Department launches public awareness campaign to get veterans signed up for retroactive benefits before August deadline.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched Summer VetFest to raise awareness and encourage veterans to sign up for benefits covering toxic exposure during their time in the armed service. The effort, under the PACT Act, is intended to spur eligible veterans to apply for retroactive payouts before the August deadline.
Under the legislation passed by Congress a year ago, 12 types of cancer and 12 respiratory ailments linked to burn pit exposure in the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq, are eligible for VA health coverage. Other conditions are also eligible, such as hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) for Vietnam veterans, as well as radiation-related illnesses for veterans stationed in specific locations during the 1960s and early 1970s.
“There are millions of veterans and survivors across America who are eligible for new health care and benefits, and we will not rest until every one of them gets what they’ve earned,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough stated. “That’s what this Summer VetFest is all about: educating veterans, their families, and survivors — and encouraging them to apply today.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary McDonough as he spreads the word regarding retroactive coverage for veterans who experienced toxic exposure.
- For VA officials as they promote Summer VetFest and process applications.
- For U.S. military veterans who were impacted by toxic exposure to avail themselves of the VA health coverage.
Sources: Military Times, Department of Veterans Affairs
