SCRANTON, Pa. — Last month, veterans from our area joined Senator Bob Casey to share their experiences related to toxic burn pits, highlighting some of the issues they and their fellow soldiers have faced since then.
The reason for the meeting was to talk about how the PACT Act would help veterans get the proper care. Now the bill passed and awaits the President's signature.
Veterans said a lot of work went into making this all happen.
"Overall, it was a huge fight to get this done because there are so many veterans and families that are dealing with exposure to toxic chemicals that they knew nothing about. We all signed on the dotted line to go and serve no matter what. But to come home and then not get the care and not get the support that you need is crazy," David Eisele, director of Lackawanna County Veterans Affairs, said.
Maj. Gen. John Gronski retired from the Army in 2019 and served in Iraq. He knows so many veterans and their families who will benefit from this new law, especially those families whose veterans have already passed away from an illness.
"Many have died of cancer, mysterious illnesses, and that's what I mean by, you know, the spouses need some support. Now the spouses need to know what could they do, where do they register, where do they go for support," he said.
Advocates of this bill said there are still some hurdles ahead to ensure veterans get the benefits they deserve.
"This isn't an end to anything. This is the continuation of what Congress needs to provide the right oversight over the Veterans Administration to ensure that it's implemented correctly," Gronski said.
The Veterans Affairs office in Lackawanna County anticipates about 3,000 veterans will seek help with benefits and compensation because of the PACT Act.
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