DFAS IDP Areas Table — Operation EPIC FURY Designation Confirmed

Issuing Body: Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) / Department of War (DOW)
Document Type: Administrative Pay Table
URL: https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/IDP-Areas/
Source Tier: [TIER 1] — .mil source
Pinpoint Flag: HTML ONLY — no PDF version available

The DFAS Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) Areas table, updated April 2026, explicitly names “Operation EPIC FURY” as a qualifying IDP designation. This is a clean Tier 1 administrative confirmation that OEF2026 personnel are entitled to Imminent Danger Pay.

VA Claims Relevance — 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b): Receipt of Imminent Danger Pay or Hostile Fire Pay acts as an administrative concession by the VA that the veteran engaged in a combat environment. Under 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b), a veteran who engaged in combat with the enemy and who asserts that a combat-related injury or disease occurred in service shall have that lay statement accepted as fact unless there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. This DFAS table is the Tier 1 documentation establishing IDP entitlement for OEF2026 veterans.

How to Use in a Claim: Request your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) showing IDP payments during your OEF2026 deployment period. Pair with this DFAS table entry to establish the 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b) combat presumption. VA adjudicators cross-reference DFAS pay records and the DFAS IDP Areas table when evaluating combat veteran status.

Applicable Benefit Authorities: 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b) — Combat Veteran Presumption; 38 CFR § 3.304(f) — PTSD Combat Stressor Concession

Document Type: Congressional Record — House General Leave Debate | Issuing Body: U.S. House of Representatives (govinfo.gov) | Date: March 4, 2026 | Source Tier: TIER 1 — PRIMARY SOURCE

Congressional Record entry from the U.S. House of Representatives General Leave Debate on March 4, 2026, containing the War Powers notification for Operation Epic Fury. This constitutes legislative branch acknowledgment that the United States is engaged in military operations against Iran.

Source: Congressional Record, CREC-2026-03-04, Page H2395 | govinfo.gov | TIER 1 — PRIMARY SOURCE
URL: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2026-03-04/html/CREC-2026-03-04-pt1-PgH2395.htm

Claims Relevance: This is the legislative anchor for all OEF2026 claims. VSOs can use this document to overcome VA pushback that attempts to classify early or rear-echelon OEF2026 deployments as peacetime or training missions. The Congressional Record entry establishes that the United States Congress acknowledged an active state of hostilities as of March 4, 2026 — making all personnel deployed to the CENTCOM AOR from the operational start date part of a recognized combat operation. Particularly critical for support personnel, contractors, and individuals whose deployment orders may not explicitly reference combat operations. This document, combined with the Presidential Announcement and DFARS Contingency Operation Designation, forms the three-document legal authority triad for all OEF2026 claims.

⚠️ AUMF Status: As of this report, no confirmed Congressional Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) specific to OEF2026 has been documented. S.J. Res. 123 and H. Con. Res. 38 status remain open research leads. This Congressional Record entry does not constitute an AUMF but establishes legislative acknowledgment of hostilities.

Document Type: DFARS Class Deviation | Issuing Body: OUSD(A&S) / Defense Pricing and Contracting (acq.osd.mil) | Source Tier: TIER 1 — PRIMARY SOURCE

DFARS Class Deviation 2024-O0011 was originally issued April 15, 2024, providing special acquisition authority for rapid contracting. It was formally invoked for OEF2026 on March 6, 2026. The invocation formally designates OEF2026 as a recognized contingency operation under 10 U.S.C. § 101(a)(13), valid through September 30, 2028.

Source: DFARS Class Deviation 2024-O0011 | acq.osd.mil (OUSD A&S / Defense Pricing and Contracting) | TIER 1 — PRIMARY SOURCE
URL: https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA000468-24-DPC.pdf

Claims Relevance: This is one of the most important legal authority documents in the archive. Formal designation as a contingency operation under 10 U.S.C. § 101(a)(13) triggers specific entitlements, enhanced medical tracking protocols, and jurisdictional protections ensuring injuries sustained in the AOR — including non-combat injuries — are adjudicated under more protective operational frameworks. Particularly valuable for rear-echelon, logistics, and support personnel whose service may otherwise be characterized as non-combat. Provides the statutory hook needed when VA attempts to deny or minimize claims based on lack of direct combat involvement. Valid through September 30, 2028.

Document Type: Presidential Announcement / Executive Mandate | Issuing Body: Executive Office of the President (whitehouse.gov) | Source Tier: TIER 1 — PRIMARY SOURCE

President Trump formally announced the launch of Operation Epic Fury on March 1, 2026, establishing February 28, 2026 as the official operational start date. The announcement formally names the operation and establishes the legal and executive basis for U.S. military action against Iran.

Claims Relevance: Formally establishes February 28, 2026 as the start date for all OEF2026 personnel records, medical files, and deployment coding. Any service member deployed to the CENTCOM AOR from this date forward is engaged in a recognized active military operation. Substantially lowers the evidentiary burden for combat stressor claims (DC 9411) by validating the operational context. Essential anchor document for all OEF2026 claims packets.

⚠️ OEF2026 ≠ OEF: This document establishes a distinct 2026 operation separate from Operation Enduring Freedom (2001-2014). All claims must reference “Operation Epic Fury (OEF2026)” — not the bare “OEF” acronym.