Joaquin Castro Will Appear in San Antonio to Discuss the Effect of Burn Pits on Vets

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro will meet with veterans in San Antonio tonight to discuss exposure to battlefield burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The discussion — held in conjunction with veterans group Burn Pits 360 — will highlight legislation and court decisions related to burn pit-related ailments. The meeting will take place at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital‘s auditorium at 6:30 p.m.

Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, has has taken a legislative lead on burn pits, introducing a pair of bills aimed at helping vets with burn-pit exposure and enabling the VA to better analyze the pits’ health impact.

Tens of thousands of vets have reported bronchial problems and other illnesses that may be linked to smoke from debris burned by military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Veterans interested in attending can RSVP by emailing Vets.RSVP.Castro@mail.house.gov.

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This article appears in The Burger Issue 2019.