Posted on Oct 18, 2015
Military Update: Agent Orange law changes as new cost fears surface
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Could this "inaction" lead Congress to consider more benefit reductions for veterans?
Military Update: Agent Orange law changes as new cost fears surface
Posted from sunherald.com
Agent Orange
Congress
Benefits
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 4
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This is underhanded politics by our government. I hope the current VA Secritary has the fortitude to do what's morally right when the new report comes out and add Hypertension to the list of presumptives.
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There is some validity to this issue. While deployed in 1963 We spent three days in Saigon. As a result of that the entire crew can claim disability for what is fairly normal for those of us known as senior citizens. Criteria for Agent Orange and PTSD have been expanded to a point nearly everyone is disabled to a point that those truly in need can not be cared for.
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SGT Mark Stevens
Yes but not all of us get hypertension. If there is sound scientific evidence linking it to AO exposure then the VA should add it.
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MCPO Roger Collins
No, but those that claim that condition as a result of Agent Orange are probably over the age of 60. Guess how many regular citizens of the USA have the condition that never got near agent orange have hypertension? 64% men, 78% women. Your odds are that you got it from not taking care of your body, not AO. How do you discern the difference. The numbers I quoted are from the CDC, BTW.
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A good friend of mine did 4 tours in 'Nam. He flew Cobras the first two, and then Loaches the second two. He got shot down 3 times in the Loach but never got a scratch. He always had medical issues the VA denied but finally bought into a few years ago. Small help as I helped move him into the Retsil VA Home only to go to his funeral 3 months later. Agent Orange basically ate him up from the inside out.
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MCPO Roger Collins
That is not to say there are valid claims and invalid claims. I don't know when that was but, as you recall many things were wrong with the VA whether we were in country or in a support role around the country shortly after we departed VN. It is better now, by a small margin.
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CAPT Kevin B.
VA has repetitive denial problems. My dad developed a rash above the waist. The DR said it was chemical. Dad said they tested mustard gas on him in WW2. VA vehemently denied. Then Dad copied the records and photos from a chemical testing unit at Great Lakes and sent them to Barbra Boxer. He got his first check a month later.... for tinnitus. VA still refused to acknowledge anything chemical. 3 years after he died, lo and behold, there was a bunch of chemical testing done and VA is having problems locating people. Seems the services threw out all the records. I've yet to see a friend of mine form the 'Nam days get treated fairly by the VA. Too many can't complain any more. Yes there are valid and invalid claims. Personal experience varies. So in my experience I feel like I'm speaking for the dead sometimes.
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