BLAKE HYFIELD
OCTOBER 2022

VA Expands Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Eligibility

More than 330,000 service members and veterans to date have joined the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry and recent updates expand eligibility and make it easier to participate.

“These updates are important in that they demonstrate the Dept. of Defense (DoD) and Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) collective resolve to keep our service members and veterans informed about the registry, support requirements in National Defense Authorization Acts, and support the recently signed Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022,” said Steve Jones, Force Readiness and Health Assurance Policy director and retired Army Environmental Science and Engineering officer. “The DoD and VA remain committed to better understanding and mitigating the health effects of deployment-related exposures such as airborne hazards and open burn pits.”

The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry is a secure database of health information provided by service members and veterans that helps VA collect, analyze and publish data on health conditions that may be related to environmental exposures experienced during deployment. To participate in the registry, eligible service members and veterans fill out an online questionnaire. After completing the online questionnaire, participants have the option to discuss their health care with a provider in an optional medical evaluation.

Veterans of the following operations are eligible to apply: Operation Desert Storm – Operation Desert Shield – Operation New Dawn – Operation Iraqi Freedom – Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, VA has adjusted the registry’s functionality to enable participants to return to the registry portal at any time after initial submission to add deployments. This enables them to create a more complete picture of their deployment and exposure history and can provide additional context for providers during medical evaluations.

Please note participation in the registry will not affect access to health care or benefits, and it is not related to the VA disability compensation claims process. To learn more about the registry, please visit Health.mil/AHBurnPitRegistry. Here you will find a brief video, Fact Sheet, FAQs, and other informational materials. 

Blake Hyfield is the post service officer for the local VFW and American Legion posts. He can be reached at bhpegleg@yahoo.com.