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Season 6, Episode 104

A journey from grief to perseverance and advocacy for veterans' rights

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Guest Name:


Sri Benson

Guest Website:


American Legion 

Guest Social Media:


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Supportive Documents:


Sri Benson, a policy analyst at the American Legion, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast this Memorial Day to share the story of his late wife Katie and her battle with mesothelioma due to burn pit exposure. He shared their challenges with the VA for service-related recognition and his advocacy for veterans' rights through legislative efforts like the PACT Act and Dole Act.

Benson recounted the heartbreaking story of his wife Katie, an Army veteran who developed aggressive mesothelioma at just 35, a condition linked to her exposure to toxic burn pits during her deployment to Kuwait. Despite the VA's initial dismissal that her condition was service-related, Katie's determination and research, alongside her doctor's support, eventually proved the connection. Their battle with the VA highlights the challenges many veterans face when trying to receive the care they deserve.

The conversation also delved into the emotional and physical toll of caregiving. Benson described the immense pressure of balancing work and caring for his wife, which led to his own health issues. His experience highlighted the need for better support systems for caregivers. Benson found his way from being a structural engineer to caregiver and now an advocate for legislative measures like the Dole Act to improve veterans' and caregivers' lives.

Following the death of his wife, Benson went to Washington, D.C., where he joined efforts to push for the PACT Act and later the Dole Act. The Dole Act addresses the gaps in veterans' healthcare and support. It’s not been an easy journey, Benson said, but he hopes his story and Katie’s legacy will be one of persistence. He believes there can be change through collective action, and he urges others to join the effort to fight for veterans' rights.

Listen to the full episode above to hear more of Benson's inspiring story and insights on advocating for veterans' rights.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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