By Maegan Vazquez, CNNPresident Joe Biden honored Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, paying homage to Americans who have served and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “You are the very spine of America — not just the backbone, the spine of this country,” Biden said. … That means expanding presumptive conditions like toxic exposure to particulate matter, including Agent Orange and burn pits. Burn pits were used to incinerate all sorts of waste, hazardous material and chemical compounds at military sites throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. Eighty-six percent of post-9/11 veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan say they were exposed to burn pits, according to a 2020 survey by the nonprofit Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Source: CNN November 12, 2021 06:01 UTC