Burn Pit in Alabama

Aneeda72

Aneeda72

Well-known Member
I received this letter today. OMG, I knew I clould not have all these medical issues without exposure.

”However, on August 29, 2024, VA issued a memorandum confirming the Veteran’s exposure to open-air burn pits that were used in staging the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives tests at Fort McClellan, Alabama.”

The Marines got the big announcement about the water at Camp LeJune. Where’s the big announcement about the burn-pit in Alabama and the exposures to the Ft. McClellan veterans
 
You are issued an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record which coordinates exposure to disabilities. There are 23 presumptive disabilities associated with the PACT act. If you have those disabilities, it is presumed they are service connected. I have several of those.

All non presumptive disabilities have to be proved service connected. Try proving something that happened 57 years ago in the military.

I had a general exam today, but didn’t know about the burn pit and either did the examiner. How fair is that? So, I again, went with exposure to agent orange chemicals, cause I was exposed to those and mustard gas. This was the second exam for my back.

How did I hurt it 57 years ago? Military records show repeated complaints of low back pain and hip pain. Did they do ex rays back then? Nope. And from then on my back and hips always hurt. But how, specifically, did I hurt it? I can remember parts of an incident, but idk. Ugh.

I am not going to lie, not going to make stuff up. I probably injured it several times. In those days, we did KP duty and that was very heavy work. We/I emptied full trash cans into the edible garbage room (The garbage was sold to pig farmers.)

Also carried heavy duffles, tents, stuff etc.

I had 3 interviews for my PTSD. Let me tell you, questions about the cause of my PTSD are very traumatizing. I was upset for days. I had to do it 3 times; and many of those memories are suppressed, so they are not complete memories. I told her this was the last time, I wasn’t doing it a fourth time. To hell with it, not going through it again.

Does the VA care? Nope.

So far several ace (I think that’s what they called them) exams, these are record only exams. A few in person exams, and a couple video exams. Now they start over since I officially come under the PACT act and I now need that number for TERA exams.

Very frustrated. I really need to be at 50% so I can get free meds. I have several that my private insurance will no longer pay for; and as we all know meds are very expensive.
 
Aneeda72 said:
You are issued an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record which coordinates exposure to disabilities. There are 23 presumptive disabilities associated with the PACT act. If you have those disabilities, it is presumed they are service connected. I have several of those.

All non presumptive disabilities have to be proved service connected. Try proving something that happened 57 years ago in the military.

I had a general exam today, but didn’t know about the burn pit and either did the examiner. How fair is that? So, I again, went with exposure to agent orange chemicals, cause I was exposed to those and mustard gas. This was the second exam for my back.

How did I hurt it 57 years ago? Military records show repeated complaints of low back pain and hip pain. Did they do ex rays back then? Nope. And from then on my back and hips always hurt. But how, specifically, did I hurt it? I can remember parts of an incident, but idk. Ugh.

I am not going to lie, not going to make stuff up. I probably injured it several times. In those days, we did KP duty and that was very heavy work. We/I emptied full trash cans into the edible garbage room (The garbage was sold to pig farmers.)

Also carried heavy duffles, tents, stuff etc.

I had 3 interviews for my PTSD. Let me tell you, questions about the cause of my PTSD are very traumatizing. I was upset for days. I had to do it 3 times; and many of those memories are suppressed, so they are not complete memories. I told her this was the last time, I wasn’t doing it a fourth time. To hell with it, not going through it again.

Does the VA care? Nope.

So far several ace (I think that’s what they called them) exams, these are record only exams. A few in person exams, and a couple video exams. Now they start over since I officially come under the PACT act and I now need that number for TERA exams.

Very frustrated. I really need to be at 50% so I can get free meds. I have several that my private insurance will no longer pay for; and as we all know meds are very expensive.
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"meds are very expensive". Not here in the Province of Ontario. If you are over age 65, your medications are covered by the Provincial Government. With a $2 prescription fee. The list of medications is 5000 individual drug names long, so virtually all prescription drugs are covered. Here is the link to the Official information website for Ontario Seniors medicine . link.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/seniors-ontario-drug-benefit-deductible-and-prescription-co-payment

If an Ontario senior has an annual income of less than $25,000, or if a senior couple has a combined annual income of less than $41,000, they qualify for this reduced price prescription program, with $2 fee per prescription being filled, with no annual limit on how many prescriptions can be filled. JIM.
 
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jimintoronto said:
"meds are very expensive". Not here in the Province of Ontario. If you are over age 65, your medications are covered by the Provincial Government. With a $2 prescription fee. The list of medications is 5000 individual drug names long, so virtually all prescription drugs are covered. Here is the link to the Official information website for Ontario Seniors medicine . link.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/seniors-ontario-drug-benefit-deductible-and-prescription-co-payment

If an Ontario senior has an annual income of less than $25,000, or if a senior couple has a combined annual income of less than $41,000, they qualify for this reduced price prescription program, with $2 fee per prescription being filled, with no annual limit on how many prescriptions can be filled. JIM.
Click to expand...
If only I lived in Canada, but i don‘t.

I live in the USA; where drugs are very expensive. As I put on another thread, tradjenta cost 541 dollars for a thirty day supply. I get 999 dollars in social security a month. (If I was drawing on my husband’s social security I’d get about 540 dollars.). When my insurance paid, the drug co-pay was 40 dollars for a 90 day supply.

At the VA, the drug will costs 11 dollars for 30 day supply, or 33 dollars for 90 days. Once I get a 50% disability rating the drug is free. Therefore, I need a 50% disability rating. However, hope springs eternal, now that the VA has admitted there was a burn pit at Ft McClellan I should get 100% disability.

But, it’s the VA, so who knows?

And because the Board of Appeals sent my case back down the line to the VA, we start over, and it’ll months, probably. I still am waiting, after 6 months, for other ratings which were, I thought, clearly service connected. (My son got his rating in six weeks-just saying.)

But, 😂, the VA is very fast with it’s denials.
 
Aneeda72 said:
If only I lived in Canada, but i don‘t.

I live in the USA; where drugs are very expensive. As I put on another thread, tradjenta cost 541 dollars for a thirty day supply. I get 999 dollars in social security a month. (If I was drawing on my husband’s social security I’d get about 540 dollars.). When my insurance paid, the drug co-pay was 40 dollars for a 90 day supply.

At the VA, the drug will costs 11 dollars for 30 day supply, or 33 dollars for 90 days. Once I get a 50% disability rating the drug is free. Therefore, I need a 50% disability rating. However, hope springs eternal, now that the VA has admitted there was a burn pit at Ft McClellan I should get 100% disability.

But, it’s the VA, so who knows?

And because the Board of Appeals sent my case back down the line to the VA, we start over, and it’ll months, probably. I still am waiting, after 6 months, for other ratings which were, I thought, clearly service connected. (My son got his rating in six weeks-just saying.)

But, 😂, the VA is very fast with it’s denials.
Click to expand...
I know that you live in the USA. I was pointing out one of the many differences between the health care system here, versus where you are. Canadian Armed Forces military veterans can see any Doctor they choose, and go to any hospital . We don't have specific medical care centers for our veterans, they use the same public services as everyone else does. Active service CAF members go to the hospital on their base or station. JIM.
 
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