Despite rain and the threat of tornados, North Texas Veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors from 40 Texas and Oklahoma counties arrived in waves prior to the official start of VA North Texas Health Care System’s PACT Act Week of Action awareness event.
Held at Dallas VA Medical Center Dec. 13, the event brought 710 Veterans and some 350 family members and caregivers to meet with claims specialists from VBA, enroll in VA health care, get screened for possible toxic exposure, and get a flu or COVID-19 vaccine.
114 new VBA disability claims were processed and 350 Veterans were screened for toxic exposure.
The surge of event participants exceeded the expected turnout. Within 30 minutes of opening, more than 300 Veterans had signed in or were waiting in line.
Goal was to give every Veteran a transparent experience
“We were hoping to get at least a few hundred participants despite the bad weather, and we exceeded that goal within the first hour of the event,” said Jeffrey Clapper, event coordinator and North Texas VA chief of communications. “Our goal was to give every attendee a transparent and beneficial experience worthy of VA’s commitment to serving those who sacrificed much with their service.”
VA nurse Leticia Pillado conducts a toxic exposure screening with North Texas Veteran
In addition to toxic screenings and disability claims assistance, VA staff conducted 222 individual patient interactions to address a myriad of issues and concerns ranging from enrollment to questions about outpatient care, service availability and long-term care.
For many of the Veterans and families who arrived early and waited to participate in the event, this was the first time they had visited a VA medical center for non-medical reasons.
“PACT Act shows VA willing to take care of its Veterans.”
Army Veteran Lawrence Rubin had hoped VA would recognize the toxic exposures and related medical issues that have changed Veteran lives after taking off the uniform.
“The PACT Act and this event today show VA is willing to take care of its Veterans who have done the hard work and served with honor,” Rubin said.
The event further increased North Texas VA’s months-long information campaign and efforts to brief every enrolled Veteran and the North Texas community about their possible benefits under the PACT Act. Every one of North Texas VA’s 6,500 employees have become Veteran advocates.
“This event truly displayed the dedication and commitment of our many employees from public affairs, nursing, patient advocates and administrative staff,” said Kendrick Brown, North Texas VA interim director. “Every employee is a VA ambassador for what we do and how we do it. The PACT Act will touch many of our patients and we will be there for them.”
Topics in this story
More Stories
Combat Veteran faces the traumatic events of her PTSD during prolonged exposure therapy and looks forward to the days to come.
Bob Jesse Award celebrates the achievements of a VA employee and a team or department that exemplifies innovative practices within VA.
The Medical Foster Home program offers Veterans an alternative to nursing homes.
Turns out the PACT act has implementation problems, and is not doing the
job VA says it is. I tried some time back and found out they are pushing the
same old tricks to service connect.
PTSD is not a option with me. This isnt somatic. All that build up and when they
sprang it on me it was the same things from 1994. So I got nothing out of this
because I wasnt going to tank my current rating for a psychiatric diagnosis.
PTSD isnt stopping me, physical neuroendocrine issues are throwing off my
metabolism with weird enzymatic issues. I didnt will that on myself. That and
many other things, including the tumors.
Soon as I started speaking out about all this, my website went dark and now
Google claims I dont exist just as Im about to speak before a federal advisory
committee in February. Im the first critic of the PACT act and the media backed
away, even falsified that I got help in one article.
Im trying to make PACT act work. It doesnt, which is why Im speaking up now.
VA and the media are doing all they can to play me down.
They were really helpful in assisting us and they moved the lines quickly
Good Morning,
Will there be any more PACT Act screenings. I’m a Fort Worth resident so I was wondering if there will be any screenings in my area. Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and have a Blessed Day.-JFG
I was also standing in line and after about an hour took my filled out paperwork and said it would be several weeks before I was contacted.?
When will this sort of open communication forum be extended to Austin? The DOD is slowly admitting that Agent Orange was used outside Vietnam. Yes, we in the Air Force can attest to AO use to defoliate runway and taxiway areas stateside. Our whole squadron was exposed to AO in 1974-75, regularly. I have been trying to register on the AO list for Vietnam Era veterans, but I keep getting told my areas of service were not “selected” by the DOD. Why can’t the VA use mega-data to set the DOD record straight? If you ask veterans, they will tell you – there is no stolen valor or made up stories. This abuse of military members was systematic. I can’t register now, if not now then when? In the year after leaving the military, my teeth began to dissolve (VA says there are no records, but the VA paid for my outside of VA system dental care). I developed a heart murmur. Within 10 years I developed hypothyroidism, now I have an aggressive bladder cancer. That is three presumptive medical illnesses known to be caused by Agent Orange. Why does no one contact us directly to ask us what REALLY happened while we were DOD members? It is 40 years past the time to blow this covered-up poisoning of military members – stateside, not just in Vietnam.
I have put in for the”Pact Act”, to even did the physical 6 months ago I like to know where am at?
They highlight the event itself. The VA was NOT ready. Many vets left due to the long line and it being unorganized.
I was not able to be see a claim rep that day and they took my name and number but still waiting for a call back. They told me that it would be the next day.
Thank you VA for going this extra measure for my brothers and sisters in arms
When is the next one?
where do you file for this?
Excellent information. question – where did those people park as the Dallas hospital does not have enough parking space for the People it serves on a regular basis?