VetXL Q&A Chat: Environmental Exposures and Burn Pits

I submitted a VA PACT Claim indicating I was on Guam in the early 1970's during the time of Agent Orange. I got a letter from VA requesting what my problems were and when was I in Viet Nam. Again I submitted indicating I was on Guam; thought that was all that was needed. Am I misunderstanding?

Why when military used burn pits as the preferred method of waste and trash disposal of all kids on a daily basis are only those of certain eras being allowed to apply? We burned every single day on the DMZ in Korea, sometimes multiple times a day. I have already had a throat cancer and I have never smoked anything or chewed tobacco.

Hello, thanks for fielding these questions. My understanding is that the PACT act has established a toxic exposure working group within the VA that would examine toxic exposure cases and advise the Secretary on cases in which veterans or their dependents may have experienced a toxic exposure while serving. It would also allow the Secretary of the VA to determine whether to establish presumptions of service connection based on these recommendations. Do you know who is leading this initiative? Has this working group been set up yet?

I maintained and overhauled nuclear weapons while in the Air Force. I maintained nuclear bombs in the UK at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge and the ICBM re-entry vehicles in Minot, ND that contained multiple nuclear warheads. There were tritium gas leaks, who knows what we were exposed to. We did not have badges that recorded how many rads one was exposed to as the civilian world did.

My wife was in cancer research at the same time, they had badges to record any potential contamination. Is there anything to help someone that ends up with cancer or something that may have been caused by this constant exposure to low-level radiation?

Is allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinitis considered the same thing as far as VA disability rating? Should you file for both if you have been diagnosed for both, but only receiving disability for one condition?

Viet Nam 67-68. On Agent Orange Registry, now have Prostate Cancer and Basal Cell CA. I only use V A for PTSD (Vet Ctr too) and hearing aids. Primary Care at UCLA. Do I go to VSO for questions about possible addition to monthly supplement? BTW Bad experience with AO registry Interview. Anyone else? I've received one newsletter in 3 years.

I stepped off a jet landing in Na Nang Air Base in rain (early 1969). With mud, burn pits (nobody liked $HIT Burning Duty at Camp Tien Shaw Da Nang), trips to Air Field (barrels of Agent Orange, etc). Served on LST-839 Iredell County homeported in Na Nang. Delivering food/ammo/etc to Quang Tri (by Hamburger Hill), Chu Li, Tam My and made trips to DMZ (was around mechanical mules w/ backpack spraying Agent Orange) over area immediately south of Cua Viet (couldn't find record of Agent Orange near DMZ, but saw). This is cratered area after Carpet Bombing and Tet Offensive. Extracted SoG (and un-dog tagged non-uniformed out of DMZ October 1969) Troops from Cua Viet, DMZ under Cover Fire of USS New Jersey 16" Guns. After Rockets landed near us as we ramped up. I know burn pits are just a necessary part of life when ground is such a muddy mess!

I'd applied for Disability Benefits 20 yrs ago but couldn't come up with any proof I'd been In Country. As we were assigned to extract SoG troops out of Cambodia next and I had to stop logging co-ordinates in QM Log Book after rounding the cape into Cambodia. After extraction we went to Vũng Tàu to offload troops and literally swapped boats w/ USS Cado Parrish (don't know why, probably to cover that kind of extraction) out of Mekong Delta. After Rafted Up logs/books were boxed up, but didn't know where or how to find them for Disability Application.

Next took LST-515 to the Philippines, turned it over to their Navy near Manila. Long story short; without log books or records I gave up on Disability Claim. At this point I think I'm still lost on proving that I've ever been to Vietnam (3.5 Combat Zone Tours of Duty) in Brown Water Gator Navy and off shore Navy. Except for a few ribbons, pictures, Gator Navy not seen as important vs Fast moving PT Boats that can stay out of the way of rockets easy and why I just don't ever talk about that time in my life!

Can I qualify for PACT ACT w/o log books? I've had borderline high Blood Pressure since mid 20 yo, Pulmonary Embolism, 5 bypass Heart Surgery, other complications. I'm pretty sure may be result of Agent Orange & Burn Pit Exposure. Have a myriad of stories of danger, rockets, Bridge Ramp Rocket Attack, Ammo Dump Blown Up in Da Nang, etc from days on LSTs (Large Slow Target), but no proof so what could I do next to see if I at least might be able to qualify for PACT ACT?

BTW: Hope this isn't public; as was told by Prostrate Doctor at VA not to talk about what I did in Vietnam. Still debating whether to post this, but here goes, hope I can delete it if I need to!

When stationed in Germany during the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, we were exposed to the radiation cloud that overshadowed Germany for some time. Although this particular incident is not included in the act, to my knowledge, does something like this nonetheless fall under this act?

A few years ago I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. I had an operation and the cancer portion was removed. I have had follow up cystoscopies every six months since and now am on yearly follow ups. I spent a year in Vietnam as marine infantry from 6/67 to 6/68 in I Corps. Do I qualify for additional disability from this procedure? I presently am 20% due to hearing loss and tinnitus.

Fort Carson is one of the posts that had contaminated water issues. Is Prostate Cancer one of the possible results of having spent 18 months there?