The Grunt Style Foundation leaders Tim Jensen and Will Wisner speak with Veteran Service Organization’s to discuss the historic passing of The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The team is joined by Burnpits 360 /co-founder , Rosie Torres. Burn Pits 360 is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to offer an independent burn pit exposure registry in which family members can record the names of warriors who served the nation but have passed away due to illnesses from toxic injury.
What is a Burnpit?
During the OEF and OIF wars, government contractors burned up to 227 metric tons of hazardous waste at forward operating bases using jet fuel in large ground pits. Items burned included: batteries, medical waste, amputated body parts, plastics, ammunition, human waste, animal carcasses, rubber, chemicals, & more. Exposure to these toxins, have caused a traumatic impact on the lives of our service members and their families. Some of the devastating health conditions suffered by Veterans exposed include: neurological disorders, pulmonary diseases, rare forms of cancer, and many unexplained symptoms. There have been thousands of deaths resulting from the invisible wounds of war.
About the Veteran Service Organization
Burn Pits 360 was founded in honor of Army Captain Le Roy Torres, who served in the U.S. Army for 23 years (7 years – Active, 16 Years – Reserve). He deployed to Balad, Iraq from 2007-2008. Captain Torres also served the State of Texas as a State Trooper for 14 years. Torres suffers from complications from illnesses that began after he was exposed to toxic fumes during service in post-9/11 Iraq. Le Roy was subsequently diagnosed with Constrictive Bronchiolitis and Toxic Brain Injury. After experiencing delay, denial of benefits, and ineffective treatment from his physicians, Le Roy alongside his wife, Rosie, founded Burn Pits 360.
Burn Pits 360 seeks to ensure that no other service member or Veteran suffers his fate and to ensure that we would make the invisible visible. One of the greatest disservices to those who served is to become invisible.” Over the years, Rosie and Le Roy established an independent Veterans exposure registry where thousands of war heroes and their families reported the same suffering and denial of health care and benefits. Le Roy and Rosie combined bring over 40 years of experience working with Veterans and active duty service members and families. Rosie worked for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs for 23 years. Together they co-founded Burn Pits 360.