1st Class Heath Robinson went on guard duty or worked alongside his fellow soldiers in Iraq, he could see and smell the smoke rising from the base's burn pits. "It was just an open pit the Army would use to get rid of anything-trash, feces, computers, rubber tires," he said in a...
Ruiz said while this is an important step, he is still working to get a comprehensive burn pit bill brought to the House floor. Ruiz said that bill would stop requiring veterans to prove their condition is a direct result of burn pits. “[It would] put the burden of pr...
The Veterans Administration will now "create presumptions of exposure ... when the evidence of an environmental exposure and the associated health risks are strong in the aggregate but hard to prove on an individual basis," according to the White House. It's an issue close to Biden's heart...
ascertainandmonitorthehealtheffectsoftheexposureofmembersoftheArmedForcestotoxic airbornechemicalsandfumescausedbyopenburnpits”.Asaresult,VAwillestablishthe “AirborneHazardsandOpenBurnPitRegistry” 2.Indicatehow,bywhom,andforwhatpurposestheinformationistobeused;indicate ...
And while these veteran health concerns seem widespread, the VA'spolicyonly recognizes "temporary" irritation from burn pit exposure. Citing a range of studies, the department states that "researchdoes not show evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn pits." ...
Veterans across the country are contending exposure to burn pits and other airborne toxins has made them sick. But the vast majority have been rejected for related VA disability benefits. The new federal effort is designed to make it easier for veterans to make claims b...
The two senators said that 23 illnesses, including hypertension, would be presumed related to burn pit exposure when it comes to providing disability compensation. "For far too long, our nation's veterans have been living with chronic illnesses as a result of exposures during their time in unifo...
For every soldier returning with horrific health defects, there are untold numbers of servicemembers who continue to be subjected to burn pit sites and toxic smoke to this day. The DoD and VA must acknowledge the reality and gravity of the problems toxic chemicals from burn...
Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs decides these exposure claims on a case-by-case basis, with the exception of those filed for asthma, rhinitis or sinusitis. The burden of proving one's illness is related to a burn pit exposure falls on the veteran, leading to delays in health...
Veteran advocacy groups have urged Congress to do more to support veterans suffering from burn pit exposure, and President Biden has suggested his late son Beau was affected by his exposure to burn pits. Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015. While the president has said he isn't certain...