The Study
A large study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has found that veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan had a 55 percent higher risk of developing asthma from dust and burn pit exposure than veterans who were not deployed to those countries.
The study included 48,000 veterans who were deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Those soldiers showed exceedingly higher rates of chronic respiratory ailments.
Other Related Issues
Besides the increase in asthma rates, the study found a higher risk of chronic rhinitis (41 percent), chronic rhinosinusitis (27 percent), and nasal polyposis (48 percent).
Going forward, researchers believe VA will have to invest more time into long-term monitoring, precautionary measures, and respiratory treatment tailored to veterans experiencing respiratory problems.
Researchers matched deployed veterans to non-deployed veterans similar in age, race, gender, and ethnicity. Analysis was conducted in the decade following the veteran’s deployment. The average age for a soldier in the study was 26.7 years old. Eighty-four percent of the veterans were male, and 75 percent were white. Eleven percent were Hispanic/Latino.
Doctor Patrick Gleeson, allergist, member of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, and lead author of the study, said veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan were often exposed to dust storms and toxic burn pits.
“We found that these exposures may have long-term health impacts, particularly for respiratory diseases that can affect quality of life for years after service,” Gleeson said.
Utilizing data from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse and the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership, the study focused on veterans who didn’t have a past history of respiratory conditions.
“These results highlight the importance of long-term health surveillance and specialized care for veterans who served in OIF and OEF,” said Dr. Gleeson. “Recognizing the link between deployment and respiratory disease can help guide medical support, policy, and preventive strategies for those affected.”
PACT Act Brings Relief
After years of political wrangling and pressure from veterans, Congress finally passed the PACT Act in 2022, and it was signed into law by President Joe Biden, opening the door for millions of veterans to receive healthcare for respiratory illnesses related to military service.
The law’s full name is the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act of 2022. The Senate’s Veterans Affairs Committee named the bill after Robinson, a member of the Ohio National Guard who was exposed to toxins during deployments to Kosovo and Iraq. Following his deployment to the Middle East, Robinson was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and late-stage lung cancer.
Robinson died in May 2020. He was 39.
The law increases VA benefits and health care not only for Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans exposed to burn pits, but also Vietnam era veterans who’ve developed health problems from Agent Orange exposure. Surviving family members are also eligible for some PACT Act benefits.
Expanding the Act
On March 5, 2024, VA expanded the scope of the PACT Act, giving more veterans a chance to apply for benefits. It’s one of the largest expansions of medical benefits in VA history.
Last year’s PACT Act revisions added more than 20 probable conditions for toxic exposures. It also increased presumptive-exposure locations for radiation and Agent Orange and mandates the VA to give veterans a toxic exposure screening to each veteran who receives VA health care. In addition, the PACT Act provides funds for VA research, staff training, and expands toxic-exposure treatment.
For veterans, there are several criteria they need to meet to receive PACT Act benefits, including proving that their military service and the location they were deployed to caused their respiratory illness. The term “presumptive conditions” means the VA just presumes the veteran was exposed to toxic conditions based on the location they served in. However, the presumptive condition must be determined by existing regulations. If veterans believe they have a presumptive condition, they don’t need to prove their service caused their disease, but they do have to meet the service requirements to be eligible.
Along with burn pits, sand and dust, other toxins and hazards the VA includes in the PACT Act are particulars, oil well or sulfur fires, radiation, chemicals, depleted uranium, warfare agents, herbicides, and a few other wartime hazards. VA’s Public Health website includes a full list of exposures, including care eligibility requirements.
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