Military veterans ages 20 to 39 had higher blood levels of several PFAS, the long-lasting synthetic compounds often called chemicals, than civilians of the same age, according to a Brown University study published in Environmental Health Perspectives and announced Sept. 14. Younger veterans were also 18% more likely than young nonveterans to exceed a blood level at which the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine advises clinical follow-up.
The findings point to a practical gap. The lead author says young male veterans should consider asking a doctor about PFAS testing, yet the Department of Veterans Affairs says on its PFAS information page that the test is not currently available at VA medical centers. That leaves veterans deciding whether to test elsewhere and how to pay for it.
The study does not show that PFAS caused any veteran's illness. It identifies a group that may warrant closer attention while federal agencies continue to review military exposures.
Survey Data from 2003 to 2018 Point to Younger Veterans
The team analyzed eight cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2018. After national survey weights were applied, the data represented an estimated 22.8 million U.S. adults over age 20 with prior military service.
Veterans ages 20 to 39 had PFAS concentrations 13% to 24% higher than nonveterans of the same age, depending on the chemical. The National Academies recommends clinical follow-up for people with PFAS levels above 20 nanograms per milliliter, and young veterans were more likely to exceed that level.
Lead author Christian Hoover, a predoctoral fellow in epidemiology at Brown's School of Public Health, said that for male veterans ages 20 to 39, "it would be advisable to speak to a physician about getting tested for PFAS levels." He also suggested that people in this group discuss PFAS-linked health conditions with a clinician to decide whether screening for them makes sense.
Co-author Joseph Braun, a professor of epidemiology at Brown, said younger veterans are more likely to have recent exposure through work and training. Braun said the common PFAS chemical PFOA has a half-life of about 1.5 to 2 years and that a large dose could take about a decade to leave the body, so levels tend to fall as veterans move further from military duty. Hoover noted that older veterans may still have had high levels when they were younger, even though the study could not detect it. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences funded the work.
Firefighting Foam, Bases, and Drinking Water
The researchers did not pinpoint a source, but they named firefighting foam, munitions, and contaminated groundwater as possibilities. The VA says the Defense Department began using aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to fight fuel fires in the 1970s and that releases during training and emergencies are a major source of groundwater contamination on bases.
According to the VA, the Defense Department identified 723 installations where PFAS may have been used or released, and the department planned to fully phase out PFAS-containing foam by October 2025. Drinking water is a separate route of exposure. The Environmental Protection Agency set the first national drinking water limits for several PFAS in April 2024. In May 2025, the agency said it would keep the limits for PFOA and PFOS while giving water systems until 2031 to comply, the VA notes.
A VA notice in the Federal Register published in December 2025 said the Pentagon is still identifying all of its uses of PFAS, so not every military exposure route is known.
What a Single Blood Test Can and Cannot Show
This was a cross-sectional analysis of national survey data, meaning PFAS levels were measured at one point in time, and groups were compared. It found an association between military service and higher levels. It did not show that military service caused those levels or that the levels caused disease. The data also end in 2018, before the planned foam phase-out, so today's service members may differ.
The VA describes similar limits for individual tests. A blood test cannot show when exposure happened or where it came from, and it cannot say whether PFAS has caused or will cause illness. Most people have been exposed to PFAS at low levels, and the VA describes the overall scientific evidence on the health effects it lists as inconclusive.
Still, the VA, citing the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, says some human studies suggest certain PFAS may be associated with higher cholesterol, immune system changes, thyroid disease, liver damage, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, and testicular and kidney cancers. The Brown team cited kidney and testicular cancers, liver and cardiovascular disease, and thyroid dysfunction.
Testing, Costs, and Benefits for Veterans
The VA says PFAS testing "is not currently available at VA medical centers," though the agency is reevaluating blood testing in light of new federal research. In its December 2025 notice, the VA said veterans who want testing may use private laboratories outside the VA system. Hoover said the Brown findings may help inform Veterans Health Administration policy on covering such tests. Veterans considering an outside lab should first ask whether insurance will pay.
A practical first step is to talk with a VA primary care team or a local VA Environmental Health Coordinator. Bringing service records and a list of duty stations can help a clinician assess possible exposures.
The researchers' recommendation focuses on male veterans ages 20 to 39. The VA also notes that military firefighters who used AFFF and people who drank contaminated water on bases may have been exposed. PFAS exposure does not cause a specific set of symptoms, so routine checkups matter, and National Academies guidance calls for added screening, including cholesterol testing, for people with elevated levels. A testicular lump, blood in the urine, or unexplained weight loss should be checked by a doctor regardless of exposure history.
On benefits, the VA says there are currently no presumptive conditions tied to military PFAS exposure, so disability claims are decided case by case. Since September 2024, the VA has been reviewing whether kidney cancer should be considered a presumptive condition for PFAS exposure under the PACT Act process. Its PFAS page, last updated in April 2026, still describes that review as ongoing.
MedicalDaily will track the VA's testing review and kidney cancer assessment. For young veterans, the study offers a reason to raise PFAS with a clinician, but a blood result is a starting point for that conversation, not a diagnosis.
Key Questions Answered
What did the Brown University study find?
Veterans ages 20 to 39 had PFAS blood concentrations 13% to 24% higher than nonveterans of the same age and were 18% more likely to exceed a level at which the National Academies recommends clinical follow-up.
Does this mean PFAS made veterans sick?
No. The study found an association between military service and higher PFAS levels. It did not measure illness or prove cause and effect.
Can I get a PFAS blood test at the VA?
Not at this time. The VA says PFAS testing is not currently available at its medical centers, though it is reevaluating blood testing. Veterans may choose to test through private laboratories.
Who should consider talking to a doctor?
The researchers suggest that male veterans ages 20 to 39 discuss testing with a physician. Former military firefighters and people exposed to contaminated water on bases may also want to ask.
Where does military PFAS exposure come from?
Possible sources include firefighting foam, munitions, and contaminated groundwater on or near military installations.
Does the VA pay disability benefits for PFAS exposure?
There are no presumptive PFAS conditions yet. Veterans can file claims, which the VA decides case by case while it reviews a possible kidney cancer link.
