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Ending the Wait

Ending the Wait for
 TOXIC-EXPOSED VETERANS

A PARADIGM SHIFT

DAV and MOAA’s groundbreaking report, Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans, reveals that on average, toxic-exposed veterans—many of them suffering life-threatening diseases—have to wait 34.1 years to receive access to the full range of health care and benefits they earned and urgently need. Tragically, some die before that ever happens.

DAV and MOAA offer a blueprint for dramatically reforming how our government handles service-related toxic exposures in a way that ensures timely, equitable access to lifesaving care and benefits. The mission is simple: Ending the wait and keeping our sacred promise to America’s veterans.

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UNDERSTANDING TOXIC EXPOSURE

THE CLAIMS PROCESS

THE CLAIMS PROCESS To receive certain health care benefits, veterans have to prove that an incident or exposure happened during service and that it caused or aggravated an injury or illness. This establishes service-connection and results in a disability rating, which determines a veteran’s eligibility for health care and benefits.

THE TOXIC CHALLENGE

The nature of toxic exposures makes it extremely difficult for individual veterans to prove that an exposure happened and caused an illness. That’s in part because, oftentimes, the exposure and health impacts aren’t known or well understood until years later, sometimes due to military secrecy.

PRESUMPTIVES

Congress and the VA have the ability to establish presumptives, which are regulations or laws that “presume” that injuries or illnesses common to a group of veterans were caused by military service. This removes barriers to getting service connection and accessing health care and benefits.

KEY FINDINGS

The Long Wait

Toxic-exposed veterans have to wait an average of

34.1 years

from the time an exposure occurs to the date when the VA formally “presumes” the exposure caused the veteran’s illness.

History of Neglect

Military service members have been harmed by toxic exposure for MORE THAN

a century

SEE TIMELINE >
A Flawed System

Toxic exposure claims have a weak legal framework that lacks a clear mandate on when or how the VA

should acknowledge toxic exposures, further investigate an exposure and recognize related health conditions.

RECOMMENDATIONS

DAV and MOAA provide more than a dozen policy and research recommendations for the VA and Congress, intended to help end the wait for millions of current and future toxic-exposed veterans. They include:

New legal framework

New legal framework

Creating a new legal framework that clarifies and strengthens the process of deciding when and how to establish toxic-exposure presumptives, including a list of health conditions presumed to be caused by a given exposure.

New classification system

New classification system

Developing a new system that classifies military toxic exposures by type to better assess when and how to create a list of presumed health conditions.

Strengthening scientific research

Strengthening scientific research

Expanding and coordinating federal research activities related to toxic exposures, their long-term effects and ways to mitigate their harm.

Long-term VA and NASEM contract

Long-term VA and NASEM contract

Requiring the VA to enter a long-term contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to research and report on military toxic exposures.

Stakeholder advisory committee

Stakeholder advisory committee

Establishing an advisory committee of veteran stakeholders with experience and expertise on military toxic exposures, veterans health care and benefits.

Health care for family members

Health care for family members

Developing programs and processes so that family members who may also have been exposed can receive health care for related conditions.

Eliminating financial obstacles

Eliminating financial obstacles

Exempting all toxic-exposure-related costs from congressional rules requiring that new veterans benefits be offset by cutting existing benefits.

Seamless transition

Seamless transition

Ensuring that separating servicemembers and all their records smoothly transition from DOD to VA health care systems.

MEET THE VETERANS

Click on image to read veteran’s story.

Mark Jackson

Army veteran

“The very first thing I write about is my throat and my eyes stinging from … this rotten smell,” the Army veteran said. “The next day, my journal entry said, ‘This place is toxic.’” Jackson soon found himself logging a long list of symptoms: coughs, headaches, rashes, shortness of breath, fatigue.

READ MORE >

Mark Jackson

Army veteran

Al Lewis

Marine veteran

“I remember watching our planes spray a substance around the base to clear out the jungle,” Lewis explained. “We would end up walking through the substance while on duty at various points of the deployment and thought nothing of it at the time. It wasn’t until years later that we learned that it was Agent Orange and the impact it had on our health.”

READ MORE >

Al Lewis

Marine veteran

Andrea LaForce

Air Force veteran

Six months after leaving Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, LaForce suffered severe abdominal pain caused by a large ovarian cyst that burst. Nearly 20 years later, she continues to develop cysts and experience chronic pain. Her condition is manageable but takes constant care and monitoring. LaForce is also keenly aware that it could one day develop into ovarian cancer.

READ MORE >

Andrea LaForce

Air Force veteran

Gary Sauer

Army veteran

Six years ago, retired Army Lt. Col. Gary Sauer was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. He had no family history of cancer of any kind, and testing confirmed he wasn’t genetically predisposed. But over his 22-year military career, Sauer—who was also diagnosed with a rare kidney disease—served at numerous installations known to have the presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

READ MORE >

Gary Sauer

Army veteran

David Crete

Air Force veteran

“About 20 years after leaving TTR, I developed lipomas and even had one about the size of a grapefruit removed from my back because it was causing so much pressure on my spine,” Crete said. “I also have several other lipomas that may need surgical removal in the future, but fortunately they have all tested benign so far.”

READ MORE >

David Crete

Air Force veteran

MULTI-MEDIA RESOURCES

Hear from veterans affected by toxic exposure.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

No matter who you are, you can help DAV and MOAA keep our nation’s sacred promise to care for veterans forever changed by service.

Advocate with DAV

DAV fights for legislation that protects the rights and benefits of all veterans, including those made ill by toxic exposures. Stay up to date and help advocate for key legislation that will affect our nation’s heroes and their care by signing up for DAV CAN (Commander’s Action Network).

GET STARTED

Take action with MOAA

MOAA’s greatest mission is to improve the lives of those who serve and their families, which is achieved largely through the tireless advocacy efforts taking place in our nation’s capital. For more than 90 years, MOAA has supported legislation that benefits the uniformed services community and has remained equally vigilant when fighting to stop legislation that threatens our livelihood. Sign up for MOAA’s Legislative Action Center.

SIGN UP

Share your story

Your story can affect the lives of others in profound ways. Use your service-related experiences to help influence our elected officials to support and advocate for our nation’s veterans, their families and their survivors.

Share Now

If you have questions about or need assistance with filing for VA disability compensation related to toxic exposure, please contact your nearest DAV service office.

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