BURNPITS360

BURNPITS360 covers the important issue of exposure to burnpits.

Dedicated to Military Service Members and Veterans with Deployment Burn Pit-Related Illness, and Their Families Research | Outreach | Advocacy This newsletter is intended to educate and empower veterans with burn pit-related illness and their families.  We must work together to bring about change.  Burn Pits 360 is a federal nonprofit organization with the mission to further awareness of the dangers and consequences of exposure to burn pits; conduct research through the Burn Pits 360 Registry; push for legislative action for specialized health care and benefits; and provide outreach services. VA’s Burn Pit Registry has problems according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) The National Academy of Sciences recently published a study completed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of VA’s Burn Pit Registry, known as the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AH&OBPR).  Unfortunately, they found many faults and shortcomings with VA’s own registry.  The IOM, which is an independent organization, found issues with the presentation of the questionnaire itself and with the questions asked of Burn Pit victims on the questionnaire.  Amongst other concerns, IOM noted that VA asked questions it found irrelevant to the exposure to Burn Pits that Veterans had faced, such as places of childhood residence and past non-military work history, while limiting questions about exposure. Additionally, they found that the questionnaire was “poorly written”, as some questions were ambiguous or potentially confusing, and that some sections of the questionnaire were repetitive and lengthy. IOM found that, these and other issues combined, led to the VA AH&OBPR having incomplete responses, and recommended that the VA’s Burn Pit Veterans registry be redesigned.

Alert: Your claim could be denied because some Regional Office personnel do not understand the differences between burn pit (OIF & OEF Service) and Gulf War Claims Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick recently reviewed numerous VA decisions that show that some Regional Office personnel do not understand the differences between burn pits claims (exposure in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom) and claims under VA’s original Persian Gulf War regulation, such as an undiagnosed illness.  The distinction is extremely important.  Failing to understand the difference could be detrimental to your claim.  Click to read the full article byKerry Baker of CCK who is a service-connected, combat-disabled veteran of the United States Marines.     If VA denied your claim, contact CCK toll free at 844-291-8569. Proving the connection between burn pit exposure and illness by participating in the Burn Pits 360 research study The Burn Pits 360 Registry is a research study, collecting data on burn pit exposures and related illnesses.  The goal is to prove the connection between burn pit exposure and illness.  Before now, this information was only available to the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.  So far, over 5,000 individuals have participated.  Your data will enable Burn Pits 360 to advocate and lobby on behalf of the veterans’ community for VA benefits, policy change, and specialized health care. To participate, visit us on our website. Texas Burn Pit Registry Senate Bill 158 Introduced Texas Burn Pit Registry Senate Bill 158 introduced by Texas State Representative Abel Herrero and State Senator Chuy Hinojosa. The bill passed unanimously out of the House Committee and will most likely be voted out of the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee this month. The registry will be managed by the Texas Health Department and outreach services will continue to be delivered  by Burn Pits 360 and the Texas Veterans Commission. The registry will allow the families of the fallen to submit a death entry and any individual affected will be able to self report a decline in health function. Participants in VA's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Entitled to Schedule In-person Clinical Evaluation Participants in VA’s Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry are entitled to schedule an optional in-person clinical evaluation by a VA provider. A Burn Pits 360 ongoing investigation has revealed that many local VA providers and Environmental Health Coordinators are unfamiliar with option, creating obstacles for veterans in the pursuit of care.  The in-person evaluation may include a complete blood count, chest radiographs, pulse oximetry, and spirometry, as well as referral to specialists for cardiopulmonary testing or lung biopsy, and to the VA’s War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC). See this document for addition information on the in-person evaluation. If you have trouble scheduling an in-person evaluation, contact Burn Pits 360.  More News Burn Pits 360 has been invited to speak at the 2017 VA/DOD AHOBPR Symposium May 8-9 Burn Pits 360, physicians and families of the fallen will visit Capitol Hill in May 2017. Join us for lobby day the week of May 8-12th. Donate to Burn Pits 360, 501C3 Non-Profit Organization Burn Pits 360 Needs You!  The ability to bring you this information and make a difference for Armed Service veterans like you and your families, depends on your support.  The success of our mission depends on the generosity of individuals like you.  We ask you to consider a monthly tax deductible donation to help us advocate for our community and its needs.  DONATE TODAY! Connect with us on Facebook Burn Pits 360 is community of veterans with burn pit-related illness, their families, and advocates with the common goal of exposing the harms of toxic burn pit exposure and obtaining benefits and policy change. Join us. Like us on Facebook! Listen to our Podcast Series Gaslighting LISTEN NOW Meet the Burn Pits 360 Team Founder: CPT (Ret.) Le Roy Torres Executive Director: Rosie Torres Secretary: Tammy McCracken TX Advocate: Diane Slape Strategy & Communication Liaison: Daniel Sullivan Program Manager: Will Wisner Legislative Liaison: Cindy Aman Director of Community Development: Daniella Molina Advisory Board Ret. Colonel David Sutherland Dr. Steven Coughlin Ret. Lt. Col Gregg Deeb Dr. Robert Miller Ret. Lt. Col Brian Lawler Kerry Baker

Burn Pits 360 is a 501C3 Federal Non-Profit Organization. The organization's Tax ID number is 45-4258125 Copyright © 2017 Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you submitted your contact information via the Burn Pits 360 website. Our mailing address is: Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization P.O Box 1475 Robstown, TX 78380