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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2006
CONTACT: Geoffrey Collver @ 202/225-9756
Evans Welcomes VA’s Long-Overdue Efforts to
Notify Veterans
of Possible Exposures to Chemical and Biological Agents
Washington – Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL), ranking Democratic member of the
House Veterans Affairs Committee, today expressed support for the
Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) recent actions to make good on
long-promised informational mailings to veterans regarding their
possible exposure to chemical, biological or radiological agents while
in military service. The initial mailing will reach more than 1,800
veterans and VA has indicated that additional notice letters will be
mailed in the very near future.
The notification was in response to an April 28, 2005 request to VA from
Evans and House Veterans Affairs’ Oversight Subcommittee ranking
Democratic member Rep. Ted Strickland (D-OH). The Evans/Strickland
notification request specifically urged VA to make every effort to
notify veterans identified by the Department of Defense (DoD) who may
have been exposed to certain agents during training exercises while in
military service.
DoD has identified approximately 6,700 such veterans since 1954 to the
present. The identity and exposure data, which was ultimately provided
to VA, included key information such as service number, Social Security
number and unit of assignment and usually indicated the date and type of
exposure.
“Previously VA indicated that they could not access the DoD lists of
exposed servicemembers, however, Congressman Strickland and I were
ultimately successful in facilitating the transfer of information from
DoD to the VA,” said Evans. “I am however disappointed that it took
since April of 2005 for the transfer of information to occur and
notification actions to begin. This delay does not give me confidence in
DoD and VA seamless transition processes,” observed Evans.
The letters advise or remind veterans of their possible exposures and
note that some exposures may have a potential for presumptive or related
service-connected conditions. Evans plans continued oversight over VA’s
efforts to notify all possibly exposed veterans and will press for VA to
improve its outreach and services to all veterans.
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Larry Scott
