Recently, VA launched a new webpage that shows the number of Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) participants by state and congressional district.
The current webpage contains breakouts as of Sept. 12, 2022, for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five other jurisdictions (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, United States Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands). The data will be updated biannually.
Section 808(b)(2) of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act) requires VA to make information public about the number of participants in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) by State and congressional district.
The PACT Act expands health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, among other toxic substances.
About the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry
The AHOBPR is designed to collect data from eligible Veterans and service members about their exposures and health during service. Information provided through this registry helps VA better understand whether long-term health conditions may be related to military exposures.
Eligible participants can complete an online questionnaire and have the option to have a free health evaluation to discuss health concerns regarding military exposures. More than 346,544 participants have joined since the launch of this registry in 2014.
To learn more about the registry, visit https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/participants.asp.
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I served at Incirlik, Turkey during Desert Storm. When I go to the registry, there is no drop down selection for Turkey or any of the locations inside Turkey. I cannot complete the online application unless I can select a location, even though I have a SWASM with Bronze Star and orders showing my time there. How can I register outside of the website?
I’m a Viet Nam veteran who had extended exposure to Agent Orange. I’ve been filing numerous disability claims for various issues since returning from Viet Nam in 1971 to no avail! The information on the recently established Pact Act seems to consider different presumptive conditions for toxin exposure for Gulf War vets and Viet Nam vets! Is this correct??????????? Are they just stalling until all the Viet Nam vets die off?????????????
Yes! They are just stalling until we all die off. My husband already died of stomach cancer in 2001. A couple years ago, I put in a claim for DIC and of course, have been rejected every time. I see stomach cancer is now considered a presumptive disease for those exposed to burn pits, but not the servicemen and women that were exposed to Agent Orange when both contain dioxin, a known carcinogen.
https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/
PLEASE use this to light a fire in the hearts of those who keep denying you. And if needed, reach out the the Office of Inspector General OIG, they live to investigate this stuff
Where do I sign up for the registry. Could you please provide link to the toxic and burn pit registry. I can’t find the link anywhere. Thanks.
Having used the ABHOR exam system, it failed me. Reduced down to
10 minute visual exam, chest xray, and PFT. I had hell getting through
the HOME start up location as it doesnt allow for many locations in
southern Iraq. Told VA they need to add a CRUR unit locator tool from
OSAGWI to help show day to day issues.
Then there is the NAS study Oct 2022 that shows of the 317,000 participants
only 30,000 got exams. About 9% over 8 years. It failed us.
They are NOT looking for physical tissue samples that would prove any
toxic exposures. They havent been. Im supposed to be addressing a VA research
committee in Hawaii in February and they already told me I cant talk about
this. ORD is behind this.
VA is doing all it can to censor me about the PACT act, ABHOR, and many others
things. Ive contacted the Sec of VA for a year now and he keeps blowing me off.
VA isnt serious about helping you folks, nothing has changed for me in 20 years
and Ive done every program and item that applies to this the last year.
Reach out to the Office of Inspector General. They are fully onboard with rectifying all that’s wrong with VAH. VA told my husband he was never in desert storm… ? I joke about it now because of how stupid it sounds. They’ve also told him he needs to provide a copy of his DD214, yet it’s clearly in their system, because anybody else at VA can access it but them. Trust me, I’ve got plenty of time invested over the years. It’s all coming together slowly and doesn’t help those of you in need of it NOW. Their system isn’t set up to recognize all the units, especially from the desert storm era, because some were attached to other regiments completely. There are 3 DOD deployment reports from that time, they had a hell of a time trying to put together an accurate first one. The third is as accurate as it can be, if you or anyone you know are from that time. Don’t give up. I’m really trying to put together something so I can help you guys that are tired of the BS. I have to take some VA course and test so I can be an advocate. Hope this helps a bit, hang in there ?
I have a bad lung and stomach issues due to burn pits in Iraq what is it that I’m not receiving nothing for that hello
Served in the Navy. Was in Operation deset shield/storm. One of my jobs is maintaing cleaning burn pit
I was denied benefits for Utapao Thailand AO exposure in the early 60s because I didn’t report within one year of exposure. They admitted I had Peripheral neuropathy and that I was exposed. They kept AO use secret until this year
Awaiting moderation. BS
Obviously they are not educating their claims staff on the fact that nobody is exempt from the new PACT ACT that was put into place. There are no cutoff dates or statute of limitations for reporting your conditions. They’re just now ‘somewhat’ lol, getting the community care program all on one page. ?
Thank you VA for providing the Veterans with Health care compensation and benefits for the illness we acquired due to toxic burn site conditions..thanks for the info.
“Burning sht (feces)” was a common practice among many military units in Vietnam. In my unit, the troops would come out of the field and one of the work details was “burning sht” with various petroleum products. Smoke and smell was horrible and no protective equipment was provided. I was with an infantry battalion, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
I have tried and finally had my name added to the list for exposure to “other” toxic chemicals that I used daily as an aircraft ejection systems mechanic. It seems TCE, PD-680 and MEK Are extremely toxic and I had over 10 years of exposure by contact and inhalation. I look forward to hearing from the evaluators for the numerous issues I have. All aircraft mechanics from the 60’s thru the 80’s should register. As an example PD-680 was banned in 1999 and replaced due to long term damage discovered.
god plus the vets
The pesticides sprayed by trucks around the Dhahran housing area in the early to mid nineties was so thick you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face! It turned day into night when the sky filled with that hovering poison. Those trucks rolled day and night. My lungs have never been the same. What relief can we expect?
Are burn pits that were in ROK-South Korea, or Kadena AB, Japan, and possibly others in the Pacific covered if intelligence Officers assigned to be there photograph and develop records on were exposed by their presence and died suffering from Cancer tumors in the lungs and brain
I’m in the registry what do I do
I have not had full lung capacity because of crap burning detail in Haiti. we had to stir human feces and diesel fuel while it burned. That seems pretty toxic to me. why was this not included. It seems like an officer came up with the parameters that count and not an enlisted guy. I have not been able to breath right since 1994 because of this.
Well you know Ft. McClellan Vets have been dumped on for decades, and the PACT act was another dump on us. DOD and VA said they couldn’t take care of us because it would break the defense budget!!!
VA acknowledged I was exposed to Mustard agent. Yet I got denied. Eventhough, VA clinic acknowledged I have reduced breathing capacity. I’m curious who gets claim, especially those that say burn pits. Only the cancer and about to die?
I registered then went back and read the notes in myhealthyvet and the guy must have mistakenly put I smoked in Iraq I don’t even smoke how do I correct that I’m sure that’s a negative
What about air force vets station at missile sites during 1965 we were exposed to radiation
You may participate in ionizing radiation registry. For registry locations visit. http://Www.public health.va. Gov
What about burn barrels at Rushmore AFS. Water,chemicles etc.
Getting help to file a claim nearly impossible for homebound soldiers. Even State Representatives in VAMC will not help. Told to go to Atlanta Regional office doesn’t have people to help me. What is one to do.
[Editor: Please contact a Veterans Service Organization (“VSO”) for assistance. They are not VA employees, but they are free, trained by VA, and often co-located on a VA campus. You can search, here: https://www.benefits.va.gov/vso/varo.asp You can also try Googling “(Name of your county) + county veterans service office” for contact information to your county’s VSO. They may be able to assist the homebound.]
The editor’s advice is poor. The VSOs are everwhelmed. There are too many veterans and not enough resources to help. I’ve been trying to get a claim filed for about a year now, I can barely get someone to call me back. The entire system is broken.
Go to Togus in Maine, they are the best. It’s worth the trip.
What about the Chernobyl incident for those of us that were in Europe at the time and had to wear MOPP gear from the exposure ?? There’s more to the issue than burn pits or agent orange
Why doesn’t VA publish ship records and dates for ships that docked in Vietnam? My husband died 6 years ago from complications of distress and heart disease that VA would not acknowledge was related to agent Orange. I applied for Widow’s benefits a year ago and just last month VA sent me a letter asking ME to come up with ship logs showing his ship docked in Vietnam! VA delays and stalls until they know most of the vets or their spouses are dead.
The same exact thing happened to my Uncle. My Mom helped my Aunt get the benefits rather quickly here in Maine.
I experienced open pit burn areas+open air burning areas while in s.korea
I also experienced burn pits in Pohang Korea. I was there in the Marines for cold weather training.
What should a Widow of a Veteran do who has died from his exposure to the Burn Pit in the Gulf War?
Where and how do I enroll to participate in the new open burn pit registry in San Antonio Texas?
File a claim then you will start the process there. Register with PACT. Make sure whatever you are filing for is in your medical records.
Needed some help registering