Burn Pit

[Whodat]

Just reading the requirements for burn pit exposure. The requirements are if the disease must manifest within 10 years after separation. Why couldn't it have been within 10 years of the last deployment and or separation? 

 

[brokensoldier244th]

I don't know what went into their thinking but presumably if you had served in an affected area early in your career, and then retired out 15 or whatever years later then some of those symptoms would have manifested while still in service and you would have a direct or secondary service connection rather than PACT.

[Whodat]

Well, I guess that it is advantageous to the early and mid career vets. They have additional time to build up evidence. Now for vets that have already exited the service only have 10 years. 

I barely made the cut. I have been diagnosed within 9 years and 8 months after I had gotten out of the service.

[brokensoldier244th]

What requirements are you reading, and from where? Link? 

 

 

 

[Whodat]

50 minutes ago, brokensoldier244th said:

What requirements are you reading, and from where? Link? 

 

 

 

https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/

[Whodat]

Do you see something different? For the Gulf war veterans, the condition must have manifest within 10 years after discharge right?

So if a early or mid career vet let's just say gets sinusitis or rhinitis, the vet is aware of the condition while in service but don't complain or go to sick call due to fear of peer pressure or lost of career. Now after separation the vet still have 10 years right?

[brokensoldier244th]

The only place on that page that says "10 years" is eligibility for VA care if you aren't already enrolled and don't have an SC condition, and that's if you discharged after 2013. 

Th PACT act removed the prior 10 yr manifestation language (from 2021) for any presumed condition listed, within any of the locations listed.

The language of the PACT law is that if you were in one of the listed areas and have one of the listed conditions "An undiagnosed illness and medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness may manifest at any degree at any time."