Veterans exposed to burn pits urged to take advantage of PACT Act
Long Island veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War and in post-9/11 era conflicts, and who later became sick from exposure to burn pits and other toxins, are being encouraged to apply for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits under legislation signed into law last August.
On Friday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk Veterans Service Agency Director Tom Ronayne met with vets from VFW Post 5350 in Westhampton Beach to encourage service members to apply for benefits under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
The measure, considered by experts to be the most significant expansion of veteran benefits in more than three decades, established a presumptive service connection to cancers and 22 other illnesses linked to burn pits, airborne pollution, Agent Orange and other pollutants. It's estimated that roughly 3.5 million military personnel could have been exposed to burn pits, which were used to dispose of waste.
Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who helped write the legislation, called the battle to pass the PACT Act a "righteous fight. It's the right thing to do to make sure our service members have the health care that they've earned."
Bellone said Suffolk, which is home to more than 56,000 veterans — the most of any county in the state — has a special obligation to care for its returning service members.
"There is a pact between our nation and its service members," he said. "From the moment they sign up and they choose to serve our country there is an obligation and a debt that our nation owes to them and their family members to make sure they have what they need."
Marine veteran Paul Eglevsky of Westhampton said he was exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam and was later diagnosed with cancer, high blood pressure and heart conditions.
The VA, he said, is finally "being accountable" because of the PACT Act. "And they're stepping up and going to take care of veterans that … were exposed to these toxic chemicals."
Ronayne said the act also opens the doors for individuals whose claims were previously denied and for widows or surviving dependents of veterans who died from illnesses now covered in the bill.
Gillibrand said the work to improve the legislation is not yet complete.
Later this week she will be signing onto a letter calling on the VA to improve PACT Act data collection to understand where the law is succeeding and where additional support is needed.
Long Island veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War and in post-9/11 era conflicts, and who later became sick from exposure to burn pits and other toxins, are being encouraged to apply for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits under legislation signed into law last August.
On Friday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk Veterans Service Agency Director Tom Ronayne met with vets from VFW Post 5350 in Westhampton Beach to encourage service members to apply for benefits under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
The measure, considered by experts to be the most significant expansion of veteran benefits in more than three decades, established a presumptive service connection to cancers and 22 other illnesses linked to burn pits, airborne pollution, Agent Orange and other pollutants. It's estimated that roughly 3.5 million military personnel could have been exposed to burn pits, which were used to dispose of waste.
Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who helped write the legislation, called the battle to pass the PACT Act a "righteous fight. It's the right thing to do to make sure our service members have the health care that they've earned."
Bellone said Suffolk, which is home to more than 56,000 veterans — the most of any county in the state — has a special obligation to care for its returning service members.
"There is a pact between our nation and its service members," he said. "From the moment they sign up and they choose to serve our country there is an obligation and a debt that our nation owes to them and their family members to make sure they have what they need."
Marine veteran Paul Eglevsky of Westhampton said he was exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam and was later diagnosed with cancer, high blood pressure and heart conditions.
The VA, he said, is finally "being accountable" because of the PACT Act. "And they're stepping up and going to take care of veterans that … were exposed to these toxic chemicals."
Ronayne said the act also opens the doors for individuals whose claims were previously denied and for widows or surviving dependents of veterans who died from illnesses now covered in the bill.
Gillibrand said the work to improve the legislation is not yet complete.
Later this week she will be signing onto a letter calling on the VA to improve PACT Act data collection to understand where the law is succeeding and where additional support is needed.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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