Last year the Congress passed the PACT Act with wide reaching impact on current conflict Veterans and Veterans going back to the Vietnam War. There are important deadlines approaching that could affect up to one years worth of VA Compensation benefits. The PACT Act law was signed by President Biden on August 10 2022. If Veterans apply for VA Compensation and are approved by August 9 2023 their benefits will be retroactive back to August 2022. The Act not only affects VA Compensation but also access to VA Healthcare. Among the compensation and health conditions are: Adds 20+ more presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures, Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation, Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care.

I urge any Veteran who served in the Middle East or Vietnam to contact a Service Officer with The American Legion, DAV or VFW or the State Veterans Office to determine if you should file a claim for VA Compensation. These services are free, do not pay anyone to file for the benefits you have earned thru your service.

Terry Schow

American Legion service officer

South Ogden