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WADENA — The PACT Act is a new law that expands Veteran Affairs health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps the VA provide generations of Veterans and their survivors with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve, according to a Veteran Affairs news release.
Burn pits presumptives.
These cancers are now presumptive for burn pits:
• Brain cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
• Glioblastoma
• Head cancer of any type
• Kidney cancer
• Lymphatic cancer of any type
• Lymphoma of any type
• Melanoma
• Neck cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Reproductive cancer of any type
• Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type
These illnesses are now presumptive for burn pits:
• Asthma that was diagnosed after service
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Chronic rhinitis
• Chronic sinusitis
• Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
• Emphysema
• Granulomatous disease
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
• Pleuritis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis
This also means that veterans who could not get in to health care due to income or No SC now will be eligible. It is recommended that all veterans who were exposed to burn should register at
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp
For agent orange exposed veterans two new service connections have been added to the Agent Orange registry
• Hypertension
• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)
There are also new locations added to the AO presumptive list:
• Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976
• Laos from Dec. 1, 1965, through Sept. 30, 1969
• Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969
• Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 30, 1980
• Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977
New ionizing radiation registry locations added:
• Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, from Jan. 1, 1977, through Dec. 31, 1980
• Cleanup of the Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons off the coast of Palomares, Spain, from Jan. 17, 1966, through March 31, 1967
• Response to the fire onboard an Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons near Thule Air Force Base in Greenland from Jan. 21, 1968, to Sept. 25, 1968
Veterans should contact their Veteran Service Officer or County Veteran Service Officer if they wish to apply for any of these presumptive conditions for VA Compensation and or VA Health Care.
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You can contact your local Wadena County VSO at (218) 631-7617 or by email at david.anderson@wcmn.us.
