ABOUT

I am a Navy veteran who was stationed in Panama in the early 1990s. I lived on Fort Davis and on Fort Espinar (previously called Fort Gulick). My years there taught me to appreciate far more about the United States than I had before. 

I discovered a Facebook group about a year ago that got me thinking about my current state of health in the context of my years in Panama; this motivated me to join Military-Veterans Advocacy.

Many in these groups have spoken about how medical claims they have filed with the VA have been denied, and this has upset me. Why would our nation send its sons and daughters to Panama but refuse to address their medical needs after they've come home?

Much more perplexing was why the VA in 2022 began offering toxic exposure screenings and relief to our brothers and sisters who served seemingly everywhere overseas except Panama.  I am overjoyed that they can receive the help they need, but am left to wonder why Panama veterans were not included.

And so I began to reach out to the VA and to various elements of Congress asking for the PACT Act to be revised to include Panama Veterans, or to have H.R. 5026 (from the 117th Congress) reintroduced. 

I am beyond grateful to Rep. Salazar and the others who introduced H.R. 2447 to the 118th Congress, and I hope other Representatives will join them in supporting and passing this bill. 

This bill will benefit my brothers and sisters who also served in Panama, and will serve me, too: I regret to admit I too have acquired several of the illnesses listed in Section 2 of the bill.