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VetXL Q&A Chat: Environmental Exposures and Burn Pits
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We have reached capacity for questions for this event and VA will post responses by Feb 22nd.
For other PACT and burn pit related questions please call 1-800-MyVA411 ( [login to see] ).
For other PACT and burn pit related questions please call 1-800-MyVA411 ( [login to see] ).
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Burn Pits
Health
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan
Responses: 145
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Will AFFF be added to the list of exposures now that it has been ruled unsafe to handle?
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service to the Nation. VA is concerned about exposure to AFFF and other PFAS products. Additionally, VA is collaborating with other Federal agencies who are working on understanding the range of health effects and the significance of blood levels. You can find more information here: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/pfas.asp
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Had a duty of burn pit in Vietnam. So what are effects and how to file a claim?
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service in Vietnam. VA encourages all Veterans who feel their health conditions are related to service to file a claim. This webpage can help instruct you on how to file: https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Anytime you believe that you have a medical condition that was caused by your military service, VA encourages you to file a claim. You can file a claim online via VA.GOV or, in person at any regional office, or with an accredited representative.
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I served in Operations Desert Shield - Storm - Calm 1990/91 88M delivering M1A1, Bradleys, Engineering Equipment to forward Log bases from ports & airport. The afterwards we recovered this equipment throughout Kuwait and parts of Iraq. There were several burning oil wells wherever we seemed to go. Air quality was dismal. I returned home and later diagnosed with asthma. Would this be something to pursue in the Pact Act? Thanks for the opportunity to ask.
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PO3 Jason Johnson
yes file for all health issues many are presumptive. lung stuff got added via va prior to pact act but it is a uphill battle they like to delay/deny
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service in Kuwait and Iraq. Asthma, if diagnosed within 10 years of service, is a presumption for exposure to airborne hazards in Kuwait and Iraq even before the PACT Act. VA encourages all Veterans who feel their health conditions are related to service to file a claim. This webpage can help instruct you on how to file: https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Depending on where you were stationed, you may be eligible for benefits under the PACT Act. Anytime you believe that you have a medical condition that was caused by your military service, VA encourages you to file a claim. You can file a claim online via VA.GOV or, in person at any regional office, or with an accredited representative.
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I worked on Jet Engines as an Aviation Machinist Mate while serving in the Navy (1976-1980) and I was exposed to a considerable amount JP-4 and JP-5 jet fuel. I currently suffer from COPD and Migrainge headaches, can a nexus be made between the two, based on current information.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Anytime you believe that you have a medical condition that was caused by your exposure to military environmental exposures, including jet fuel, VA encourages you to file a claim. If your specific condition is not identified by VA as presumptive to exposure during your service, entitlement to service-connected benefits may be established without meeting the criteria for a presumption. In order to establish entitlement to service-connected compensation there must be (1) evidence of an in-service event, (2) evidence of a current disability and (3) a link between the two. VA encourages you to file a claim.
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I was in a group cleaning detail that was responsible for tearing down old living quarters on Base Camp Johnson down the road from Camp LeJeune in January 2001. We were told to burn a lot of the excess material while loading the rest onto trucks. We did not wear any safety gear or masks. I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in 2021. What are my options?
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service. VA encourages all Veterans who feel their health conditions are related to service to file a claim. This webpage can help instruct you on how to file: https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Anytime you believe that you have a medical condition that was caused by your military service, VA encourages you to file a claim.
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I was exposed to both C4 and White Phosphorus burn pits in Viet Nam and then Cambodia in 69-70. I was hospitalized in Long Binh for a month after being burned and not treated properly with silver nitrate. Had infections set in and in recent years have had deep flesh cuts to remove skin cancers. I have pics of the burn pits and my surgeries and was under VA care for a few months when I returned home in 1970, then the VA said they could do nothing else.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service to the Nation in Vietnam. VA encourages all Veterans who feel their health conditions are related to service to file a claim. This webpage can help instruct you on how to file: https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Anytime you believe that you have a medical condition that was caused by your exposure to military environmental exposures, including exposure to burn pits in Vietnam or Cambodia, VA encourages you to file a claim. If your specific condition is not identified by VA as presumptive to exposure during your service in Vietnam or Cambodia, entitlement to service-connected benefits may be established without meeting the criteria for a presumption. In order to establish entitlement to service-connected compensation there must be (1) evidence of an in-service event, (2) evidence of a current disability and (3) a link between the two. VA encourages you to file a claim.
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I was on Johnston Island and Sand Island 68-69….the land was exposed with plutonium. I have type 2 diabetes and having problems with the legs. Even though we were exposed to the plutonium, the government won’t acknowledge this fact. How can I apply
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Sgt Thomas Casey
Veteran Service Officer. Every county should have a County Veterans Service Office.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service. VA encourages all Veterans who feel their health conditions are related to service to file a claim. This webpage can help instruct you on how to file: https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Anytime you believe that you have a medical condition that was caused by your exposure to military environmental exposures, including radiation, VA encourages you to file a claim. Though Johnston Island was not identified in the PACT Act, entitlement to service-connected benefits may be established without meeting the criteria for a presumption. In order to establish entitlement to service-connected compensation there must be (1) evidence of an in-service event, (2) evidence of a current disability and (3) a link between the two. VA encourages you to file a claim.
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I'm looking for opinion. Upon retirement it was annotated that I have chronic bronchitis, but it was considered non-service related. Now that bronchitis is one of the presumptive conditions, and I meet the theater of operation/timeframe factors (Al Asad 2006), it should be changed to service connected and a rating assigned(?) Of note also I am currently being treated for a persistent cough of unknown origin. Lung cancer ruled out, but that's about all.
Anybody have an opinion or suggestion on how to move forward? I did already submit a supplemental claim.
Anybody have an opinion or suggestion on how to move forward? I did already submit a supplemental claim.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
You may now be eligible for disability compensation and other benefits for your chronic bronchitis under the PACT Act. You took the correct actions on how to move forward when you took action to file a supplemental claim. VA began processing PACT Act claims beginning January 1, 2023.
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When my unit returned stateside in 2005, we had filled out an exposure survey before leaving Iraq. We got to our demobe station & the VA rep collected them. I asked what would be done with the forms. They would be shredded since the VA had no plan on what to do with them yet. About every 5 years or so the VA announced an new initiative to help vets who had toxic exposures. Please sign up. Then nothing yet again. How do we know that the this time will be any different than the previous VA false flag initiatives?
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Thank you for your service to the Nation in Iraq. We have Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans at VA who experienced the redeployment cycle in 2005, like you did. Department of Defense collected the post-deployment health assessment, and it would have been unusual for VA to have been involved in that process. VA works closely with the Department of Defense to record deployment exposure experiences through the Individual Longitudal Exposure Record, a joint DoD-VA project.
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