Why Enroll In The Burn Pit Registry

Veterans are not only at a high risk of injury and death but they’re also exposed to a lot of other hazards not visible to the naked eye. We’re talking about airborne dangers such as harmful chemicals, particles, or exposure to burn pits. 

Unfortunately, the effects of these hazards aren’t easily apparent, leading to veterans finding it difficult to provide a solid service connection. Many give up and never receive proper care or benefits.

Thankfully, for those suffering from these effects, there is a saving grace in the form of an Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.

Today, we’ll break down the process of enrolling in the Burn Pit Registry, and see if you’re eligible to enroll.

What are burn pits?

Just like Vietnam veterans in the late 60s had to endure dangerous exposure to toxic chemicals like the infamous Agent Orange, American soldiers fighting in war zones after 9/11 were sadly exposed to burn pits. 

Burn pits are areas where waste and trash are uncontrollably incinerated. These toxic fumes fill the air in close vicinity to where our troops are stationed, resulting in countless veterans being exposed to these particles, causing a plethora of long-term effects.

For instance, these pits were a go-to method of waste disposal at military sites in Afghanistan or Iraq and were filled with different items, such as:

• Paint
• Chemicals
• Glue
• Petroleum products
• Plastic
• Rubber
• Garbage
• Human waste

While burning waste is a common occurrence, the Department of Veteran Affairs concluded that dangerous chemicals such as these create more hazards when disposed of in burn pits, especially when compared to other types of controlled burns. 

What is an Open Burn Pit Registry?

In short, it’s an open registry created by Veteran Affairs (VA) in 2014 in response to a rise in respiratory diseases associated with environmental exposures. 

It allows veterans to document their symptoms and experiences. It also helps the VA collect and analyze data regarding health conditions related to environmental exposures to gain a better understanding of the long-term effects of these exposures.

The more complex question to answer is why is it necessary?

Most people who haven’t served in Iraq have no idea how serious the problem is. Just one example is the Joint Base Balad which had a 10-acre burn pit. According to witnesses, there was even thick black smoke in the barracks, which permanently stained items such as bedsheets. The smoke would sometimes show other colors such as blue or orange. 

Veterans who inhaled this smoke daily were harmed. The problem is that the health effects caused by exposure to toxic airborne hazards aren’t always easy to determine right away. In some cases, it takes years to experience any symptoms.

The late onset of exposure symptoms makes proving service connection significantly harder. Additionally, it might also be a challenge to determine the proper care, and with time, it’s possible to lose track of your condition’s origins. This makes it very difficult to apply the right treatment and make an adequate diagnosis.

Now that we are all familiar with the purpose of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, it’s time to check who’s eligible.

Burn Pit Registry eligibility

In a basic sense, veterans who served in the following operations are eligible to participate in the registry:

• Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom
• Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
• Operations in Southwest Asia from 1990 and onward
• Djibouti Africa (on or after 9/11)

Over the past few years, multiple legislation acts were introduced that expand eligibility a little further and simplify the process.

For instance, in 2021, the Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Recognition Act lowered the burden of proof on the veteran. It requires the VA to examine veterans to see if their exposure can be linked to a particular disease. It also solidified the fact that the veterans who were in close vicinity to burn pits did suffer exposure to dangerous toxins.

The same year, a piece of legislation titled the Comprehensive and Overdue Support for Troops of War Act further expanded the Burn Pit Registry to include different sources of airborne exposure and grant those veterans healthcare and benefits. Additionally, it led to establishing new presumptive conditions for veterans. 

Last on the list of 2021 legislations is the Honoring our Promise to Adress Comprehensive Toxic Act. It provided healthcare for more veterans who were exposed to airborne hazards and established the presumption of service connection for multiple ailments. This includes respiratory diseases such as cancer and even radiation.

The latest changes by the VA expanded the eligibility to different deployment locations regardless of if you recollect being exposed to any hazards. The full list now covers the following locations:

• The Arabian Sea 
• The Red Sea
• The Persian Gulf
• Uzbekistan 
• Syria
• The United Arab Emirates
• Oman 
• Qatar
• Kuwait
• Iraq
• The Gulf of Aden
• Egypt
• The Gulf of Oman
• Djibouti 
• Bahrain
• Afghanistan

Should you enroll in the Burn Pit Registry

If you’ve served in any of these areas and remember being exposed to toxic smoke, you can benefit a lot from enrolling in the registry. At the moment, it’s common knowledge that these toxins have a detrimental effect on respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as other internal organs and skin.

However, medical professionals are still studying the data from the registry to find the best treatment plans and to clarify the effects of exposure to toxins from the burn pits. So, unfortunately, it still might take a while before the VA has enough evidence to conclude that burn pits should be considered presumptive by establishing a proper relationship between some illnesses and exposure to burn pits.

Since new evidence about the negative effects of burn pits are popping up daily, it probably won’t take long until the VA recognizes this fact. With any luck, you and your fellow soldiers will be able to receive your well-due benefits.

By enrolling in the Burn Pit Registry, you can only make this come to fruition a lot faster.

How to enroll?

While it seems complex, joining the registry is fairly easy. You need to visit the Burn Pit Registry portal, check if you’re eligible, and complete the questionnaire.

Keep in mind that you can enroll even if you haven’t experienced any symptoms of illnesses related to exposure to toxic chemicals during your service. Even if you don’t recall being exposed to any hazards, you should still sign up to provide new data that might help other veterans receive better care.

Enrolling in the Burn Pit Registry is voluntary and doesn’t have any bearing on your existing VA health care or any other claims for benefits.