From: brian1russ

Dated: March 25, 2016

Subject: Agent Orange Act of 1991

The Agent Orange Act of 1991 expired September of 2015. This act created a committee to study and recommend presumptive conditions for compensation. Their last recommendation was to add Bladder Cancer and Hypothyroid disease to the list of presumptive conditions. They also want to add Hypertension, Stroke and forms of Neurological conditions similar to Parkinson's. We all need to contact our Congressmen and Senators to demand they support the extension of this Act. Without this extension, the committee will be dissolved and no more research will be done. Please note that the adoption of these recommended presumptive conditions is solely up to the Director of the VA.
The VA has previously only recommended conditions from Dioxins that is in 17 of the 19 Herbicides used in Vietnam and has never considered the effects of Arsenic that was Agent Blue or Agent Purple. Arsenic causes Bladder Cancer and over a million gallons of these agents (Blue and Purple) were sprayed in Vietnam.
We need to act and ask every Vietnam Vet we know to contact their Legislators ASAP. We need Bi-partisan support.

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From: Ken Kalish

Dated: March 6, 2016

Subject: Your doctor, the VA and an Agent Orange investigation update

Yes, Ann, we are presumptive for AO exposure.
We didn’t just get sprayed with it, our drinking water came from the river. We showered in it, we drank it, we swam in it for various reasons, our food was cooked in it, and we were constantly sprayed with it. The 9th ID was there with us and got to play in it, too. RAGs, SEALS, SWIFTies, SEAWOLF crews, PBR sailors, shallow-draft tanker crews, and LSIL crews all got into it. Anyone assigned to or assigned to support of TF 115, TF 116, or TF 117, no matter for how long, is presumed to have been exposed.
The ship on which my brother served, LSD 17 (USS Catamount) ran supply operations from PI to Da Nang. They were in port at least every two weeks, tied up each time to transfer everything from barrels of AO to rations to replacement weapons. Even so, my brother was not accepted as having been exposed until the third list of vessels was released by the Navy, and the VA still doesn’t have him in the presumptive pool. Any guesses about why that might be? Because unlike officers, no enlisted member of the crew was allowed ashore ? meaning they never “set foot in Viet Nam.”
Ken

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From: Forrest Brandt

Dated: March 5, 20164

Subject: Your doctor, the VA and an Agent Orange investigation update

I wonder if you’ve looked at the “brown water” Navy operations in the Mekong Delta area - LSTs, Higgins boats and small patrol boats worked up and down the river which had to be polluted from all the spraying up-stream.
As for my experience, 1st Infantry Division’s base camp at Lai Khe had a 5k swath cut around it, everything pulled down by Rome plows and then sprayed regularly to keep it from coming back. Understand the same was true with the 25th ID’s base at Cu Chi.
Forrest Brandt

From: Ann Kelsey

Dated: March 5, 2016

Subject: Your doctor, the VA and an Agent Orange investigation update

Brown water Navy vets are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides just as ground troops were. It is the blue water Navy vets who were on the ships off the coast who have been excluded. Admiral Zumwalt's son who was on a PBR in the Mekong Delta was one of the earlier casualties of the defoliation spraying along the rivers that his father ordered.
Ann

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From: Mike Jackson
Dated: May 21, 2016
Subject: Agent Orange

I Just did. Thanks!

Mike J

From: ProPublica

Dated: March 4, 2014

Subject: You have a new messaage from Pro Publica

Forrest Brandt

We wanted to update you on our latest stories on Agent Orange and also make a few requests.
The latest
We took a look at how Navy vets are fighting the VA for benefits. Neither the Navy nor the VA has a comprehensive list of which ships went where during the Vietnam War. And as a result, veterans themselves often have to prove their ships served in areas where Agent Orange was sprayed. So, we compiled a list of more than 700 Navy ships that either saw combat in Vietnam or whose activities may have exposed its sailors to Agent Orange. We’re asking Navy sailors to help us gather any information they may have for each of these ships. The goal is to collect this info — crew rosters, deck logs, ship histories, ship photos, etc. — that vets might be able to use to obtain Agent Orange benefits. We have a few ships noted with information already but need a whole lot more. Check out the list and if you know any sailors, please pass this along to them. We’d like to do the same type of list for the other branches of the military. If you’d be interested in participating in something like that, let us know.

Your doctor, your diagnosis, your benefits
For our next story, we want to take a look at how doctors may have diagnosed vets with illnesses that are related to Agent Orange but the VA has still denied these benefits. So, in your fight for benefits, if you’ve provided the VA with letters from doctors — or other medical records — documenting how your illness is related to your service or Agent Orange but still had to jump through hoops or were ultimately denied, we’d like to hear from you. Especially if the doctors backing you up are VA doctors. Send us a message back letting us know your situation and we’ll be in touch.

5,000 story challenge
In less than a year on this project, 4,084 vets or their family members have submitted a story about how Agent Orange has impacted their lives. These stories are incredible and heartbreaking and frustrating. And every story helps our reporting in some way. We are looking for more. You’re getting this email because you have filled out the survey already. Thank you. Yet, it’d be great if you could send this to two vets, their family members or their children who you think haven’t filled it out yet. If you’ve already done this or you don’t know anyone, that’s OK. But if you do, all you have to do is send them this link and ask them if it is something they could fill out: http://propub.li/1L7uCKR

Thank you so much.
Mike Hixenbaugh, The Virginian-Pilot
Charles Ornstein, ProPublica
Terry Parris Jr., ProPublica

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From: Paul Kasper

Dated: March 12, 2015

Subject: Ten Things Every Veteran Should Know About Agent Orange

http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/17744/10-things-every-veteran-know-agent-orange/

Learn the basics of VA's Agent Orange benefits and care

Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 9:00 am Posted in Health, Top Stories 5 views

1. Agent Orange was a herbicide and defoliant used in Vietnam Agent Orange was a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War to remove the leaves of trees and other dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover. The U.S. Department of Defense developed tactical herbicides specifically to be used in “combat operations.” They were not commercial grade herbicides purchased from chemical companies and sent to Vietnam.

More than 19 million gallons of various “rainbow” herbicide combinations were sprayed, but Agent Orange was the combination the U.S. military used most often. The name “Agent Orange” came from the orange identifying stripe used on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored.

Heavily sprayed areas included forests near the demarcation zone, forests at the junction of the borders of Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam, and mangroves on the southernmost peninsula of Vietnam and along shipping channels southeast of Saigon.

2. Any Veteran who served anywhere in Vietnam during the war is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

These Veterans do not need to show that they were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides in order to get disability compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure.

Service in Vietnam means service on land in Vietnam or on the inland waterways (“brown water” Veterans) of Vietnam.

3. VA has linked several diseases and health conditions to Agent Orange exposure. VA has recognized certain cancers and other health problems as presumptive diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. Veterans and their survivors may be eligible for compensation benefits.

AL Amyloidosis A rare disease caused when an abnormal protein, amyloid, enters and collects tissues or organs Chronic B-cell Leukemias A type of cancer which affects a specific type of white blood cell Chloracne (or similar acneform disease) A skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides. Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 A disease characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body’s inability to produce or respond properly to the hormone insulin Hodgkin’s Disease A malignant lymphoma (cancer) characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, and by progressive anemia Ischemic Heart Disease A disease characterized by a reduced supply of blood to the heart, that can lead to chest pain (angina) Multiple Myeloma A cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in bone marrow Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma A group of cancers that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue Parkinson’s Disease A progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects muscle movement Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset A nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of herbicide exposure. Porphyria Cutanea Tarda A disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas. Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides. Prostate Cancer Cancer of the prostate; one of the most common cancers among older men Respiratory Cancers (includes lung cancer) Cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus Soft Tissue Sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or mesothelioma) A specific group of malignant of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues helicopter-spraying-Agent-Orange

4. Veterans who want to be considered for disability compensation must file a claim. Veterans who want to be considered for disability compensation for health problems related to Agent Orange exposure must file a claim.

During the claims process, VA will check military records to confirm exposure to Agent Orange or qualifying military service. If necessary, VA will set up a separate exam for compensation.

5. VA offers health care benefits for Veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides during military service. Veterans who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, are eligible to enroll in VA health care. Visit VA’s health benefits explorer <http://hbexplorer.vacloud.us> to check your eligibility and learn how to apply.

6. Participating in an Agent Orange Registry health exam helps you, other Veterans and VA. VA’s Agent Orange Registry health exam alerts Veterans to possible long-term health problems that may be related to Agent Orange exposure during their military service. The registry data helps VA understand and respond to these health problems more effectively.

The exam is free to eligible Veterans and enrollment in VA health care is not necessary. Although the findings of your exam may be used to inform your subsequent care, they may not be used when applying for compensation as a separate exam is required. Contact your local VA Environmental Health Coordinator about getting an Agent Orange Registry health exam.

7. VA recognizes and offers support for the children of Veterans affected by Agent Orange who have birth defects. VA has recognized that certain birth defects among Veterans’ children are associated with Veterans’ qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea.

Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta), a defect in the developing fetus that results in incomplete closing of the spine, is associated with Veterans’ exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea. Birth defects in children of women Veterans are associated with their military service in Vietnam but are not related to herbicide exposure. The affected child must have been conceived after the Veteran entered Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone during the qualifying service period.

Learn more about benefits for Veterans’ children with birth defects.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/children-birth-defects.asp

Planes-spraying-Agent-Orange

8. Vietnam Veterans are not the only Veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange. Agent Orange and other herbicides used in Vietnam were used, tested or stored elsewhere, including some military bases in the United States. Other locations/scenarios in which Veterans were exposed to Agent Orange may include:

Korean Demilitarized Zone Exposure along the demilitarized zone in Korea between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971 Thailand Military Bases Possible exposure on or near the perimeters of military bases between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 Herbicide Tests and Storage Outside Vietnam Possible exposure due to herbicide tests and storage at military bases in the United States and locations in other countries Agent Orange Residue on Airplanes Used in Vietnam War Possible exposure of crew members to herbicide residue in c-123 planes flown after the Vietnam War

9. VA continues to conduct research on the long-term health effects of Agent Orange in order to better care for all Veterans. VA and other Federal government Departments and agencies have conducted, and continue to conduct, extensive research evaluating the health effects of Agent Orange exposure on U.S. Veterans.

An example is the Army Chemical Corps Vietnam-Era Veterans Health Study designed to examine if high blood pressure (hypertension) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are related to herbicide exposure during the Vietnam War. Researchers have completed data collection and aim to publish initial findings in a scientific journal in 2015.

Learn more about Agent Orange related studies and their outcomes here:

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/research-studies.asp

10. VA contracts with an independent, non-governmental organization to review the scientific and medical information on the health effects of Agent Orange. VA contracts with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences every two years to scientifically review evidence on the long-term health effects of Agent Orange and other herbicides on Vietnam Veterans. The IOM uses a team of nationally renowned subject matter experts from around the country to gather all the scientific literature on a topic, identify peer-reviewed reports, and then examine the studies to determine the most rigorous and applicable studies. The IOM looks for the highest quality studies. The IOM then issues its reports, including its conclusions and recommendations to VA, Congress, and the public.

About the author: Dr. Erickson is an Army Veteran of the Gulf War (1990-91) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003). He retired with 32+ years active-duty service, during which he held a number of leadership positions to include: Commander of The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Command Surgeon, US Central Command; and Director, DoD Global Emerging Infections and Response System (DOD-GEIS). He is a board certified physician in Preventive Medicine and Public Health. He received his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Masters of Public Health from Harvard University, and Doctorate of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

From: John Lehman

Dated: July 5, 2014

Subject: AO

It is not enough to get a good service officer to handle your VA claim. You need to keep on him....CALL HIM on a weekly basis. ask what’s happening...is there anything else that you need to add. i.e.: medical test results, mris, ct scans; discharge notes from ER or hospital stays. My prostate cancer was back in 2003, 25 radiation treatments, implantation of 115 radioactive seeds, 2 years of hormone chemo. The VA approved service connection but 0 percent disability since it is still in remission. Heart cauterization in June 2010, got me to 30 percent and then upped to 40 percent in January 2011. An aortic valve replacement in February 2011 got me 3 months of 100 percent.....but it was discharge notes that got me to 100 percent (P) . HOSPITAL NOTES showed 4 bouts of congestive heart failure over a 3 month period, plus an ER doc put in the magic phrase, MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION DUE TO SEVERE ANEMIA. that is AKA A HEART ATTACK....6 UNITS OF BLOOD AND A VISIT TO NUCLEAR MED CLEARED THAT UP but the 100 percent permanent came through in Feb. 2012 with a back date of Jan. 15, 2011. If you are married don’t forget to add your wife to your claim. added compensation.

Jay Lehman

From: Steve Sevits

Dated: July 5, 2014

Subject: AO

Earlier this week I talked with the VFW service rep working my claim and while I was on the phone he called New York City about an earlier claim denial, and straightened it out immediately. He's very confidence inspiring. He also told me not to talk to anyone but him about my claim. He's like a pit bull. I thank the day I met him.

I also publicly thank everyone on the AFVN list who has given me help and other contacts.

Steve Sevits

From: Bob Nelson

Dated: July 7, 2014

Subject: AO

Jay - the whole truth and can only hope the gang understands the message - make them pay attention to you.

From: Gary Brill

Dated: July 4, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange Guide from Vietnam Veterans of America

I have an unusual situation with the VA regarding my prostate cancer. I had an operation, took the thing out....they rated me 100%. Then after a short time, they re-rated me down to 30%, which I'm trying to fight. After filing my protest, which is now almost 18-months old and still no word from the VA, my PSA began to go up. So, Dr. (not a VA doc) decided on radiation.... I'm at my 20th radiation treatment of 35. I'm wondering how the VA is going to react to my situation now. I did file with my local county VA rep......and I can tell anyone who is reading this......FILE THRU YOUR COUNTY VA REP....they know the procedure.....don't try to do it on your own.

BTW, having someone from the SD VA would be perfect for our event.

GarryB

From: Frank Rogers

Dated: July 4, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange VA Plan

I like the plan.

Frank

From: John Thomas

Dated: July 3, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange Guide from Vietnam Veterans of America

Jim, I think it is everyone's best interest to look at the possible problems that they have flagged for Agent Orange.

I know I was at the studio during the last part of my tour in-country, but during the first part I was in the middle of AO territory. Since those days I have developed diabetes and the numbness along with progressive nerve damage. Also two years ago the heart problems set in. These issues have been recognized as related to AO exposure.

I lost my brother-in-law a couple of years ago to this stuff, AO. He was a SeaBee and right in the middle of the stuff. It was not pleasant to see him slowly fade as more and more issues got worse.

At least go in and get a good checkup.

John Thomas

From: Gary Brill

Dated: July 4, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange Guide from Vietnam Veterans of America

BTW, having someone from the SD VA would be perfect for our event.

GarryB

From: Steve Sevits

Dated: July 3, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange Guide from Vietnam Veterans of America

In 1999 I applied for compensation for peripheral neuropathy (numbness of the hands and feet), it was denied. This spring another application was made including several other issues.

The regional VA office reiterated the earlier denial.

The VFW service officer contacted the regional office and learned the earlier denial was based on the lack of proof of VN service. This has been resolved.

Under the direction of the VFW rep, it appears the process is now on track as he planned. It’s been explained that AO exposure is now “presumed” as result of being in country during a specified window of time. Exposure can lead to presumptive Type II diabetes, one of the side effects is loss of sensation (numbness) in the extremities. Sort of a domino effect.

Several helpful suggestions and contacts offered by others on this list have been helpful and a blanket “thank you” is enclosed to everyone who contacted me with aid.

The AO Guide is very helpful.

Steve

From: Rick Fredericksen

Dated: May 17, 2013

Subject: Agent Orange

Until now, I haven't really shared my blog. It has been more of a scrapbook, for personal enjoyment. But I have just posted a memoir on an Agent Orange project I had done for 60 Minutes, with lots of sad pictures. Beyond that, you'll see I am preoccupied with Vietnam. http://oldasiahands.blogspot.com/

From: Paul Kasper

Dated: December 14, 2012

Subject: Service Connection for Bladder Cancer, as due to Agent Orange

To all, a very imporatnt message!!!

Please pass to all Vietnam veterans

Service connection for bladder cancer, as due to Agent Orange exposure and/or diesel fuel exposure, is granted.

See this citation. (Requires log-in.)

From: Jim White

Dated: July 3, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange Guide from Vietnam Veterans of America

Thanks to Doug for posting this. It got me off my dead butt and interested in submitting a claim for having been in Vietnam plus having prostate cancer (fortunately dormant for now). Don't know what will come of it but considering the speed of the VA they may have to email me care of "another world" when they finally make a decision.

Jim W

From: Doug Jennings

Dated: June 4, 2014

Subject: Agent Orange Guide from Vietnam Veterans of America

Thought that this might be of interest:

The VVA Self-Help Guide to Service-Conected Siability Compensation for Exposure to Agent Orange

for Veterans and their families.

Agent Orange

December 2012 to July 2014 & March 2016

Presumed Exposure and the Veterans Administration

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