More than one-half million Americans have been captured and interned as Prisoners of War since the American Revolution. The largest number of POWs occurred during the Civil War when an estimated 220,000 Confederate soldiers were captured by the North and nearly 127,000 Union soldiers were interned by the South.
Since World War I, more than 142,000 Americans, including 85 women, have been captured and interned as POWs. Not included in this figure are nearly 93,000 Americans who were lost or never recovered. As of 2026, approximately 15,000 former POWs are in receipt of compensation for service-connected injuries, diseases, or illnesses.
In 1981, Congress passed Public Law 97-37 entitled “Former Prisoners of War Benefit Act.” This law established an Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War and mandated medical and dental care. It also identified certain diagnoses as presumptive service-connected conditions for former POWs. Subsequent public laws and policy decisions by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs have added additional diagnoses to the list of presumptive conditions.
Presumptive Conditions for Former POWs
You are generally entitled to a presumption of service-connection for eight diseases (or groups related conditions), if manifested to at least a minimally compensable degree of 10 percent or more after discharge or release from active military. These diseases are:
- Psychosis
- Any of the anxiety states
- Dysthymic disorder or depressive neurosis
- Post-traumatic osteoarthritis
- Atherosclerotic heart disease or hypertensive vascular disease (including hypertensive heart disease) and their complications (including myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia)
- Organic residuals of frostbite
- Stroke and complications Osteoporosis
For former POWs held captive for 30 days or more
The following conditions are presumed to be service-connected:
- Avitaminosis
- Beriberi (including heart disease)
- Chronic dysentery
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Helminthiasis
- Malnutrition, including associated optic atrophy
- Any other nutritional deficiency
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Pellagra and any other nutritional deficiency
- Peripheral neuropathy, except where directly related to an illness caused by an infection, on or after September 28, 2009
Former POWs can apply for compensation for their service-connected injuries, diseases, or illnesses by completing VA Form 21-526, Veterans Application for Compensation and/or Pension. They can also apply online.
For more information, visit American Former Prisoners of War – Veterans (va.gov)
Sources:
