12/6/2023 0 Comments Im just a bill jon stewart![]() ![]() "And when you don't budget for it, and then somebody comes back and says, 'Hey, here's the bill,' and you're like, 'Oh, man. "It's never added into the total cost of the war, so we don't budget for it," Stewart said. deals with toxic exposures will require a cultural shift. Stewart, who fought for the legislation, told Scripps News long-term changes to the way the U.S. While the bill brings care to those who've been exposed, burn pits and open burning sites still exist in some places. Not that different than the 911 first responder community," he said. they're the people that run towards something to protect others and not away from it. "When you start to involve yourself in a community, you become invested, and they're not that different from. Stewart says his passion for this group goes back to his long work with the United Service Organizations and visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was struck by the humility of many. And they shouldn't have to do it alone," veterans advocate and TV host Jon Stewart told Scripps News. "This community bears the total brunt not just the soldier, but the spouse, the kids, the caregivers, everything. ![]() "Oftentimes their loved one's cancer was misdiagnosed for years, and we know there is a big difference between stage 1 and stage 4 cancer, so detection is important, getting it early," said Candace Wheeler, director of government and legislative affairs for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). This summer, it will begin hosting events across the country to get veterans screened and signed up for benefits. The VA is also working to screen those who may have been exposed, screening 3.7 million so far. "We just need to talk to you know, get the proper paperwork and then we can have our adjudicators work with you," Hayes said. Hayes says those who think they have been impacted in any way should apply, too. There are other illnesses assumed to be associated with burn pits that didn't make the presumed condition list, like migraines and infertility. The military routinely used open burn pits set ablaze with jet fuel to dispose of tires, batteries and medical waste. Previous Reporting Senate OKs Enhanced Benefits For Vets Exposed To Burn Pits Still, Hayes tells Scripps News the department has hired 3,100 adjudicators to deal with the expected uptick in applicants, and that veterans should apply anyway to get the process started. Those are claims that have been in VA processing for more than 125 days. The VA is currently experiencing a backlog of 230,000 claims. "So far, we've had more than 600,000 folks apply for their benefits, and as of right now, I'm happy to say that we are a little over 278,000 who have been granted their benefits," Hayes said. Experts say that could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars for some. 9 is also important for primary survivors who had previously been denied benefits to receive backdated benefits to the date of their original denial. Veteran PACT Act claims filed by that date could receive benefits backdated to Aug. 9 is the date veterans and survivors should file by to receive the maximum monetary amounts available. While there is no deadline to apply for benefits, Aug. "Basically what that means is that if you were a Vietnam veteran and you served in Vietnam and you have hypertension, guess what? The VA automatically assumes that it's because of your service," said Terrence Hayes, Department of Veterans Affairs press secretary. The bill adds more than 20 presumptive conditions for those serving in certain places during certain times, removing the need to prove the illness was service connected. The piece of legislation expanded health care and benefit coverage for veterans exposed to certain toxics, like those associated with burn pits and even Agent Orange. Military advocates say things have changed since then thanks to the PACT Act, which stands for Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics. "I was just telling them that my husband was sick, and I wanted to help any other soldier that might be having symptoms to just get some medical attention," she said. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2010 to see if there were any potential studies and got a benefit rejection letter instead. It just worked for him," she said.Īfter his service, Wieners questioned a potential connection between Robert's bout with stage 4 lung cancer and exposure to burn pits. "He loved the travel he loved the camaraderie. Kerrie Wieners says her late husband Robert joined the Army Reserves because it gave him a sense of order. ![]()
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