Forefront Dermatology’s Post

"Combat veterans of the post-9/11 wars are disproportionately affected by cancer... two to three million U.S. service members were deployed in America’s post-9/11 wars, according to statistics collated by the National Library of Medicine. More than 500,000 have been diagnosed with some form of cancer since 2001." Ordinarily, I let my commentary stand on its own, and rarely editorialize in-post. But here, I need to explain a little more, to iterate why this is so damned important. In December 2023, the United States, and in particular, the Air Force Special Warfare community, lost Alan Yoshida to the silent killer of GWOT veterans. Yoshida was one-of-one, a peerless man among titans who dedicated his life to making #closeairsupport safer for its users in the crucible of combat, after having been wounded in Afghanistan in 2001 during an errant airstrike. I deployed a generation later, multiple times, relying on many of the situational awareness tools in combat which his vision and innovation helped develop. As I've spent the last five years writing the comprehensive history of the post-9/11 Wars, focusing on men like "Yosh," too many other combat veterans have either lost their battles with cancer, or have been suddenly diagnosed with it; several of which were in between interview sessions and research windows while supporting this history's critical recounting. It's not just the AFSPECWAR or other #SOF tribes, either, though those communities have been hit incredibly hard. #GWOT combat veterans--those of us who deployed to the places of #toxicburnpits and other noxious exposures--have approximately a one-in-seven chance (at best) of being diagnosed with some form of cancer. The reality is, our odds are likely much higher than that. What's being done to address this silent epidemic is not enough. It is why the work of VSOs like the HunterSeven Foundation is so incredibly important. Huge thanks to Joshua Huminski, Dan Mahaffee, and Kitfield James for helping me with this important piece, and to Defense One for its publication. https://lnkd.in/dqnZeQvk

Last year following #MemorialDay - HunterSeven Foundation wrote this piece in the veteran publication, Coffee or Die Magazine. The piece questioned why, if America’s wars, for the moment, are over — if we are no longer fighting on foreign soil after two decades of the Global War on Terror, why are we still burying so many service members? In August 2021, the United States Army moved forward with plans to limit in-ground burials at Arlington because the cemetery is simply running out of space. Now, despite being largely removed from active war and large-scale engagements, our veteran cemeteries across the country are still being filled at an alarming rate — sometimes, the burial process can take months. The answer isn't to find more space to bury our service members, but to find out why they're dying — and help put a stop to it. It has been a year, and still... we are asking the same questions. Why are so many young, otherwise healthy post-9/11 veterans and service members dying from preventable #cancer deaths? And what are we doing to prevent it? https://lnkd.in/eJQY7iNC

𝙏𝙞𝙥 𝙏𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮: 𝙋𝘼𝘾𝙏 𝘼𝙘𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 8/9/23! The PACT Act includes a plethora of illnesses, and as of now, legislation has removed the need to prove service connection for Veterans diagnosed with one of the 23 illnesses. That means Veterans won’t be required to confirm their illness was due to military service. The PACT Act plans to spread VA benefits to over 3.5 million Veterans exposed to toxins. For example, Veterans with illnesses resulting from toxic burns and Agent Orange are on the record. The list includes: Presumptive cancers: • Brain cancer. • Gastrointestinal cancer of any type. • Glioblastoma. • Head cancer of any type. • Kidney cancer. • Lymphatic cancer of any type. • Lymphoma of any type. • Melanoma. • Neck cancer. • Pancreatic cancer. • Reproductive cancer of any type. • Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type. Presumptive illnesses: • Asthma that was diagnosed after service. • Chronic bronchitis. • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). • Chronic rhinitis. • Chronic sinusitis. • Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis. • Emphysema. • Granulomatous disease. • Interstitial lung disease (ILD). • Pleuritis. • Pulmonary fibrosis. • Sarcoidosis. Please contact a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs County Veteran Service Officer (VSO) or reputable non-profit like the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) or AMVETS National Headquarters - Alumni for assistance to proceed with an intent to file a claim by 8/9/23 (possible back pay since date of passed legislation). You can certainly file at any time. See link in comment to create an Intent to File a Claim! For a PACT Act intake with the VA, call your primary care physician (PCP), submit a request via your secured portal in myhealthevet or call 800-698-2411. #veterans #veteranssupportingveterans #veteranbenefits #army #navy #marines #airforce

In 2019 Tara Copp was approached by a few families that has been "Stricken" by the rapid onside of cancer in their family members who were Veterans. Her efforts led to a series by McClatchy titled “Stricken”. The result of Tara's investigation is an outstanding investigative reporting that is of extreme importance to the military, veterans and the country. The team of three McClatchy reporters created a database of nearly two decades of raw cancer treatment data obtained through FOIAs from the Department of Veterans Affairs. They used the analysis of those numbers to show that after two decades of war, cancers among veterans are on the rise. They found that, in some cases, the Defense Department knew in advance that the environments they deployed forces to were toxic. In February 2020, Congresswoman Elaine Luria introduced legislation, which cited McClatchy’s reporting, that would require the Pentagon to look at the incidence rate of cancers among military pilots and would also require medical screening for pilots as young as 30 for some cancers. Not only is this story deeply reported, but it is also told with a clear eye on the people affected – and uses terrifically composed video and audio storytelling in addition to riveting narratives to provide this important information to Americans. This effort continued to the formation of Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness. While we focus on Prostate Cancer we understand there is a high incidence of many other cancers affecting Veterans. We don't have definitive answers as to why but we all know the reasons we just have to prove our assumptions and we are well on our way of doing so. Please donate to VPCa at https://lnkd.in/gi2ayBh2 to help us educate Veterans on the need to screen earlier and get the treatment that will save their life. The link to one of the episodes of "Stricken" is below: https://lnkd.in/grA278HJ

How to Quit Smoking It’s never too late to quit smoking. Quitting #smoking now improves your health and reduces your risk of heart disease, #cancer, lung disease, and other smoking-related illnesses. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gYHrcuxX matforce.org #cigarettes #stopsmoking

In the next segment of the #leukemia roundtable series, Drs. Eric Winer, Yasmin Abaza, and Naval Daver share their thoughts on the next major breakthrough in #AML. 📽️ Watch here: https://buff.ly/3XJq3zY

America is Failing Veterans. Period. We, yes we, need to step it up. #police #policeofficer #policetraining #policeofficers #policedepartment #policejobs #policechief #policecommemorationday #lawenforcement #emergencymanagement #emergencypreparedness #emergencyresponse #emergencyservices #emergency #emergencyplanning #emt #emts #firesafety #firefighter #firesafety #firefighters #firefightertraining #publicsafety

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is adding male breast cancer, urethral cancer, and cancer of the paraurethral glands to the list of presumptive illnesses connected to military service since 1990. This means veterans suffering from these conditions can more easily access disability benefits without having to extensively prove the connection to their service. This is the latest expansion of the PACT Act, passed in 2022, which has already led to over 1 million toxic exposure claims being approved and over $5.7 billion in payouts to veterans. The new presumptive conditions cover veterans who served in the Gulf War or deployed to the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia after 2001. Eligible veterans can now file new claims or have previous claims automatically reviewed and approved. This is a significant win for veterans' healthcare and an important step in supporting those exposed to toxic substances during their service. #VeteransAffairs #VAToxicExposure #PACTAct #MilitaryHealth #VeteransBenefits #MaleBreastCancer

What is the current state of emavusertib in #AML therapy? In this roundtable segment, Drs. Eric Winer, Yasmin Abaza, and Naval Daver cover the ongoing research and understanding of emavusertib. ➡️ https://buff.ly/3VXy56W

🇺🇲On this Veterans Day, we honor and express our heartfelt gratitude to all the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces. Your sacrifices and dedication protect our freedom and way of life. Thank you for your service and commitment to our great nation. 🗽 #VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #GreenvillePathology #Pathology #Pathologist #GreenvilleNC #Pathologylab #cytopathology #clinicalpathology #surgicalpathology