Thousands of veterans develop cancers every year due to military environmental and occupational hazards, such as asbestos, Agent Orange, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that about 3,200 veterans are diagnosed only with bladder cancer every year, partly because of PFAS exposure. However, there is no presumption related to PFAS in the military. The VET PFAS ACT , introduced to the Senate on July 17, 2023, tries to change this. The act recognizes that illnesses developed during service in the military, where PFAS exposure was inevitable, are a service-related disability.
PFAS is a group of synthetic chemicals used in various consumer and industrial products, such as in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a firefighting foam developed by the U.S. Navy and the 3M Co. in 1967 for use against fuel and other flammable liquid fires. Even though the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to phase it out by October 2024 because it contains high levels of toxic PFAS, military firefighters are still using it today as it is the most effective product on the market.
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PFAS are so-called "forever chemicals" because they persist once they get into the soil, groundwater and surface water. Long-term exposure to these substances can cause severe diseases such as decreased fertility, weakened immune systems and various types of cancers. According to numerous medical studies , firefighters' risk of developing cancer is much higher compared to the general public.
Military firefighters are the most vulnerable to PFAS-related hazards, as their direct exposure is inevitable. However, military members and their families living on military bases are also greatly affected, mainly by consuming PFAS-contaminated water for years. This is the case on Oklahoma’s military bases. Altus Air Force Base, near the city of Altus, is among the military installations in the U.S. with the highest levels of PFAS — 1,150,000 parts per trillion (ppt), found in its groundwater — ranking the base in ninth place of the most toxic military sites in the country. Fort Sill, with 360,000 ppt , Vance Air Force Base, with 329,000 ppt , and Tinker Air Force Base, with 170,000 ppt , are further examples of Oklahoma military installations where the levels of PFAS detected are drastically higher compared to the DOD’s maximum contamination limit of 70 ppt . However, even the 70 ppt is far from the updated 4 ppt safe exposure limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency in March 2023 for PFAS in drinking water . This means that virtually, there is no safe PFAS exposure level.
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Currently, ill veterans filing a military base toxic exposure claim with Veterans Affairs need to prove with medical evidence that their condition evolved or worsened during the years they served at an military base. However, in many cases, such medical evidence is difficult to get, as most PFAS-related diseases start showing symptoms only years after exposure. Even with medical evidence, the application is a lengthy bureaucratic procedure, and not all PFAS-related illnesses are considered for disability payments and medical treatment from the VA.
The VET PFAS Act, if voted to become law, would be the only legal avenue for many veterans living with life-threatening diseases to obtain disability compensation. Moreover, it would bring justice to victims of irresponsible policy management and unethical commercial practices.
Jonathan Sharp is the chief financial officer at the Environmental Litigation Group , PC, responsible for case evaluation, financial analysis and asset management. Environmental Litigation Group is a law firm headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm assists civilian and military firefighters exposed to toxic chemicals.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma veterans who were exposed to military hazards could find relief through the PFAS Act
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