Brown Staff, Brown County Veterans Discuss Expanded Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Toxins

GEORGETOWN, OH -This week, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) staff hosted a roundtable at the Georgetown American Legion Post 180 to discuss health care for veterans who have been harmed by toxic exposure while serving in the military. Veterans are now eligible for expanded care due to Brown's bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022. Brown and his staff have held 40 roundtables and events around Ohio to help raise awareness and help veterans access this care. Veterans from Miami County met with Anthony Eliopoulos, an outreach staffer in Brown's office who specializes in veterans' affairs and holds the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army National Guard.

"This law is the most comprehensive expansion of health care for veterans who faced toxic exposure in our country's history," said Brown. "We're working to get the word out to veterans across Ohio. If you were exposed to toxins while serving our country, you deserve the benefits you earned. Period. No exceptions."

The legislation is named after Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, a Central Ohio veteran who passed away in 2020 at age 39 from lung cancer after exposure to burn pits during a one-year deployment in Iraq in 2006.

"We couldn't be happier to host this roundtable event with Senator Brown and his staff. Working with Veterans every day you get to experience the trials and tribulations that they face regularly with their claims and the process it takes to award them Service Connection. Veterans of all generations continue to fight the good fight with the VA and have made unbelievable progress having their voices heard, however the fight is far from over. Today we get the opportunity to continue that fight and discuss issues that Veterans might have in regards to the claim process, appeals, The PACT Act, C&P Exams, Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water, and many more. The endless support from Senator Brown and his team has proven that we can work together to get these issues resolved. It also shows that Veterans have elected officials that are willing to stand beside them and fight for them when they feel their voice isn't heard. Thank you Senator Brown for showing up and supporting the Veterans of Brown County and many more across the state of Ohio," said Cheryl Childers, Executive Director of the Brown County Veterans Service Office.

The PACT Act is the result of a years-long fight by Brown, veterans and advocates to secure access to Department of Veterans Affairs health care for veterans who were exposed to toxins. He now is working with Ohio veterans, their families and advocates to bring additional attention to provisions in the PACT Act and urges all Ohio veterans and family members to visit www.va.gov/pact to find out more about how to claim care.

Ohio veterans who would like more information on available resources can reach out to the resources below.

Brown County Veterans Office:

(937) 378-3155

Veterans Crisis Line

988 - Press 1

Or Text 838255

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

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