The Veterans Advisory Committee met this morning at City Hall.
One of the big concerns is helping our South Plains
veterans get the benefits they deserve.
In 2022, the PACT Act was passed in Washington,
which helps our veterans who have been exposed to burn
pits,
Agent Orange and other toxic substances get benefits through the
Veterans Affair.
With about 80,000 veterans living here on the South,
Plains Committee Chairman Betty Guerrero tells us.
So there are lots of eligible vets who still have
yet signed to sign up.
The PACT Act is going to cover roughly 3.2 million
more veterans and where are they?
We don't know that. I mean,
they're coming to the clinics,
but not in the numbers that we've been wanting to.
the VA here in Lubbock is waiting for them to
show up because there are some deadlines.
One for the Camp Lejeune Water Act,
there is a lawsuit that's happened that until they have
to August of 2024 to submit.
And then let deadline for veterans to file for the
Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit is August 10th.
The PACT Act, however, has no deadlines,
so Greer urges veterans who have been exposed to get
signed up.