How a new law will help Arizona veterans exposed to burn pits

By Mark Brodie
Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 - 12:58pm
Updated: Thursday, January 26, 2023 - 7:44am

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Air base burn pit
Senior Airman Julianne Showalter/United States Air Force
Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable military uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq, in March 2008.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has started processing claims from veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.

That’s after Congress passed the Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins, known as the PACT Act, last year.

It expands VA benefits and health care for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances, including Agent Orange and burn pits.

The Show spoke about this with Chris Norton, director of the Phoenix VA Benefits Regional Office, about who this new law involves and what eligibility looks like.

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