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The Torchlight Initiative exists to give a voice to the ICBM Community and to those impacted by cancers and other illnesses that disproportionately impact our community.
Our advocacy led to multiple ICBM cancer data analyses, early cancer detection, early diagnosis, ICBM cancer awareness, environmental hazard documentation, threat mitigation efforts, Congressional support, and VA support for families and sick team members. Most of all, our initiative has brought together a community of transparent, honest, and proactive voices that demand accountability.
Your donations allow this small team of veterans the honor of continuing to advocate for you, document our cancers and illnesses through our independent registry, and to demand accountability to mitigate the risks and take care of the service members and their families.
Thank you.
VA CLAIMS GUIDE
Navigating the VA claims process can be overwhelming, especially for ICBM community members diagnosed with cancer or other serious illnesses. Many veterans face the added challenge of proving service connection for occupational exposures that were never adequately documented. The Torchlight Initiative created this guide to help. It includes claim checklists, templates, medical literature, exposure documentation, VA case law, and other evidence to help you build the strongest claim possible.
The most important part of any claim is a strong nexus letter from your treating physician or oncologist explaining why your condition is at least as likely as not related to your military service. We encourage you to share the supporting research and exposure documentation in this guide with your medical team to help them prepare an informed medical opinion.
This guide is not legal or medical advice, but it reflects the lessons learned from helping hundreds of missile community members navigate the VA system. We will continue updating it as new evidence and guidance become available.
No one should have to fight this battle alone.
NEWS AND ADVOCACY
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A new independent academic study examining a form of blood cancer among those who served at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, has found that service members were diagnosed at younger ages compared to the wider population, a notable revelation as that community fears their cancers and illnesses could be tied to their service.
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An amendment added to the House version of a must-pass national defense bill calls for more research and scrutiny into cancer concerns among troops who worked with America’s nuclear missiles.
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This memorandum summarizes the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) sampling results at the three active missile wings (Malmstrom AFB, MT; Francis E. Warren AFB, WY; and Minot AFB, ND) as well as Vandenberg SFB, CA.