Why Two Registries?

In 2013 Congress enacted Public Law 112-260, directing the Department of Veteran Affairs to establish and maintain the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry for Service Members who may have been exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes generated by open air burn pits.

At the time, the VA's stance was that research did not show evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn pits. The VA registry also does not permit service members to submit updated health information or for a dependent to submit a death entry by proxy.

Burn Pits 360 established our own voluntary independent registry to monitor the health of war fighters exposed to deployment related toxic exposures such as burn pits. The Burn Pits 360 registry allows eligible Veterans and active service members to document their exposures, report health concerns, update information on changes to comorbidities through an online questionnaire that allows us to access information about the health, legal, or social service needs of registrants and thus follow up with individuals to provide critical resources, referrals, or direct care.

While the PACT Act has passed, veterans and service members exposed to burn pits have immediate needs. And failure to connect to a provider or advocate and obtain vital information bridging the gap between unmet needs and service delivery access can leave warriors frustrated, isolated, and with a continued loss in quality of life and potentially premature death.