Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper held a roundtable at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4031 last week in Durango to spread the word about benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances.
Veterans and their surviving family must apply by Aug. 9 to receive benefits dating back to Aug. 10, 2022, the day the The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act was signed into law.
La Plata County Veterans Service Officer Greg Dotson said there are at least 3,900 veterans living in the county. That number encompass only those who have sought benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the actual total could be far higher.
The PACT Act expands benefits for veterans exposed to a variety of toxic substances, from Agent Orange in Vietnam to burn pits used to dispose of a variety of materials in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The event was moderated by La Plata County Manager Chuck Stevens, himself a veteran who came to the county after a 25-year career in the Marine Corps. Stevens said most veterans, especially those who have served in the last 30 years, were likely exposed to toxic material.
“Anybody that was in Iraq, (or) Afghanistan for sure was exposed to our burn pit,” Stevens said. “I mean, they’re just ubiquitous.”
About 25 people were in attendance at last Thursday’s event, Stevens said, including Dotson, the three county commissioners and representatives from the VA.
In most cases, to qualify for VA disability benefits, a veteran must connect their disability to their service. The PACT Act vastly expands the number of presumptive conditions, which means that if a veteran experiences an enormously expanded slate of cancers or other illnesses and served in a qualifying area and time period, then the two are presumed to be causally connected.
“Presumptive conditions means I don’t have to prove my case,” Stevens said. “It’s assumed that my kidney cancer (for example), is as a result of my exposure.”
Veterans are able to apply for benefits at any time, but must apply by Aug. 9 to receive retroactive benefits going back one year.
More information about qualifying exposure, qualifying conditions and how to apply for benefits can be found on the VA website or by going to rb.gy/c2vu7
rschafir@durangoherald.com
