FORT BELKNAP — In the video above, Paul Sanchez reports from Fort Belknap where military veterans signed up to receive benefits from the PACT Act.
VA officials say that as of March 5, 2024, all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, or in Iraq, Afghanistan or any other combat zones after 9/11 are able to enroll directly in VA healthcare without first applying for VA benefits.
Those who didn’t deploy but were exposed to hazards while training or on active duty in the U.S. will also be eligible.
You can go to VA.gov/PACT or call 800-MYVA411 to get more information on available benefits and how to apply.
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Below is the video transcript provided by Paul Sanchez:
The Fort Harrison Veterans Affairs and local Tribal Nations host a PACT Act claims event to help veterans in rural Montana.
Jamie Fox a former Airmen shared her story. So last year, I was actually living and working in the aviation field, and that's what I did in the Air Force.
Heather Osborne from the Medical Disability Examination Office told MTN News, we bring in what we call a one stop shop, where we're bringing pretty much the full claims process to the veteran. And we're targeting these types of rural areas. We're targeting demographics that are hard to reach, where they may not have brick and mortar close by or via regional office close by. And so what we do is we bring a little bit of all those moving parts all on one site.
Jamie continues to share, and I had a a health scare where I literally was feeling like I was having a heart attack. next thing I knew, I woke up in surgery and they cut part of my left lung out.
Christina Lundstrom from the Montana VA Healthcare System told Reporter Paul Sanchez. Montana is mostly a rural state. We're a very rural state, and our veterans are not just located next to a VA clinic, they're located everywhere. So, this it just really is a great honor to be able to come here and and serve our local veterans and our local tribal veterans, as well.
This event is bringing many services together in one place. To help veterans and their survivors with their VA claim.
Jamie concludes, I got diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. So the deployment, in the aviation field, I worked. All the toxic material, I was around burn pits. took a toll on my lungs and had to get away from aviation. So I'm from Fort Belknap, and, so I was like, I better come home to figure out my health.
The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxic Act is something that every impacted veteran should address, from Agent Orange to Burn Pits.
For more information, Click Here.
