From Agent Orange to Burn Pits: Toxic Exposure Advocacy with Cory Titus

MOAA's Never Stop Serving Podcast

Veterans have routinely reported illnesses and disabilities long after they return home from deployments, triggering a battle with the VA for health care and financial benefits. As many as 2.6 million veterans of the Vietnam War were exposed to Agent Orange, a tactical herbicide sprayed to destroy thick vegetation, according to ProPublica. The toxin has been recognized by the VA as a cause of certain presumptive diseases — a status that eliminates the burden of proof of servicemembers as they file claims for benefits — but studies linking other diseases have yet to be recognized.

Most recently, veterans exposed to open-air burn pits and other environmental dangers during deployments in support of the war on terrorism are eligible to register their service with the VA. However, researchers, including VA staff, have not completed studies on hazards related to burn pits and other military environmental exposures, according to the VA.

Listen to Olivia Nunn speak with teammate Cory Titus, the Director of Veteran Benefits and Guard and Reserve Affairs at MOAA about the importance of understanding the work behind the push for policy and legislation surrounding toxic exposures for our military members.