JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The Department of Veterans Affairs is now acknowledging contaminants in the air and exposure to burn pits may have caused health problems for some veterans.
The VA has added three presumptive conditions related to particulate matter exposure. That means veterans who have asthma, rhinitis or sinusitis who served in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria, and Uzbekistan during the Persian Gulf War, from September 19, 2001, to the present, or the Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, to the present may be able to have their disability compensation fast-tracked.
To be eligible for benefits, they must have gotten one of those three conditions within 10 years of their separation from active service.
Rosie Torres, executive director of the veteran’s advocacy group Burn Pits 360, has been pushing for years to get the VA to recognize serious illnesses are linked to exposure.
“We're not dealing with rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma," Torres said. "We're dealing with veterans who are coming back with these debilitating cancers and lung diseases that have cost many their lives, their lungs, their careers.”
Torres' husband suffers from a debilitating lung condition they believe was caused by exposure to burn pits. They want the VA to add 23 illnesses to the list of presumptive conditions.
“I hate to say we're far from a victory. I mean, I think it's their way of saying they've done something, but you know, unless you're living it or have lived it or have been one of those survivors that have been denied compensation connected to a cancer or something that severe, it really doesn't do much for those people,” Torres said.
Nicole Rosga has been battling health problems for years. Since we first shared her story in 2019, she says her health has only declined.
“I have not found any remedy, anything for the stomach issues, the shortness of breath, any of that stuff,” Rosga said.
She currently serves with the Florida Air National Guard, but it was on two tours to Iraq with the Minnesota Air National Guard in 2007 and 2009 that she was exposed to toxic burn pits.
“I walk into an office, and they're like, let me see your fit record. Let me see you there. Like, you look so good. You look perfectly fine,” Rosga said, “I'm in pain every single day of my life.”
RELATED: Some veterans exposed to toxic burn pits eligible for presumptive status for disability benefits
She, like thousands of veterans, has been fighting for years to get the VA to acknowledge her health problems were caused by her exposure to open burn pits. Chemicals, paints, petroleum and plastics were among the things incinerated to get rid of waste.
“It's really a weird barrel to stare down because at the end of the day I know, for a fact, I do not have the VA backing me in anything, because I've already had these talks with the VA,” Rosga said. “They think it's something else. They'll say that it's chronic fatigue syndrome, it's this, it's this. You have fibromyalgia.”
What she doesn't have are any of the three conditions the VA now says may have resulted from exposure to burn pits and airborne hazards like sand, dust and pollution.
"It's more of a slap in the face. It's angering," Rosga said. “What about the cancers? What about the gastro stuff? What about the blood infections? What about all this other stuff that is huge, that's way more prevalent in this population of people that came from these areas with the burn pits? I just feel like it's just kind of like a little snack to placate the populace, and it's not fair.”
She has watched as those she served with have been buried, friends like Amie Muller who died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 36.
“I just turned 36, and I can't even count on two hands, how many people I already know, that have died of cancers younger than me, due to these exposures, and the fact that they are not recognizing that, it's atrocious,” Rosga said. “This is an atrocity to the United States of America.”
The VA says this new policy has the potential to impact approximately 3.5 million veterans and they’ve sent out more 246,000 outreach letters to potentially impacted veterans and survivors to encourage them to submit a claim. But Torres says the VA is only offering veterans breadcrumbs.
“My message to the Secretary of the VA, the Secretary of Defense and to Congress is to stop negotiating with veterans’ lives,” Torres said. “Stop negotiating. Grant them those 23 illnesses that we've been pushing for and fighting for, for over a decade…We're not going to settle for breadcrumbs. We’re asking for them to fulfill their moral obligation to America and to our warfighters.”
"People are sick, people are dying," Rosga said. "I just want to see that it happens way more expeditiously than Agent Orange. We deserve this, 100% we deserve this."
The VA declined an on-camera interview but responded to our questions in writing. The VA said it is constantly conducting research and surveillance as well as reviewing the scientific literature for conditions that may be related to military service to identify ways to continually improve services for veterans.
“During these reviews, VA looks for various conditions. Cancers surveillance and certain immunologic conditions have a longer latency period which impacts the time frame as to when they will begin to present, this timeline can vary significantly based on the condition. Whereas acute concerns such as asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis can present sooner,” the Veterans Benefits Administration said.
Currently, the VA said there are approximately 255,000 veterans in The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit registry. The VA said the registry continues to grow by about 500 to 1,000 individuals per week with about three million veterans and service members eligible for enrollment.
How many vets are now eligible for fast-tracked compensation with these three presumptive conditions?
Response: This new policy has the potential to impact approximately 3.5 million Veterans.
Though the conditions are presumptive, VA is still required to gather evidence and request needed medical exams for claims received based on the new presumptive conditions. Claims processors are required to determine eligibility by reviewing Veteran's military personnel information, separation documents, and other evidence of record to confirm the requisite locations and periods of service that may be established by final regulations.
What is VA doing to reach these veterans?
Response: VA released over 246,000 outreach letters to potentially impacted Veterans and survivors to provide information about the new policy and encourage them to submit a claim. VA also issued a press release to help raise awareness. See VA to start processing disability claims for certain conditions related to particulate matter. Additionally, VA notified its Veterans Service Organization partners so the information can be shared with their members. Finally, information can be found on VA's website.
How many vets will now get disability benefits due to these conditions being added?
Response: This new policy has the potential to impact approximately 3.5 million veterans.
RELATED: Some veterans exposed to toxic burn pits eligible for presumptive status for disability benefits
If you are a veteran suffering from exposure to burn pits and airborne hazards and live in the Jacksonville, FL area, First Coast News would like to hear from you. Please email Heather Crawford at hcrawford2@firstcoastnews.com or reach out to her on Facebook.