A group of U.S. Veterans have busted a huge hole in the wall of neglect, fighting for acknowledgement and fair pay for illnesses spawned by toxic burn pits during their time in the military. Following toxic exposure, service members are coming forward to demand better medical care and benefits, citing the government’s failure to acknowledge the extent of their suffering.
Burn pits, those haphazard improvised landfills found in the war-torn environment, carry a deadly legacy. Flared-off plastics, chemicals, and other pollutants choked the air, setting the stage for severe respiratory problems and chronic diseases in soldiers and civilians – aftermaths of crude convenience gone horribly wrong. Veterans exposed to these conditions have long argued that their medical needs and disability claims are not being sufficiently addressed.
At the crux of the lawsuit lies this core disagreement.
A staggering oversight in the military’s evaluation process is uncovered by a recent lawsuit, which finds veterans shortchanged after exposure to toxic burn pits. While some veterans have been diagnosed with illnesses like cancer, chronic bronchitis, or other respiratory issues, many claim they were denied medical retirements, which would have ensured them lifelong benefits and healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
At the heart of these denials, claim the plaintiffs, is a broken system that shortsightedly dismisses the lasting scars of toxic encounters. Many veterans who fought for their country now feel brushed aside in their darkest hour.
Policy reforms taking shape, regulations rewritten, and a system in transformation – that’s legislative progress in motion.
As policymakers take aim at toxic exposure among service members, a slew of new laws have sparked a potent reaction – this lawsuit being the latest rallying cry. The Holding true to our commitment, we proudly stand by the PACT Act. By making it official in 2022, lawmakers took a major stride in the right direction. VA healthcare and benefits became more attainable for veterans dealing with burn pit-related conditions, as the need for direct causation was removed from the equation.
However, critics argue that while the PACT Act has opened doors, it has not retroactively corrected issues for veterans whose medical retirements were previously denied. A thorough examination of the evaluation process is what this lawsuit is after, with the goal of reshaping it from the ground up.
As minds awaken, a shared sense of responsibility takes hold, cultivating a culture of awareness.
Organizations like Burn Pits 360, a nonprofit advocating for affected veterans, have been instrumental in raising public awareness. Pushing for real accountability, they reveal the heart-wrenching aftermath of burn pit exposure, sounding the alarm for someone, anyone, to take responsibility.
A recent report by the VA indicates that over 3.5 million veterans may have been exposed to burn pits during service. Significant ground has been covered, but experts insist that the work is far from finished when it comes to recognizing and treating these conditions.
Consider this: what starts as a single ripple becomes a tidal wave of circumstances.
What’s at stake in this lawsuit is a total makeover of the military and VA’s approach to handling toxic exposure claims – a major win could lead to sweeping reforms. What’s at stake is more than just clearing a backlog of claims – it’s about recognizing the sacrifices made by our veterans and giving them the helping hand they need.
No veteran should be left in the dark – every service member deserves to be counted and cared for.
As we regroup and recharge, our collective energy revives, we confront fresh hurdles, and channel that momentum into purposeful action.
For many veterans, the road to justice is long and arduous, as the lawsuit vividly illustrates; they face stubborn resistance in getting the medical care they need for service-related health issues. Legal battles are rarely walks in the park, but this one’s different – it’s a call to arms for fair treatment and acknowledgment of those who’ve put their country above all.
What about the Desert Storm Veterans who had to breathe the air that was contaminated with the smoke from the burning oil wells?
I developed a sinus tumor due to burn pits. They gave me nothing because my tumor was not cancerous, what about the health issues, nose bleeds, headaches, constant infections, vision problems
How about getting sprayed with Agent orange or white green or purple in Vietnam?
I understand this well. I was deployed six separate times during OEF and OIF, 4 to Iraq and 2 to Afghanistan. Burn pits and unsanitary landfills were everywhere, the smell mixing in with the various dead bodies and choking the air we breathed. I never had respiratory problems during my military career until about halfway through (8 months) my first deployment. The subsequent trips as well as the poor air quality of Dongducheon, South Korea further exacerbated my condition. And as you can guess, they didn’t want to include any of that in my medical records. I got it put in since I had my own copy, but no one at the VA was willing to help me with my PACT act claim. I can only hope that this changes and veterans like me who have not received all of the proper attention they deserve will finally get it.
A limited number of U.S. in Iraq in 91 had to drink contaminated water that looked and smelled like it was used to wash out 5 gallons of water Jerry cans. My unit (3rd Platoon, 12 Chemical Company, 1st ID) was given this water through our chain of command because there wasn’t enough bottled water to go around. We were the reserve decon platoon, so we got the bad stuff.
I later spoke to a guy claiming to be in the water decon unit (Alabama N.G.) that we got our water from. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has even looked into this issue because it effected few enough of us that the Army could plausibly deny that it ever happened.
Now, almost exactly the amount of time from exposure to disease onset, I find myself fighting incurable kidney cancer. Why have they been green lighted to brush aside as if we never existed?
My husband served 20 years in the Military and served in the Vietnam war and was exposed to Agent Orange. For years he suffered from various aches and pains until finally in 2019 he applied for disability payments. He was denied 90% of his health complaints and was awarded 10% disability. At the time we were unaware that he could appeal. Consequently in 2023 he passed away from cancer in the lungs, stomach, bones throughout his body, cancers we were unaware of until a month prior to his passing. Also, we had been to a dialysis class since he also had kidney failure. Finally when the VA approved my DIC payments I recieved only 10%. I am currently going back and forth with them to make things right but am hitting a brick wall.
Well, good luck with that man. It took him 30 years to give me 100% PTSD and they wouldn’t recognize the fact that I was sprayed with orange,green,,white or purple beforehand and twice at least and I’ve got kids with major birth defects and nothing on my side or my wife’s family has anything like that and and they still say you could only get Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma from getting sprayed.
You mentioned that there were civilians exposed to the burn pits along with soldiers during the Iraq and Afghanistan war. I am a Veteran who served in the Gulf War and was a civilian over in Iraq and Afghanistan during the war. I was employed by AMC/CECOM who supported the Military during the conflict. We are overlooked and was also exposed to the toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. I’ve also served 23 years active duty and 18 years Civil Service for our country. I would like to think that this great country would not forget us also who served and supported our men and women who served on the front line in these foreign countries to provide peace and safety for our country. So keep us in mind when you all finally decide to take care of our soldiers and civilians who put their lives on the line for our country. Thank you, God Bless America (DO THE RIGHT THING)!!
I’m a Vietnam veteran who was exposed to asbestos from the boat’s i served on. I was a Cox win driver of the boat & we both had to get in the belly of the boat to get to the lines! I also served on a tugboat engine room.Then there’s more a lot more chipping the boats out without protection etc.