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Friday, October 15, 2021
The Spokesman-Review
VETERANS CHRONICLE
How to join the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry now includes more than 100,000 participants, making it the fastest growing registry ever offered by VA. Between Feb. 10, 2017, and the launch of the registry in June 2014, 101,012 veterans and servicemembers have joined, including veterans of the Gulf War who served again in Southwest Asia. An estimated 3 million veterans and servicemembers are eligible to participate in the registry. The burn pit registry was designed to address veterans’ health concerns about burn pit exposure. Veterans and servicemembers can voluntarily document their exposures and report their health concerns by filling out a survey online. Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations after August 2, 1990, or in Afghanistan or Djibouti, Africa, after Sept. 11, 2001, can enroll in the burn pit registry at veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/ AHBurnPitRegistry/. Participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire on where the veteran has lived, what type of work they have done, and their exposures, health care use, and hobbies.
The benefits of participating in the burn pit registry are:
• Servicemembers can obtain a free health evaluation from a Department of Defense (DoD) provider. • Veterans can obtain a free health evaluation from a VA provider. Veterans can discuss their completed questionnaire with a health care provider to gain better health awareness. • VA can better understand the long-term health effects of being exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards. Information from the registry can help VA plan for needed services for veterans.
Gulf War illnesses linked to Afghanistan service If you served in Afghanistan, you may suffer from illnesses or other conditions that the VA assumes are related to service in this region. VA calls these presumptive diseases. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits at va.gov/disability/ eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/gulf-warillness-southwest-asia/
Am I eligible for disability benefits from VA?
You may be eligible if you served in Afghanistan and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge. Your illness or condition must also meet the requirements listed below. Both of these must be true of your illness or condition. It: • Started while you were on active duty or after Sept. 19, 2001, and • Resulted in a disability rating of 10% or more • You also must have received a diagnosis of one of the illnesses or conditions listed under one of the time periods below.
Eligibility requirements related to time of diagnosis
PHOTO COURTESY VETERANS AFFAIRS
A soldier adds items to a burn pit in 2014.
Is this for me? Or does it sound like someone you know?
You are eligible to participate if you served in Operations Desert Storm/Desert Shield (ODS), New Dawn (OND), or Iraqi Freedom/ Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF)*.
We encourage you to join even if:
• You don't think you were exposed to specific airborne hazards. • You are not experiencing symptoms or illnesses you think are related to your exposures. • You have not filed a VA claim for compensation and benefits or applied for VA health care**. • You are still an active-duty service member or have returned to active service. * Includes deployment to countries in the Southwest Asia theater of operations any time after Aug. 2, 1990 or Afghanistan or Djibouti after Sept. 11, 2001. ** Participation in the registry
cannot negatively impact your VA claim or ability to get health care from VA.
What should I do now?
Take these steps to make sure you’re taking care of your health: • Join the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to document your exposures and health concerns. • Join the registry • Talk to your primary health care provider or your local VA environmental health coordinator about any health concerns related to your military service • Find your local VA environmental health coordinator • Find out if you can get disability compensation (monthly payments) and other benefits if you have an illness or injury caused—or made worse—by your active-duty service. To find local help see the “How can I Get Help?” section on Page 5.
If your illness or condition was diagnosed within one year of your date of separation: You can get disability benefits for your illness or condition if you have one of these presumptive diseases: • Brucellosis • Campylobacter jejuni • Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) • Malaria (or sooner in some cases) • Nontyphoid salmonella • Shigella • West Nile virus If your illness or condition was diagnosed at any time after your date of separation: You can get disability benefits for your illness or condition if you have one of these presumptive diseases: • Mycobacterium tuberculosis • Visceral leishmaniasis
What kind of disability benefits can I get?
• Health care • Compensation (payments)
How do I get these benefits?
You’ll need to file a claim for disability compensation. Find out how to file a claim for disability compensation at www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
What if I need help filing my claim?
You can get help from a trained professional trusted to help with VA-related claims at www.va.gov/ disability/get-help-filing-claim/ Looking for local assistance? See the “How can I Get Help?” section on Page 5.
