Civil service reservists are currently not entitled to VA benefits, but they should be. Without their military reserve position, they could not have their civil service job.

Ergo, they deserve coverage and entitlement to VA benefits.

I am a military widow fighting to get benefits for my late husband, Sean David Delcambre, who was poisoned by hexavalent chromium exposure at the 403rd at Keesler AFB over a series of years. In addition to significant media coverage by WLOX in Biloxi, I have physical proof that the leadership knew about the exposure but failed to remediate it for reasons unknown. Many people were made sick and developed cancers. Sean specifically developed a mutating lymphoma that took his life at age 34 on August 5, 2019. 

I became widowed with three young daughters then ages 19 months to 6. I nearly ended my life over the stress and grief of losing my husband. However, because of my daughters, I fought myself to stay for them. I was denied VA benefits for Sean on the grounds that he was civil service and thus could not have been poisoned to death in his reserve role alone.

Though I am of the belief that with the extensive physical evidence that I have that the exposure duration was indeed satisfactory to have caused his deadly cancer over the years, I still strongly believe that these laws need to be overturned entirely and for all civil service reservists.

Nobody should be injured or killed and them or their families be demoralized and denied these rights. You or your loved one signed up to serve our country, and all service should be honored by the Veteran’s Association. 

If you agree, please sign this petition as I was told when I went to pursue Sean’s disability and VA death benefits that I should be prepared to take the VA to court to change the laws. I have decided that regardless of whether or not my personal application is funded, I am undertaking the fight to change laws for all civil service reservists. 

Because I actually care, and I know how much strife and suffering I endured as a consequence of these flawed systems. Let’s work together to fight to get VA benefits for civil service reservists. They serve our country and risk their lives to protect us. Let’s work together to serve them.