Ardmore, Okla. – A community engagement event hosted by the Chickasaw Nation Veteran Services intends to connect military personnel who were exposed to toxic chemicals, burn pits and Agent Orange during their time in service to health care and treatment.
Chickasaw Nation Veteran Services is set to host a community engagement Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act event 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 19, at the Chickasaw Nation Community Center, 907 Locust St. PACT Act, signed into law in August 2022, expands health care to military personnel who were exposed to toxic chemicals, burn pits and Agent Orange during their time in service.
The event is in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the VA’s Office of Tribal Government Relations, the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) and the Veteran Benefits Administration (VBA).
This year’s PACT Act event follows the theme “Let’s Talk About It,” which encourages opening lines of communication between VA resources and the Oklahoma veteran community.
Veterans, veteran widows and active-duty military personnel nearing retirement are encouraged to attend the event to discuss VA health care needs, benefits and PACT Act eligibility. Interested patrons will have the opportunity to file a PACT Act claim and receive same-day examinations by local providers.
“The claim would be filed, they’d get examined and they would possibly receive results during the same day,” Chickasaw Nation Director of Veterans Services Ray Orphan said.
VHA personnel will be on-site to provide toxic exposure screenings.
“The screenings are a quick five to 10 minutes, identifying any potential exposures veterans may have been exposed to during their military service,” Orphan said. “This could help them in the future for ongoing care or possible diagnoses caused by something they came in contact with during their time in service.”
The toxic exposure screenings will look for signs of adverse health effects from U.S. military burn pit exposure as well as exposure to harmful fumes, lead-based paints, asbestos and other toxic materials.
The event is come-and-go with refreshments provided.
For more information, contact Ray Orphan via email at Ray.Orphan@Chickasaw.net or Mary Culley at Mary.Culley@VA.gov.