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The Cost of Burn Pits, Part Two: Healthcare for Veterans

 



On the battlefield, soldiers are trained to identify any outward threats, whether that be enemy combatants or incoming fire– they should be able to recognize them with no problem. But, what happens when the biggest threat to their health and safety comes from right under their noses? The thick, toxic smoke that came from the massive burn pits used in the wars in the Middle East exposed thousands of veterans to life-threatening illnesses and chronic health issues that still affect them today1.

After years of being silenced and this struggle going almost unnoticed, the true cost of burn pits is finally gaining attention throughout the world. With advocacy groups and affected veterans fighting for recognition, proper medical care, and overall accountability, people are finally understanding the dangers posed through this practice of using burn pits on foreign and wartorn ground2. The impact of war doesn’t simply vanish when a soldier leaves the battlefield– it lingers in their minds, in their hearts, and in their bodies. It plagues the landscapes and ecosystems that were destroyed in the process of war. Though it’s not a perfect response, and there is still much left to be answered, the United States established the Burn Pit Registry, where service members and veterans can document their exposure, track their health, and help contribute to ongoing research efforts on the long-term effects of this deadly practice3. The fight for both human and environmental accountability continues today, even after these fires have burned out.

After a decade of struggle, veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are finally getting the recognition, care, and aid they deserve after being exposed to the toxicity created by the burn pits they were stationed near. The United States government is committed to addressing health care benefits and disability compensation for veterans exposed to burn pits during their service. The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act was introduced  in the 117th Congress to improve both the healthcare and services for veterans exposed to toxic substances4. Its goal was to extend the eligibility period of Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) health care services for veterans who served after September 11, 2001, and were exposed to radiation, toxic substances, and other hazardous conditions. This extension was crucial to those who were not able to register during the original sign-up period5. Additionally, the bill proposed incorporating toxic exposure screenings to the already existing VA health care procedures and called for annual training for healthcare personnel on issues related to toxic exposures. On February 16, 2022, this bill passed the Senate6.

The Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 was introduced in the 117th Congress to address the healthcare benefits and disability compensation for veterans who have been exposed to burn pits during their service7. The bill asks the VA to acknowledge that the veterans who served in specific locations and periods were exposed to substances from burn pits. This would directly eliminate their individual needs to prove exposure. Some of these locations include Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon, and many others8. If the veteran’s evidence is insufficient, and for some reason doesn’t quite match with a service connection for disability compensation, it is the VA’s responsibility to provide medical examination and seek an opinion between disability and exposure. Overall, the goal of this bill is to simplify the process for affected veterans to receive healthcare and benefits by serving as a formal recognition of their exposure to hazardous and toxic substances as a result of being stationed near the burn pits during service9.

 

Notes

  1. “Exposure to Burn Pits and Other Specific Environmental Hazards,” Veterans Affairs, accessed March 21, 2025, https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/specific-environmental-hazards/.
  2. 10 things to know about burn pits - VA public health, accessed March 22, 2025, https://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/exposures/ten-things-to-know-fact-sheet.pdf.
  3.  Veterans Health Administration US Department of Veterans Affairs, “Va.Gov: Veterans Affairs,” Protect your health, December 13, 2013, https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp.
  4. S.3541 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Health Care For Burn Pit veterans act | congress.gov | library of Congress, accessed April 21, 2025, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/3541.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Ibid.
  7.  H.R.2436 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 | congress.gov | library of Congress, accessed April 21, 2025, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2436/text.
  8. Ibid.
  9. Ibid.

 

Citations:

 

“Exposure to Burn Pits and Other Specific Environmental Hazards.” Veterans Affairs. Accessed March 21, 2025. https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/specific-environmental-hazards/. 

H.R.2436 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 | congress.gov | library of Congress. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2436/text. 

S.3541 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Health Care For Burn Pit veterans act | congress.gov | library of Congress. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/3541. 

US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. “Va.Gov: Veterans Affairs.” Protect your health, December 13, 2013. https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp. 

10 things to know about burn pits - VA public health. Accessed March 22, 2025. https://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/exposures/ten-things-to-know-fact-sheet.pdf. 


transcripción en español

En el campo de batalla, los soldados reciben entrenamiento para identificar cualquier amenaza externa, ya sea combatientes enemigos o fuego entrante; deben ser capaces de reconocerlas sin dificultad. Sin embargo, ¿qué sucede cuando la mayor amenaza para su salud y seguridad sale de donde menos lo esperan? El humo denso y tóxico que emanaba de las enormes hogueras utilizadas durante las guerras en el Medio Oriente expuso a miles de veteranos a enfermedades potencialmente mortales y afecciones crónicas que aún los afectan en la actualidad.

Luego de años de silencio y de que esta lucha pasara casi desapercibida, el verdadero costo de las hogueras finalmente está recibiendo atención a nivel mundial. Gracias a la labor de grupos de defensa y de veteranos afectados que exigen reconocimiento, atención médica adecuada y que alguien tome responsabilidad por esto, cada vez más personas van entendiendo los peligros asociados con esta práctica en territorios extranjeros devastados por la guerra. El impacto de la guerra no desaparece cuando un soldado abandona el campo de batalla: permanece en su mente, en su corazón y en su cuerpo. Afecta también los paisajes y ecosistemas destruidos durante el conflicto. Aunque la respuesta no ha sido perfecta y aún quedan muchas preguntas por ser contestadas, el gobierno de los Estados Unidos creó el Registro de Hogueras, en el cual los militares en servicio y los veteranos pueden documentar su exposición, monitorear su salud y contribuir a investigaciones en curso sobre los efectos a largo plazo de esta práctica letal. La lucha por la justicia humana y ambiental continúa, incluso después de que estos fuegos han sido extintos.

Tras una década de lucha, los veteranos que sirvieron en Iraq y Afganistán finalmente están recibiendo el reconocimiento, la atención y la asistencia que merecen luego de haber sido expuestos a la toxicidad generada por las hogueras cercanas a sus lugares de servicio. El gobierno de los Estados Unidos se ha comprometido a atender los beneficios de salud y la compensación por discapacidad de los veteranos expuestos durante su servicio. La Ley de Atención Médica para Veteranos Expuestos a Hogueras fue presentada en el 117.º Congreso con el objetivo de mejorar tanto los servicios médicos como la atención que reciben los veteranos afectados por sustancias tóxicas. Esta ley proponía extender el período de elegibilidad para los servicios médicos del Departamento de Asuntos del Veterano (VA, por sus siglas en inglés) a aquellos veteranos que sirvieron después del 11 de septiembre de 2001 y que estuvieron expuestos a radiación, sustancias tóxicas y otras condiciones peligrosas. Dicha extensión resultó crucial para aquellos que no pudieron inscribirse durante el período original. Asimismo, la ley planteó incorporar evaluaciones de exposición tóxica dentro de los procedimientos de atención médica ya existentes del VA, y establecer entrenamiento anual para el personal de salud sobre temas relacionados con exposiciones tóxicas. Esta medida fue aprobada por el Senado el 16 de febrero de 2022.

Por su parte, la Ley de Reconocimiento de Exposición a Hogueras para Veteranos, presentada en el mismo Congreso, buscó atender el tema de los beneficios de salud y la compensación por discapacidad para los veteranos expuestos a estas condiciones durante su servicio militar. La legislación solicita al VA que reconozca que los veteranos que sirvieron en ciertos lugares y periodos específicos estuvieron expuestos a sustancias provenientes de las hogueras, eliminando así la carga de tener que demostrar individualmente dicha exposición. Entre los lugares incluidos se encuentran Iraq, Somalia, Afganistán, Jordania, Líbano, entre muchos otros. Si la evidencia presentada por el veterano fuese insuficiente o no se correspondiese plenamente con los requisitos para establecer una conexión directa para compensación por discapacidad, el VA tiene la responsabilidad de realizar una evaluación médica y emitir una opinión profesional sobre la posible relación entre la exposición y la condición médica. En última instancia, el propósito de esta ley es facilitar el proceso mediante el cual los veteranos afectados puedan acceder a servicios de salud y beneficios, al constituir un reconocimiento formal de su exposición a sustancias peligrosas y tóxicas durante su servicio cerca de las hogueras.

 

中文轉錄


(焚烧坑的成本（第二部分）：退伍军人医疗保健)
在战场上，士兵们接受过识别任何外部威胁的训练，无论是敌方战斗人员还是来袭的火力——他们本应能够轻而易举地识别这些威胁。但是，当他们健康和安全的最大威胁就在他们眼皮底下时，会发生什么呢？中东战争中使用的大型焚烧坑产生的浓厚有毒烟雾使成千上万的退伍军人面临危及生命的疾病和慢性健康问题，这些问题至今仍困扰着他们。

多年来，这场抗争一直被压制，鲜为人知，但焚烧坑的真正代价终于引起了全世界的关注。随着倡导团体和受影响的退伍军人为争取认可、适当的医疗救治和全面问责而斗争，人们终于认识到在饱受战火摧残的异国土地上使用焚烧坑这种做法所带来的危险。战争的影响并不会随着士兵离开战场而消失——它会萦绕在他们的脑海、心灵和身体里。它肆虐着在战争中被摧毁的土地和生态系统。尽管这并非完美的解决方案，仍有许多问题有待解答，但美国建立了焚烧坑登记处，让现役军人和退伍军人可以记录他们的接触史，追踪他们的健康状况，并为持续进行的关于这种致命做法的长期影响的研究贡献力量。即使在这些火灾已经扑灭之后，人类和环境责任的斗争仍在继续。

经过十年的奋斗，在伊拉克和阿富汗服役的退伍军人终于获得了他们应得的认可、关怀和援助，他们此前曾驻扎在附近的焚烧坑，并暴露于有毒物质中。美国政府致力于为服役期间接触焚烧坑的退伍军人提供医疗保健福利和残疾补偿。《焚烧坑退伍军人医疗保健法案》于第117届国会提出，旨在改善接触有毒物质的退伍军人的医疗保健和服务。该法案的目标是延长退伍军人事务部 (VA) 医疗保健服务的资格期限，这些资格期限适用于2001年9月11日之后服役并接触过辐射、有毒物质和其他危险环境的退伍军人。对于那些在最初注册期间未能注册的退伍军人来说，这项延长至关重要。此外，该法案提议将有毒物质暴露筛查纳入现有的退伍军人事务部的医疗保健程序，并要求每年对医护人员进行与有毒物质暴露相关的培训。2022年2月16日，该法案在参议院获得通过。

2021年《退伍军人焚烧坑暴露认定法案》由第117届国会提出，旨在解决服役期间接触焚烧坑的退伍军人的医疗福利和伤残补偿问题。该法案要求退伍军人事务部确认在特定地点和时期服役的退伍军人接触过焚烧坑中的物质。这将直接免除他们提供个人暴露证明的需要。这些地点包括伊拉克、索马里、阿富汗、约旦、黎巴嫩等许多国家。如果退伍军人的证据不足，并且由于某种原因与伤残补偿的服役关系不完全匹配，退伍军人事务部有责任提供体检，并在残疾和暴露之间寻求意见。总而言之，该法案的目标是通过正式承认他们在服役期间驻扎在焚烧坑附近而接触了危险和有毒物质，简化受影响退伍军人获得医疗和福利的流程。

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