level blast of combat events such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), and explosively formed penetrators (EFPs), among others. What you tell us here helps us show Congress what this exposure does to real people. We read every submission and use what we learn in our advocacy and in reports to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees.

COWAC cannot give medical or legal advice, and we do not reply to submissions individually. If you need help with a VA claim, contact an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative, a VA-accredited claims agent, or an attorney. If you are in crisis, use the resources below.

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I am a *VeteranFamily memberSurvivor of a veteran

Branch of serviceArmyMarine CorpsNavyAir ForceSpace ForceCoast Guard

Years of service

MOS or military occupation

Type of blast exposure

• Low-level repetitive blast, in training or on deployment
• High-level blast event (IED, VBIED, or EFP)
• A combination of low-level and high-level blast

Primary blast exposure source

• Breaching
• Artillery
• Mortars
• Heavy weapons
• Shoulder-fired weapons
• Demolitions or EOD
• IED (improvised explosive device)
• VBIED (vehicle-borne IED)
• EFP (explosively formed penetrator)
• Other

I blast (optional)

Symptoms or impacts you have experienced

Share what you are comfortable sharing. Please do not include anything you would not want recorded.

Your experience with the VA claims process (optional)

What you want Congress to know *

Your name (optional)

If you are writing about a veteran who has died, please do not include their name or identifying details unless you check the permission box below.

Your email (optional)

Only if you are willing to let us follow up.

Consent *

• I understand that COWAC cannot provide medical or legal advice and will not reply to my submission individually. I agree that COWAC may use what I share in anonymized, aggregate form in its advocacy and in reports to Congress. COWAC will not publish my name or identifying details unless I give permission below.

Optional permission

• COWAC may contact me about what I shared and may quote me by name in its advocacy. Leave this unchecked to stay anonymous.

Submit

COWAC does not post submissions publicly. We use them only in anonymized, aggregate form. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle what you share.