Posted on Jun 14, 2016
Vietnam Vets With Agent Orange-Linked Cancer Are Still Waiting For Justice
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Vietnam veterans describe the feeling of abandonment by the VA for not acknowledging their bladder cancer is linked to Agent Orange.
For decades, veterans of the Vietnam War have been pushing to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the link between exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange and certain long-term medical conditions, including cancer.
Alan Eller is one such Army veteran who has filed three VA claims, over more than a decade, to make the connection between Agent Orange and his diagnosis with bladder cancer.
Even though doctors outside the VA certified the link between his cancer and his service, the VA has rejected all of Eller’s claims.
“My doctors have been telling me Agent Orange probably caused the cancer dating back almost 20 years now,” Eller told ProPublica. “It’s been a fight at every turn with the VA.”
An ongoing research project by ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot has been documenting the stories of Vietnam veterans and family members who are coping with the lifelong health effects of Agent Orange. Of the 5,000 veterans they spoke to, they found more than 125 cases of bladder cancer.
In March 2016, the National Academies of Sciences released a report sponsored by the VA, called “Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2014,” which moved bladder cancer and hyperthyroidism from “inadequate or insufficient” evidence to “limited or suggestive” evidence of connection to Agent Orange exposure. The report further recommended that the VA include bladder cancer on the list of conditions presumed to be linked to Agent Orange. At this time, no action has be taken.
“I feel like the government’s kinda letting me down with this thing,” said Charles Marshen, a Vietnam vet with bladder cancer, in a video by ProPublica. “But I don’t hold anything against my country. I can’t do that.”
Agent Orange was one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the military during the Vietnam War to kill plant life so American forces could see the enemy through the jungle. From 1961 to 1971, the United States sprayed 20,000,000 gallons over enemy-held territories.
Below Chuck Logan, 73, talks about his exposure to Agent Orange and his experience with bladder cancer and the VA.
For decades, veterans of the Vietnam War have been pushing to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the link between exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange and certain long-term medical conditions, including cancer.
Alan Eller is one such Army veteran who has filed three VA claims, over more than a decade, to make the connection between Agent Orange and his diagnosis with bladder cancer.
Even though doctors outside the VA certified the link between his cancer and his service, the VA has rejected all of Eller’s claims.
“My doctors have been telling me Agent Orange probably caused the cancer dating back almost 20 years now,” Eller told ProPublica. “It’s been a fight at every turn with the VA.”
An ongoing research project by ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot has been documenting the stories of Vietnam veterans and family members who are coping with the lifelong health effects of Agent Orange. Of the 5,000 veterans they spoke to, they found more than 125 cases of bladder cancer.
In March 2016, the National Academies of Sciences released a report sponsored by the VA, called “Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2014,” which moved bladder cancer and hyperthyroidism from “inadequate or insufficient” evidence to “limited or suggestive” evidence of connection to Agent Orange exposure. The report further recommended that the VA include bladder cancer on the list of conditions presumed to be linked to Agent Orange. At this time, no action has be taken.
“I feel like the government’s kinda letting me down with this thing,” said Charles Marshen, a Vietnam vet with bladder cancer, in a video by ProPublica. “But I don’t hold anything against my country. I can’t do that.”
Agent Orange was one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the military during the Vietnam War to kill plant life so American forces could see the enemy through the jungle. From 1961 to 1971, the United States sprayed 20,000,000 gallons over enemy-held territories.
Below Chuck Logan, 73, talks about his exposure to Agent Orange and his experience with bladder cancer and the VA.
Vietnam Vets With Agent Orange-Linked Cancer Are Still Waiting For Justice
Posted from taskandpurpose.comPosted in these groups: 
Vietnam War
Disabled Veterans
Vietnam War Disabled Veterans
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL ,
This is waayy too long. There has got to be a better way to treat those in need.
This is waayy too long. There has got to be a better way to treat those in need.
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Once all VN Veterans die, the VA will work on rejecting claims of Veterans from Afghanistan, and Iraq and any other reasonable claim associated with serving our Country....I would guess that a person dealing with cancer is not interested in defrauding our government but rather concerned that our government is going to honor it's part of the contract for service to our Country....the government branch dealing with these claims is not appearing to be interested in the Veteran's health issues, but rather looking for ways to avoid payment....it's not the Veterans Administration in this case but rather the Veteran's Avoidance Administration......
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HAZMAT the Gift that keeps on Giving. Hopefully we are doing better handling HAZMAT I know we had much better procedures where and when I was serving but there was still lots of room for Improvement. I'm still concerned about the amount of the Electromagnetic Radiation that passed thru my Body over 21 years.
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