Rosie Torres
HbOT Committee Member
Co-Founder and Director, Burn Pits 360
Rosie Torres is the co-founder and director of Burn Pits 360 - an advocacy organization with a mission to educate everyone on the impact of toxic chemical exposure, advocate for those harmed, and empower Veterans and their families to stand up for our community. Since its inception, the organization has built an alliance of health experts, researchers, scientists, legal experts and doctors specializing in deployment-related exposure in an effort to bring the serious effects toxic chemicals have on veterans’ health to light. Their advocacy is rooted in evidence. The invisible wounds veterans face upon exposure include injuries to the respiratory, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems, chronic pain, certain rare cancers, Post Traumatic Stress and Toxic Brain Injury.
In July of 2022, Torres and Burn Pits 360 allies spent six days outside the U.S. Capitol advocating for the PACT Act to pass in the Senate. In late August, President Biden officially signed the PACT Act into law, with the Torreses proudly standing by his side. This historic legislation expands VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.