By Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette

On August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022. The PACT Act was championed by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). This bipartisan effort was the largest single bill in American history to address our service members’ exposure to burn pits and other toxic substances. Among its many provisions, this bill will provide much-needed access to health care and disability benefits for veterans harmed by certain toxic exposures, including water contamination at Camp LeJeune. Read more

By Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette

With Veterans Day around the corner, I thought it would be timely to highlight the Military & Veterans Law (MVL) Section. The MVL Section was recently featured in Attorney at Law Magazine NC Triangle, Vol. 9, No. 4. The article highlights the work of our section and the important mission that drives our members. “When we needed them to safeguard our rights, these men and women answered the call to service. Now, it is our responsibility to protect their rights,” said Matthew Wilcut, past president of the section. Check out the full article in Attorney at Law Magazine here!

As a veteran, I am so proud to be a part of this section because of my fellow members. They are selfless legal professionals who are truly passionate about and committed to serving North Carolina’s military and veteran community. If you are interested in getting involved with the MVL Section or if you’re a legal professional who serves military members and veterans, join us on November 18 for a live webcast entitled “Helping Our Heroes: Representing Veterans Before the VA, BVA, CAVC and DoD.” This program will discuss a wide range of topics, including issues related to VA disability advocacy, military disability retirement pay, and early lease termination. This program has been approved for 7.00 MCLE hours.

Current president of the section, Patrick Wilson, reflected on the mission of the section in conjunction with the upcoming observance of Veterans Day stating, “We at the MVL especially value the occasion of Veterans Day to thank and honor those men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much and that we take the opportunities available with the MVL to do right by them.”

By Charlotte Stewart

What is “Project 100,000,” and why should I know about it?

When is an “other than honorable” discharge maybe not so?

What is a “Change Management Agent,” and why should I be nice to them?

Each year, the NCBA Military & Veterans Law (MVL) Section strives to provide CLE opportunities to support legal professionals serving North Carolina’s military and veteran community across a range of practice areas. This year’s program takes place on Thursday, November 19, covering topics such as representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), how to prepare clients for compensation & pension medical exams, issues to look out for even after a veteran has been granted compensation for service-connected disability, and history and recent updates around character of discharge.

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Bill Website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2019/H50

Summary: This bill proposes to allow certain medical professionals to treat veterans who have PTSD or TBI with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

Further Reading: In early 2018, the VA obtained an evidence brief related to the use of HBOT to treat PTSD and TBI, which is available at https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/hbot.cfm.  This brief concludes that “offering HBOT to Veterans with mild or moderate to severe TBI and/or PTSD appears reasonable – with careful consideration of potential increased risk of certain harms.”  The VA continues to study the effectiveness of HBOT in treating these conditions.