A year after a bill was signed to help vets exposed to toxic substances during service, officials are urging vets to apply for payouts before the deadline. The first anniversary of the PACT Act, sweeping toxic exposure legislation expanding health and disability benefits for veterans, is Thursday. The move for the first time opens up preventative care to some veterans younger than 40. Three new cancers could be added to the list of presumptive conditions for VA disability benefits. The new facility would also serve as a major care and training hub for veterans and non-veterans. Veterans Affairs officials plan a public outreach campaign over the next month to get more veterans signed up for the payouts. Only a small number of vets eligible for PACT Act benefits have applied. The results are most likely proof of the “healthy deployer effect” as troops are required to be in fairly good health to go overseas. No, there aren't any toxic bird pits. Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough joined a group in Washington for a census survey of homeless veterans. Load More
