Comedian and activist Jon Stewart meets with members of Toxic Exposures in the American Military (TEAM), a coalition of veteran and military service organizations, Jan. 17 on Capitol Hill. (Courtesy of TEAM)
CSWAB is proud to be part of the Toxic Exposures in the American Military (TEAM) Coalition, a non-partisan consortium of 30 veterans’ and military service organizations working together to reduce incidents of toxic exposures in the U.S. military and to improve access to care for those who have been made ill as the result of their service. To that end, TEAM groups have assembled a list of legislative priorities for inclusion in the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act.
In a joint letter to members of the Armed Services Committee this week, TEAM members called for required reporting of burn pit and other toxic exposures during a service member’s post-deployment health reassessment. Such exposures increase the risk for chronic and fatal illness. Service members and veterans who have tested positive for COVID-19 should also be asked if they were exposed to burn pits during their health evaluations, the TEAM Coalition stated.
The May 20, 2020 TEAM letter to Congressional leaders also calls for greater access to databases that track potential exposure risk factors, an assessment of possible Agent Orange use in Guam, and a federal requirement that the Department of Defense host monthly working groups with veteran and military service organizations.
CSWAB’s endorsement is recorded as the Cease Fire Campaign – a national coalition of 60 communities and organizations that our organization facilitates. The Cease Fire Campaign is working to end open air burning, detonation and incineration of hazardous munitions wastes by the U.S. military and its contractors.