As America celebrates its Independence Day, beyond parades and commemorations for current and former U.S. Military service men and women, there is still a pressing need to reevaluate and improve the existing support systems for veterans in this country. To date, the PACT Act, implemented in 2022, has enabled the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to approve more than 550,000 claims per year, whereas before this act, fewer than 280,000 were approved annually.

Before the implementation of the PACT Act, asbestos claims were predominantly approved by the VA, given the extent of Navy veterans' asbestos exposure, as well as the longstanding acknowledgment of this toxic agent aboard naval vessels and in shipyard environments. Nevertheless, even with evidence of disease-causing effects and well-documented exposure sites, veterans still needed to undergo extensive evaluations before getting access to healthcare services and compensation. Now, the claims’ approval process is swifter, while the PACT Act also includes several other chemical hazards and sites of contamination.

Although the PACT Act covers several toxic hazards, it still fails to recognise some of the most widely encountered toxins across military bases. Currently, data collected by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that 720 military bases in the U.S. are contaminated or possibly contaminated with PFAS, the infamous “forever chemicals”, now linked with several serious diseases, including cancer, immune dysfunction, and metabolic diseases.

PFAS are not the only hazards veterans were exposed to, and more concerningly, current military personnel are still exposed to these dangers. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are another category of toxic chemicals that are extensively used across military installations, particularly in facilities where activities related to fuel storage, aircraft maintenance, and industrial cleaning processes are carried out. Similar to PFAS, VOCS have also been linked with carcinogenic effects, as well as with several other serious conditions and multiple organ damage. Although VOCs and PFAS have been connected for several years now with various diseases, veterans affected by these chemicals need to prove not only disease causality, but also hold a clear record of contamination. Even after these efforts, undergoing extensive documentation and proof-of-exposure procedures, veteran claims can still be denied. This leaves many unable to work due to disability while facing mounting healthcare costs.

Florida Veterans and Toxic Exposure

Florida is among the states with some of the largest and most diverse veteran populations, counting more than 1,430,000 people. This state is also a major military hub, currently home to around 24 military installations. According to data by the EWG, 15 of these locations are contaminated with PFAS, including one in the Key West region, two in Miami, with one additional site suspected of contamination, and one in Tampa, where another site is also being examined for possible contamination.

Several other locations are listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as Superfund Sites for extensive pollution with toxic agents, including VOCs. Among these, contamination with trichloroethane (TCE) has been documented at multiple military installations. Notably, TCE is a VOC with known carcinogenic effects  that have been documented for more than 20 years. More concerningly, many sites polluted by military activities with VOCs also contain contamination with PFAS.

With such a rich history of PFAS and VOCs contamination, Florida’s veterans face significant risks for long-term health complications without guaranteed access to compensation and timely access to medical care. When celebrating this Independence Day, VA policymakers should be reminded of the ongoing disparities in toxic exposure for veterans and substantiate efforts for expanding the scope of the PACT Act. By including these harmful agents in the current framework for presumptive hazards, the VA can effectively remove barriers that delay care and burden already vulnerable veterans. This may be a time to realize that praise alone is not enough, and recognizing exposure to PFAS and VOCs as presumptive conditions is a necessary step toward fulfilling the nation’s commitment to those who served.

About the Author
Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to raise awareness and educate veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships and assist them in navigating the VA claims process. For more information, please visit our page.