"The goal of the app is really to make it super simple for people to access the most common VA transactions that they need to repeat a lot of times," and they can message their doctors, manage health appointments, check disability status and add files to claims and other features, some still in development, he said.

President Biden signed a new law that expands benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxins from burn pits. Any veteran with one of 23 illnesses associated with the toxic fumes will receive VA help.

Gerbeth was a guest Tuesday when Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, (D, NY-18), spoke at American Legion Post 413 in Beacon about the recently passed PACT Act, which will help vets cut through the red tape seeking eligibility and care for not just exposure to burn pits but also at other bases where personnel were exposed to toxic materials.

“The TV ads are harmful to veterans and leading them down the path of misinformation,” Herm Breuer, the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission’s executive director, said. “Some of the ads are deceiving. We’re seeing a broad brush with people on TV. Attorneys can be predatory on TV. They said, ‘If you were in Camp Lejeune, you’re eligible and you can get money now.’ We’ve received hundreds of calls since the commercials started.”

First, settle the Lejeune lawsuits quickly. In the PACT Act, Congress authorized over 1 million people to sue the military for the toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune. Litigation lawyers are running ads online, on television, and in print. The bombardment of these ads, along with a long public trial, could cause lasting damage to the entire military recruiting effort.

When I left the Marines, I didn’t think much of Camp Lejeune. Around 2006, I received a letter from the Marines with a generic overview of the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987. It was so nondescript that I thought little of it and went on with life. I didn’t hear a word about Camp Lejeune or the toxic water again.

First, settle the Lejeune lawsuits quickly. In the PACT Act, Congress authorized over 1 million people to sue the military for the toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune. Litigation lawyers are running ads online, on television, and in print. The bombardment of these ads, along with a long public trial, could cause lasting damage to the entire military recruiting effort. And it is critical that lawmakers be prepared for sticker shock on the bill, which could total over $10 billion, if 10 percent of the affected million people receive $100,000 each.

“The TV ads are harmful to veterans and leading them down the path of misinformation,” Herm Breuer, the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission’s executive director, said. “Some of the ads are deceiving. We’re seeing a broad brush with people on TV. Attorneys can be predatory on TV. They said, ‘If you were in Camp Lejeune, you’re eligible and you can get money now.’ We’ve received hundreds of calls since the commercials started.”

The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.

We’re doing our part by ensuring Delaware Veterans know the benefits they are entitled to with the passage of the PACT Act. The VA is considering 23 new presumptive conditions for benefits, meaning any Veteran who may be eligible for benefits should apply for them as soon as possible. If you need help accessing care or knowing if you’re eligible, please contact our offices.