Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to and engage in discussion with the Honorable Senator Mark Kelly, alongside Senator Jon Ossoff, as the PACT Act and other critical Veteran issues were addressed.
So, what is the PACT Act?
In short, the PACT Act expands access to VA health care and benefits for Veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. If a Veteran experienced toxic exposure during deployment, the PACT Act ensures eligibility for VA health care and establishes presumptive service connections for certain conditions related to those exposures (see attached FAQ sheet for details).
Once a Veteran identifies that their service and exposure fall within a covered category, the next step is to file a VA disability claim. These claims are submitted under Toxic Exposure Risk Activities (TERA). It is essential that the Veteran’s service records accurately document the locations and circumstances of exposure. This information is captured in the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER), a joint Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system that tracks environmental and occupational exposures to support both clinical care and benefits determinations.
To complete the process, Veterans are encouraged to contact their Regional TERA representative. Many VA medical centers now have a designated TERA coordinator embedded within the facility to assist with exposure verification, claim development, and connection to appropriate health care and benefits.
Additional Resources for Veterans:
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