Wounded Warrior Project Encourages Vets to Register for VA’s Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry

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Did you serve in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, or Southwest Asia?

Depending on the dates of service, you could have been exposed to airborne hazards due to the way trash was disposed of in open burn pits or other environmental exposures.

The VA Burn Pit Registry helps support research and public health studies related to toxic exposure, including burn pits, during military service. Participation in the registry does not affect eligibility for VA health care or benefits.

Eligible veterans and service members include those who served in:

Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria and/or Djibouti, Africa on or after Sept. 11, 2001
Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm
Southwest Asia theater of operations on or after August 2, 1990

VA launched the registry in June 2014 in response to a range of respiratory illnesses veterans were experiencing, possibly associated with exposure to burn pits or other environmental exposures.

WWP believes signing up for the Burn Pit Registry will help warriors:

Gain access to a VA health care provider to discuss their health and determine the need for any follow-up evaluation.
Help the VA better understand the impact of toxic exposure on all veterans who deployed to areas where burn pits were used.
Keep up with the latest news as the VA learns more about this important issue.

Eligibility for VA health care and benefits for toxic-exposed veterans is not tied to the burn pit registry, but the registry will help VA collect and analyze data on health conditions related to environmental hazards encountered during deployments to certain locations. As part of the registry, service members and veterans can participate in a recommended medical evaluation to discuss their health with a care provider.

Learn more about toxic exposure and the PACT Act

About Wounded Warrior Project

Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.