NOTE: The City is sharing this information on behalf of Councilman Pickett.

This is from Councilman Pickett's monthly newsletter, which residents can sign up for at: www.cityofpsl.com/newsletter

December 2022

Welcome to the Veterans' View

I hope this Holiday Season finds you well, and welcome to the first newsletter of a series published monthly to highlight Veterans and Veterans' affairs in the City of Port St. Lucie. I wanted to have a publication dedicated solely to our Veteran community. Although other publications and websites promote the same topic, it is prudent to bring many of those same items into one publication.

Upcoming Events

Pearl Harbor Day

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Veterans Memorial Park

The Army-Navy Game

Saturday, Dec. 10

Presented by USAA

PSLinLights Party

Friday, Dec. 16

MIDFLORIDA Event Center

Remembering Pearl Harbor Day

On Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, we will gather at Veterans Memorial Park in Port St Lucie for the 81st Commemoration of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The ceremony begins at 7:55 a.m. The early start marks the moment to the minute 81 years ago when Japanese warplanes descended on Oahu, killing 2,403 service members and civilians while injuring thousands more. The bombings of the warships docked there dealt a near-fatal blow to the Navy’s Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Most young Americans who died that day, along with those who served in uniform during World War II or on the home front war effort, are collectively known as the Greatest Generation.

Burn Pit Registry

Like Agent Orange in Vietnam, burn pit exposure has become synonymous with combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries where American troops deployed following 9/11. Since then, millions of veterans and service members have potentially been exposed to areas of open-air, uncontrolled combustion of trash, and other waste. The ubiquitous practice caused toxic substances to fill the air where American troops have served, sparking a host of long-term health consequences.

To learn more and register, visit the Veterans Affairs public health site.

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Health Issues

If you served at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in North Carolina, you might have had contact with contaminants in the drinking water. Scientific and medical evidence has shown an association between exposure to these contaminants during military service and the development of certain diseases later.

If you have a qualifying service at Camp Lejeune and a current diagnosis of one of the conditions listed below. If you meet all the following requirements, you may be able to receive disability benefits.

Both must be true:

served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 cumulative days from August 1953 through December 1987, and
didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge when you separated from the military

Must have a diagnosis of one or more of these presumptive conditions: