Situation

• Active duty Submariners make up <7% of the Navy’s personnel
• By comparison, this means that Submariners equate to <0.5% of current US military manpower and account for <300,000 veterans
• Generations of Submarine Veterans are suffering from serious health issues
• VA claims filed by submariners under the PACT Act are declined at a disproportionate rate

Problem

• Unknown number of Submariners diagnosed annually with illnesses potentially linked to toxins found in submarine atmospheres
• Lack of consistent and accurate scientific data on submarine atmospheric toxicity available to prove or disprove illnesses
• Inefficient bureaucratic processes extend VA claims processing times for Submariners requesting PACT Act consideration

Solution

• Expand PACT Act eligibility to include Submariners serving onboard US Navy submarines from 1950 through the present day
• Conduct definitive studies on atmospheric contaminants for all operational classes of nuclear submarines
• Improve VA claim processing efficiencies by removing unnecessary complexity and provide VSRs with factual data-driven evidence

Call to Action

• Swift and aggressive leadership to recognize this as a long-term problem faced by Submariners
• Acknowledgement that previous scientific research associated with the Submarine environment, especially the atmosphere, has been insufficient, and that Submarine Veterans need official recognition to that effect
• Commission scientific and medical studies using advanced atmosphere monitoring and diagnostic equipment aboard deployed submarines