Ailing Vietnam vets hunt through ships’ logs to prove they should get benefits

I also hopes he finds what he is looking for SGT John " Mac " McConnell . I have a brother in law who has diabetes and claims its related to Agent Orange. He has quite his share of health problems. I originally suggested he apply but he has not had any luck claiming they have no record of him being in Vietnam. He did retire from the Navy. Trouble with my brother in law is that i do believe he is full of chit. Says he was submarines, brown water Navy in Nam, a cook, too many different jobs for a 24 year career. As much as I'd like to believe him, after knowing him for may years, I tend not to. Sad.

Wait.... This is one of the stupidest run arounds of beauracracy I've seen in a while.

So after reading that article; this is something I can make a difference with-

Is there a current database or list of ships that served in, around, off the coast during the years of the Vietnam conflict? I didn't see a link in that article... And is there a archive or logs with locations or coordinates of ships that were involved? This doesn't require a bill to be passed only proof enough to the VA.

As far as the information, we are fortunate enough to live in a time where we can utilize hundred of thousands of man hours in minutes thanks to the Internet.... I'm fortunate enough to know how to do this.

Seriously, I'm not lazy just not currently at a computer to research that type of access to information I need to do this and set this up, is the a FOIA situation I'd have to file for that information?

This is disheartening, considering that keeping personal journals with operational detail is prohibited. But it is this very thing that people depend on much later. I kept a number of hand written notes from OIF I, thinking some day they may be an interesting footnote of history for my family. I kept less notes in Afghanistan, and even less so the next time. I did get the unit citation full narrative for my BCT, as I was a contributing author. Ironically, the best record of my last deployment in Kabul was Paula Broadwell's book. I recognized events in it that I built story boards for and reports on.

Because of these types of VA paralysis, I did keep in touch with those I served with so if we need each other later, we can write the letters for each other.