South Texas VA hosts PACT Act Week of Action event

At VA facilities across the country, staff hosted PACT Act events to inform the public on what the historic law could mean for Veterans and their family members.

South Texas VA held its event on Dec. 14 in the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio. The legislation expands VA health care and benefits for millions of Veterans and their survivors, including those from the Vietnam, Gulf War and Post-9/11 eras.

The program was opened with remarks from Maureen Elias, Army Veteran and VA deputy chief of Staff, who worked on the hill for six years. She said with both her and her husband being Veterans, the passage had personal impact.

“I remember some nights wanting to smother my husband with a pillow because of his constant coughing and sniffling that occurred every night after he came home from Afghanistan,” Elias said. “Now, those days are over and his life is saved thanks to the PACT Act,” she explained to the full house of Veterans, spouses and caregivers.

“We are here for the PACT Act.”

There were many Veterans who were unsure what the PACT Act means for them and their families. “I found out about the event from the media. Then a friend told me to look it up on the internet,” said Dan Banda, Marine Corps Veteran, who was assigned to a heavy artillery battalion and was exposed to toxins during his service. “I was in heavy artillery and I was also assigned to a nuclear battery, so we pretty much fired a lot of leftover Vietnam ammo. We would fire truckload after truckload of it.”

“Thank you for joining us on this monumental day,” said Tim Jensen, chief strategy officer for Grunt Style and Marine Corps combat Veteran. “We are here for the PACT Act. This is a long time coming. I’ve been on this project for about four years when it was brought to me by Rosie Torres, executive director of Burn Pits 360.”

The personal connection to toxic exposure is what drew him in. He listed individuals who died from exposure to a silent crowd. “My best friend, Frank Hazelwood, sergeant in the Marine Corps… dead. My commander… dead. My colonel… dead. CO of my unit, dead, my XO, dead. This plays out a lot and I’m sure there are many stories that all of you can say the exact same thing about your military service while watching your friends go down to a knee and ultimately fade away.”

Registration, toxic screening and enrolling

“In Korea, they would have these large nasty pits that we’d sit there for hours lighting up and burning,” Banda said. “When it was our turn, we’d burn these large barrels of human waste, or whatever else was in there. We were Marines and Marines do what they’re told.”

The event included Veterans going through registration, toxic screening and enrolling those newly eligible for VA health care. Almost all of the 210 Veterans attending the presentation were screened that evening. VBA staff helped 38 Veterans file disability claims.

Veterans can help spread the word about the expanded services

“Be the example for the next Veteran. Show them why it is important to get involved and to enroll and be a part of this program and spread the word,” Jensen said. “Your word, your authenticity, is going to bring more Veterans to this conversation.”

Army Veteran Brendon Zamora was one of those Veterans who learned about the event from his stepmother. He had already enrolled in the burn pit registry but wanted to get more information. “I need to do what’s best for myself and my family. If this is going to help my family, this is what I need to do,” he said.

The event attracted Veterans from a diversity of eras who worked their way through the lines of benefits and processes.

Navy Veteran David Llanes received an invite call at home for the event and was determined to be there. He was impressed with the resources available to him. “In 1971, when I got out of the service, they didn’t have any of these environmental hazards screenings and toxic screenings,” he said.

“Will not rest until every Veteran gets the care they deserve”

Jason Cave, interim Medical Center director/CEO of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, wanted all Veterans to realize this event was just the beginning. “This isn’t the last chance. It’s not one and done in here today, so if for some reason you are having to go, or you don’t complete the process, we can do these screenings from any of our locations, any day.”

Elias left the attendees with a simple message.

“We will not rest until every Veteran and survivor in San Antonio knows about this new law, understands what it means for them, and gets the care and benefits they have earned. That’s what our country owes so many of you and that’s what we are going to deliver.”

If you missed your local facilities PACT Act event, you can learn more at VA.gov/PACT or 1-800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411).