This mysterious delay is not helping. My husband died in January 2021. He didnt receive a dime from the military, because when they finally approved him he died 2 days later. At age 59 I had my first rare cancer, thyroid and later a 2nd cancer even rarer Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in my abdomen. In addition I have hyperthyroidism. As I read story after story. He had filed an Agent Orange claim several times. Still had to go back and help clean. We both came down with Hodgkins Lymphoma. I was in VN 1968-69 , I have my bladder removed and prostate around 2002 at Palo Alto VA hospital in California ,all by cancer. A locked padlock Hypertension should definitely be added,I got hypertension in my early 40s was in Vietnam 70to 71. VA do the right thing. As a result, I was not affected by the many things agent Orange and the poison water from Lejuene contributed to my health. My father served in the U .S. March 3 (UPI) -- The lesion that President Joe Biden had removed from his chest last month during his physical was a common type of skin cancer, his physician said Friday. Could go on forever, but I should stop here. We never thought, or were told to ask our First Sargent Can you tell me what chemicals we are using here, and how will they possibly affect my health 25 years from now? We were all asked to step up, and never thought that a real enemy might be the Department of Defense, or perhaps some other EM doing what he had been told to do. Monetary as well as medical and other benefits. My husband found a good advocate 150 miles from where we lived and got all his benefits. I am amazed that the VA believes burn pit issues only affect those serving in the more recent SW Asia campaigns. Good luck and God bless you all. 807 Maine Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20024 Phone (202) 554-3501 Fax (202) 863-0233 www.dav.org ISSUE BRIEF: Agent Orange in Thailand during Vietnam Era How do I apply again if they are actually maybe taking this seriously? He passed away July 2012. He was buried in the VA cemetery with honors . Hes a highly qualified Toxicologist who helps Veterans with claims for exposure to chemicals. 0:00 Introduction0:52 AGEN. Tom, you need to file if you were in the exact place where agent orange was employed the perimeter of an air base. Sorry for your loss. If a service person was in Vietnam, or exposed to chemicals the VA shouldnt play God. It is complete. I could go on and on. Well Im still kicking. We carried and transferred AGENT ORANGE to AIR CRAFT CARRIERS many times. Our son was conceived when we lived there. Id be contacting your advocate asap and get your claim going! I served in Nam 67 and 68 and was diagnosed with AML leukemia in 2012. We have been fighting a long battle with no success! Are you serious?! My husband and I are both 100% disabled vets and if I could increase my disability to more I would! I have tinnitus and PTSD and it have being not approve my claim., for those. I will continue the fight to get benefits for all veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and other toxic chemicals regardless of where they served.. Curious about soldiers that worked on jets, etc. Right!!!!! After many years of dealing with the VA in Iowa City, I got him in to Danville, Illinois VA. from 9/67 to 5/68, we had 2 helicopter Squadrons home Based on our ship. Why try? My claim for benefits for Agent Orange related Prostate cancer was approved in 2017. Visit the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office. Having any of these conditions is not fun and thanking us for our service doesnt help much. I think a diagnosis of prostate cancer from agent orange means an automatic 100% disability rating. Exposed to AO many times. The longer they can lie and deny the more they save. They want to punish us all. Every claim submission needs to provide three things: a current medical diagnosis; evidence of an event/injury/medical condition in the Vets service medical records; and a nexus from a doctor linking the former to the latter. I tried to respond to you twice, but they wont accept my posts for some reason. Dropping in the iodine tablets. Anything new in regards to children of Vietnam Veterans? While bombs and loud guns firing every were. Hang in there Brother. Make your claim ASAP if you havent already. Camp Lejune first 6 months of 71. I am disappointed ive been fighting for my dad benefits only to be told no one can help me. We were in the field living in tents during phase line papa. It's not clear how many veterans would be affected by the change. Shannon Brewer, Senior Attorney Updated: August 12, 2013. A solution by Congress may be the best approach, some attorneys and veterans advocates say. A thankless smelly unending job, which I was proud to do. I know that they do help some veterans, but if they can lie out of helping, they will. There is more to that in his records and he died from cancer. Im not sure if the new presumptive condition hypothyroidism is any different. Hes not. What about veterans in operation restore democracy who were exposed to shit burning details? Im fully compensated, tax free, and have free medical. many times not waiting the 30 minutes to drink. You can file online or thru the mail (https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/). WELL I HAVE HEAT PROBLEM TYPE 2 DIABETES ENLARGED PROSTATE AND SUFFER FROM PAINAT DIFFERENT TIMES AS WELL AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. Sent in all the medical records most of which were already on his profile. Im currently receiving a 20% rating for surgeries related to recurring shoulder dislocations while attending cliff assault school, boxing in smokers, and playing various sports for Marine units while stationed in Twenty-Nine Palms and Camp Foster, Okinawa. He died of pancreatic cancer in 2010. A doctor returned my call. 74 yrs of age. Camp Lejune , 6 months of 71. Military Times reported that 50,000 U.S. troops were deployed to Thailand alone at the height of operations, but it isn't clear how many later deployed to Vietnam and are already eligible for presumptive benefits status. Almost every county has Call: 988 (Press 1), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420. USMC, 67-71. I was stationed in Korat Thailand 72-73 and lived outside the west gate which is in the red zone ( cleared by AO ). Why? Can I file a claim now. They are deservedly receiving help for diseases as a result of the exposure. I was soon denied because I was on the wrong colored water. I will however continue to fight until I take my last breath! Enlisted USMC, 2nd BN, 26th Marines, 9th MAB (Battalion Landing Team), I-Corp, 1968-69, Combat Field Radio (PRC-25) Radio Operator. Lets be real, this was 60 years ago, Trone said. 2. And BTW! My late husband was with the 14th combat engineers assigned to the 1st Cav. Did you carry/transfer AO to our ship or have any records? Best advicedo the paperwork, get your service records, go the the VA and get an advocate. I did go to the VA . Im 43 now and one of my two sisters from a different mother has health problems as well. Thank goodness Ol Uncle Sugar is on the case! As a 30 year retired United States Air Force Disabled Veteran, I have prayed for this day to come. Got bladder cancer treated by VA. Im an ex-Marine who was stationed at Camp LeJeune (and Camp Geiger) for a total of seven months in 1972. File, ASAP; they only go from initial claim date. Ask anyone who served in Vietnam and it was common practice to dispose of human excrement by mixing it with diesel fuel and burning it. What about glioblastoma brain? I would bet that those who are now in charge or have recently been in charge of the VA are those very same college students from the 60s and 70s! 67-68 Tet. Poway, Calif. attorney Amanda Mineer recalled working on one case in which she and her team had to introduce into evidence a photo of a sailor taking a photographic selfie of himself on a ship as that ship crossed the equator, with barrels of Agent Orange nearby, visible in the photo. You say that it is proven those chemicals cause various diseases including Scleroderma Where can I find such VA information mentioning that specific, rare autoimmune disease. Just get knowledgeable advice, from the VA or an accredited veterans service organization such s the DAV. I was there for six months at ft. McClellan the Va keep trun me down on my lung that started there at ft. McClellan they say they dont know what to called it they know they dont want to Admit to it my name is Roy Kilgore, Can someone tell me why or how Agent Orange can skip the stomach. While they (VA) do provide the medical and scientific data to support whether the condition can be service connected or the presumptive(s) in this case, its CONGRESS that are the ultimate culprits who implement and dictate whats in the CFR and Public Law. While we were trying to eat in a overhead tarp, the smoke from the burn pits went right through where we were eating!! quadruple bypass Parkinsons like syndrome I have applied for agent orange compensation nearly two years ago. Nov 4, 2021 The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program Mission Partner Awards 2021; October 2021 Oct 29, 2021 . Problem solved!!!! Lung transplant, Nov 1st, 2014. I agree with every word you wrote. What a VA. Learn more about benefits related to Agent Orange exposure. Thats why I ask, is there anybody left? These, mostly men, werent thanked for their service, werent cheered as they arrived home. Im a GW veteran and it took me 20 years to get any benefits and it wasnt retroactive. My dad fueled planes in Vietnam in 1969 and was exposed daily for a year. My brother born in 1963 died at age 54 he was a soldier, he suffered from deep depression and others nurogical problems. Dont give up! https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/index.asp. My husband was a Vietnam vet. i have contacted attorneys to fight for me. If your husband died from any of the diseases under agent orange and it is listed as the cause of death on his death certificate, the VA rep can access and reopen his filed claim and you should be eligible for a DIC special pension. He developed T1 diabetes and died in 1996. Together we are working trying to get all our ducks in a row to file a widows pension claim on the newly approved Parkinsonism agent orange approved disease. Can you help? VA will be publishing the PACT Act Performance Dashboard every other Friday to measure the implementation of PACT Act and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. Because the government claims it was never there I have had no success in being compensated. My husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer 3 years ago. Suggest you contact your local Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter. Apply 5 times. It is beyond horrible. Im glad these benefits are being added. He has to apply and use a catheter twice a day, something he expects to do for the rest of his life. Back then I should have reported him. Big news from Iceland Feb. 2021 in the amount of lead in the base, NASKEF, drinking water in the late 90s. Died 6 years ago of AO related lung cancer. Parkinsons is a presumptive disease which means you only have to prove you have it. This is not a judgement call. It is most likely from agent orange. If you are a Veteran in crisis Centerville resident McHenry died in July 2021 at the age of 74. I served in Vietnam as A combat engineer 1968 and 69. File a claim for DIC at va.gov or find a good VA advocate to help you. My husband was in Vietnam in the late 60s and early 70s. Saigon was actually worse as there was no garbage collection and large roadside dumps along Plantation road were set on fire periodically. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. I suffer from hypothyroidism, neurological issues, and have had several episodes of Transient Global Amnesia. Sometimes VA service officers are not very efficient. Go to nearest VA facility and get registered with VA Health, find a VSO and he/she will fill out the necessary papers for you. Check in with the VFW or American Legion and they can guide you thru the process. I had a much smaller exposure than your father and I have lots of Autoimmune diseases as does at least one of my children. U.S., South Korea to revive large-scale military drills amid North Korea threat, Deadly storms leave more than a million without power as weather system moves east, Judge sentences Alex Murdaugh to life in prison without parole. I dont know where to start- and going by all these posts of ppl like myself- its looks pretty bleak for outcomes. The VA said his disease, of which there was no family history, was not related to his service and he didnt live long enough to see that changed. Parkinsons? The VA to me at this point in time is absolutely useless! The Secretary recently concluded the first iteration of a newly formed internal VA process to review scientific evidence to support rulemaking, resulting in the recommendation to consider creation of new presumptions of service connection for respiratory conditions based on VAs evaluation of a National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report and other evidence. Skinner, who has fought prostate cancer since 2018, has gone through 44 treatments of radiation therapy. NOT a great idea sending him to the coastline and semi-jungle conditions back into death and destruction, but thats Uncle Sam for you. I served in the 49th TAC Fighter Wing and got out in late 1974 after breathing jet exhaust on the flight line for almost a year. Many other conditions that affect my health from this condition. Bustamante, who served in the Marines with my husband stateside during the VietNam years. This is absolutely the right thing to do for Veterans and their families.. I also am a cancer survivor. My thyroid quit years ago, 3 hernia operations, and compared to many of us, Im lucky but At 75 years old, I dont know how much I have left. The person who told me to get copies of the VA Ordered DBQ stated that he fought with VA for more than twelve years before winning, I only applied two years ago and knew not, that I would have to fight like this in order to get what I feel that I am entitled too. The Kearsarge is NOT YET a BLUE WATER SHIP but i remember Launching, Recovering and Securing these Helos after IN COUNTRY or Near Shore rescues. has never reviewed my case as of June 2021. We filed a claim 2 years ago and recently received a denial. We didnt know what killed all the vegetation in many areas on Searching and Destroy missions? The best thing for my situation was accomplished by my VSO officer. Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs mandates that veterans who served in southeast Asian countries other than Vietnam during the war provide evidence of exposure to the herbicide in order to qualify for benefits. i was stationed in Blue Water off the coast of Vietnam from 1968-1971 on board the USS WICHITA AND THE USS ZELIMA, both of which carried munitions, fuel, food and supplies. Persian Gulf War? Now my question is, how do I file another appeal, and add these issues to my claim? I served in Thailand at the end of the war as a crew chief on F-4s. I served in Vietnam in 1967. This is great news and I am happy to see leadership at the VA leading the way on behalf of the vets who are yet to receive the benefits due them. Not enough die yet? Its on the VAs own list of bases. I suggest you keep applying as the last Sect. Came home on a Bipap and directions to use an oxygen concentrator and had to have tanks exchanged every month, I believe. I am now 67, unable to work and already living in an old age living facility. have hearing loss, VA plans, budget, finances, and performance. 1. Just how much can one family take we keep dieing!!! I served in Vietnam 1970-71. Get to va office and start squeaking. He passed away in 2015 with heart failure and had skin cancer . Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) are renewing their bipartisan effort to support veterans who served in Thailand during the Vietnam War-era by allowing them the opportunity to prove toxic exposure in order to qualify for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. I have had stage four prostate cancer which I have survived. It took another 4 years of privately paid care before the VA finally started helping out with SOME of the cost. I was a platoon leader in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division in 1969 and Ive been able to locate and contact more than 50 men from my unit. If you already filed, find a VA advocate that is passionate about their job and will fight to get you the benefits you are entitled to. Ten have them Submit another claim for you. THANKS FOR POSTING THIS FOR THE VETERNS IN NEED OF HELP. The base I was assigned to refueled C-130s with Agent Orange and it was used to control our foliage. I marked it off and put in my Training Jacket. When will we be covered? VA will send letters to impacted Veterans and survivors. Boozman, Tester Fight for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange During Service in Thailand. Thank you for complying with what had to be forced on you, Mr. Secretary, after thousands of my brothers had to die. She could very well be eligible for benefits. Veterans are STILL battling a war, this war with their own government. I have had what they call jungle rot on my feet and hands that comes and goes. My husband served three tours in Vietnam and died a horrible death seven years ago of four of the diseases named. I was told agent orange was used in Guam to clear foliage at the end of the aircraft parking area and runway to make room for fuel bladder systems. Young. When was this and what was this? I have had cancer and other illness but still got denied 3 days before Christmas. I applied for Agent Orange disability, but the VA denied my claim. What if your father has already died? He passed in April of 2019 due to complications from his surgery. Those of us who served on aircraft carriers operating out of yankee station are denied compensation for agent orange related conditions because we were outside the 12 mile limit. I was born while he was in Vietnam and served on camp Pendelton Subic bay Diego Garcia and Camp Hansen all of which are super sites with contamination. It seems that most veterans who submit paperwork will get denied the first time regardless of their condition or supporting evidence. Just checking. If these conditions are presumptively associated with exposure to Agent Orange, why does the VA take forever to settle claims? a veterans office where they are located. There is no mention of Thailand, Cambodia nor Laos Vets. What do I have to do. The neuropathy is in my feet, legs and hands. If you were denied they will contact you, you do not need to submit another claim. At around 60 I took on the fight which took 14 months of going through their hoops, fighting for assistance. Vietnam War era Veterans and their survivors who previously filed and were denied benefits for one of these three new presumptive conditions will have their cases automatically reviewed without the need to refile a claim. He got a double whammy being a Vietnam vets son and then whatever was going on with the poison that was Anniston, good ol Monsanto strikes again :-( And of course, we never knew about that until it was decades too late. Will his cancer or children of male solders ever get any compensation? Parkinsons Disease, Diabetes and Ischemic Coronary Heart Disease are presumptive conditions of Agent Orange exposure. This in my opinion is a major problem. Our government truly does not care. My neurosurgeon has been researching the neuropathy being caused by Agent Orange and he attests that it has only made matters worse with my neuropathy. Do I gualify for any Agent Orange compensation ??? I submitted my additional medical documents and completed my medical exam. I have Prostate Cancer. Should I apply? Aside thought it would go away as it did some times at night after battle .talk to me V A . You also have to My husband died at the age of 88 in Colombia, from a cardiorespiratory arrest, his diagnosis of Epoc, hypothyroidism, Parkinsons, osteoarthritis and Alzhaymer, these were presented to him from 2015 in Colombia, could it be a consciousness of the war chemicals?