Just hours left for vets to apply for retroactive PACT Act benefits

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Just hours left for vets to apply for retroactive PACT Act benefits
By Leo Shane III
Aug 14, 10:51 AM
Wind fans the flames of a burn pit at Combat Outpost Tangi Afghanistan on Aug. 31, 2009. (Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade/Army)

Veterans who may have contracted serious illnesses from burn pit smoke and other military toxic exposure hazards have just a few hours left to submit disability claims and be eligible for up to a year of back payments, a windfall that could be more than $50,000 in some cases.

The original deadline for the submissions was Aug. 9, but technical problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs claims systems pushed that timeline back to this week. The benefits are being granted through the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — better known as the PACT Act — which was signed into law one year ago this month. (The VA link to file is here.)

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