Agent Orange

[ISP-FL]

Several years ago my BIL lost his battle with cancer, that was later placed on the VA list for being caused from exposure to AO. A couple years later my cousin died of the same type of cancers. BIL was refused benefits by the VA but just a couple years later my cousin qualified.

I spent most of my time in country with two other buddies. Vernon (Ohio) and Mark (IL). Mark died last week from cancer which began as bladder cancer. He was approved for benefits from the VA so his cancer was related to AO exposure. When I called my buddy Vernon to inform him about Mark, I discovered he was just diagnosed with bladder cancer.

All three of us spent much of our time hauling napalm in a transportation company and then part time in choppers. I am just beginning my research on current developments related to Agent Orange, but it certainly appears direct exposure was not needed in order for this toxic material to continue to kill us in our 60's and 70's. I encourage all of my brothers who served in VN to keep this in mind and do your own research. It also would be a good idea to make sure your Doctor is aware of your posible exposure.

[Sully]

Joe, go to Facebook and search for Agent Orange, they have a group there and you can find a lot of info and you can post some questions.

Welcome Home, brother

[ISP-FL]

Thanks Sully, I have done a little internet searching, or at least as much as I can while traveling in our RV right now. Found out that levels of exposure could depend on where you spent most of your time in country, for example for whatever reason Long Bihn has tons of cases. Also found out the VA will do tests/screening free of charge to attempt to determine your exposure level.

[Sully]

Here ya go, list of the ratings and presumptive.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp

[desertclassic]

I am an Agent Orange heart guy. 3 open heart surgeries and many stents 10+. Took many years to get the claims approved and the back pay. Jim

[ISP-FL]

I am an Agent Orange heart guy. 3 open heart surgeries and many stents 10+. Took many years to get the claims approved and the back pay. Jim

Thanks for posting Jim. Fighting high blood pressure, migraines, and dam teeth starting to fall out, just never dreamed that some of these issues could be the result of exposure.

I saved the link Sully, thanks.

[Oldveteran]

I am an Agent Orange heart guy. 3 open heart surgeries and many stents 10+. Took many years to get the claims approved and the back pay. Jim

I was in country in 1970 and 1971. US Army. Stationed at Phu Loi but also Bein Hoa and Long Binh. EVERYONE went through Long Binh via the 90th Replacement Battalion. That place had more AGENT Orange and other agents than any place in the country!!! Barrels of it stacked for distribution. The present Vietnamese government has the whole area where the base was located cordoned off as a TOXIC waste area! Wonder why? After the fight, I am 90% with PTSD and respiratory issues.

Thanks for the thread and welcome home my brother!

Oldveteran

[Oldveteran]

Here ya go, list of the ratings and presumptive.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp

Thanks for the information, Sully.

Oldveteran

[Woolie]

Several years ago my BIL lost his battle with cancer, that was later placed on the VA list for being caused from exposure to AO. A couple years later my cousin died of the same type of cancers. BIL was refused benefits by the VA but just a couple years later my cousin qualified.

I spent most of my time in country with two other buddies. Vernon (Ohio) and Mark (IL). Mark died last week from cancer which began as bladder cancer. He was approved for benefits from the VA so his cancer was related to AO exposure. When I called my buddy Vernon to inform him about Mark, I discovered he was just diagnosed with bladder cancer.

All three of us spent much of our time hauling napalm in a transportation company and then part time in choppers. I am just beginning my research on current developments related to Agent Orange, but it certainly appears direct exposure was not needed in order for this toxic material to continue to kill us in our 60's and 70's. I encourage all of my brothers who served in VN to keep this in mind and do your own research. It also would be a good idea to make sure your Doctor is aware of your posible exposure.

You know, I never thought much about it but I have had cancer on both my kidneys and thyroid. I haven't ever blamed it on Agent Orange but who knows. I drank a lot of beer when thirsty back then but sometimes we had no choice but drink water and iodine doesn't take care of everything. We showered in river water, washed our clothes and mess kits in river water just like most everybody else. I don't know about you guys but I don't remember ever seeing a bottle of water, that was in 66 67. I don't often visit the VA, the way things have been, the less they knew about me the better off I was. My opinion anyway. I think I will discuss this with my urologist next month when I see him, he always says I am a very rare and very strange case, maybe that will help answer some of his questions.

[Sully]

You know, I never thought much about it but I have had cancer on both my kidneys and thyroid. I haven't ever blamed it on Agent Orange but who knows. I drank a lot of beer when thirsty back then but sometimes we had no choice but drink water and iodine doesn't take care of everything. We showered in river water, washed our clothes and mess kits in river water just like most everybody else. I don't know about you guys but I don't remember ever seeing a bottle of water, that was in 66 67. I don't often visit the VA, the way things have been, the less they knew about me the better off I was. My opinion anyway. I think I will discuss this with my urologist next month when I see him, he always says I am a very rare and very strange case, maybe that will help answer some of his questions.

Wendell, do yourself Justice, go to a VA office with your DD214 and talk with them and they will file the claim and all needed paperwork for you. You will be surprised with all the info you will learn there.

Welcome Home Brother.

[Burnerboy]

My brother-in-law had A/O very bad, I hope he's ok cause we both are very tight friends

[ISP-FL]

We are currently traveling across country in our RV so I have limited internet and time to do much research. I don't even have a copy of my dd-214 with me. I suspect from what I have learned this past month that the number of us who will have health issues from AO will start to rise significantly in the next few years.

[desertclassic]

Agent Orange appears to continue to feed upon the issues. Get one thing under control and something else comes along. Jim

[Sully]

[ISP-FL]

Sully, I think that says it all.

[Catfish]

As a Vietnam Vet myself I've lost a few life long friends to Agent Orange. It haunts me on occasion since we shared equal spaces in our 68/69 tours. One who was very close passed a couple years ago and his wife asked if I would write something to say at the burial of his ashes just recently. It has taken her that long to release them back into the earth. It was very difficult for me to even think about it so I asked my youngest daughter who has a talent for writing, to do it from my Nam journals and poems I had written so many years past. She took on the task without hesitation since she has read all of them many times. This is what she wrote and his wife was very appreciative. She doesn't mind me sharing it with all brothers who served in the war. I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did.

Youth brings the promise of dreams,

Dreams of every kind-

filled with life and brightness,

Love and beauty.

Youth fosters hope for the better.

Hope for more.

But youth is also burdened with naivety,

Burdened with faith given carelessly-

Faith in those that will lie.

And a lie was told-

A lie that spoke of glory and virtue,

A lie promising a just cause,

A lie that bore nothing it foretold.

A lie.

The soldier boys were full of youth.

Youth slept in their bones

And fed their blood.

It filled them with wonder,

And they believed the lie.

And war found them,

And stole youth away.

When the War came

So did death and regret...

shame in believing the lie.

War did not gift the soldier boys with

glory and strength.

It did not gift them with pride or honor.

Instead, it gave them sorrow

and sleeping orange dust,

Anger

Disappointment

Hate

Sadness.

War left them wizened.

Some of the soldier boys never returned.

Some returned fragmented.

Some returned whole.

All returned a shell of youth.

Youth had fled from the inside,

And with it naivety as well.

For some, faith and hope perished.

For some, dreams were forever buried.

For some, youth was all they lost.

Those that remained from all the others...

Those that had only seemed to have lost youth,

They still carried the war on the backs

of orange flecks of dust.

Inside it slept.

It settled in their bones.

In their lifeblood.

In their very cells.

War pretended to have perished

with the soldiers' youth.

But it was always there.

What war did not steal from their hearts,

it stole from their beings.

It stole their lungs and limbs

Their teeth and hair

It stole their very bodies...

Slowly and silently infiltrating and taking more and more until there was nothing left to take.

[peteg59]

5 years too young to serve in V/N myself, but full respect given to all who bore that solemn burden for our country...

[Oldveteran]

I am an Agent Orange heart guy. 3 open heart surgeries and many stents 10+. Took many years to get the claims approved and the back pay. Jim

God love you, man! This AO stuff is killing the ones of us that the Vietnamese couldn't!! I have no recognized reasons that would cause the problems I have, but by thunder the VA pushes away my pleas and won't connect them to AO exposure! I am at 90% with PTSD, hearing loss, muscle, nerve, bone and connective tissue damage to my legs. The VA PAYS for my allergic reactions, my lung disorders that are associated with asthma and COPD, but, I NEVER smoked, and that is the first question they always ask! Then they say "why do you have COPD?" Makes me turn ORANGE!

Oldveteran

[desertclassic]

God love you, man! This AO stuff is killing the ones of us that the Vietnamese couldn't!! I have no recognized reasons that would cause the problems I have, but by thunder the VA pushes away my pleas and won't connect them to AO exposure! I am at 90% with PTSD, hearing loss, muscle, nerve, bone and connective tissue damage to my legs. The VA PAYS for my allergic reactions, my lung disorders that are associated with asthma and COPD, but, I NEVER smoked, and that is the first question they always ask! Then they say "why do you have COPD?" Makes me turn ORANGE!

Oldveteran

It is crazy. Latest study from the VA has determined that AO and blood pressure have a link. The biggest thing is where does the $$$ come from for this to be recognized and then treat and compensate the vets. I have great fears for the service people that are on the grounds of the middle east. Jim

[Sully]

The VA has started a new study on a Rare Cancer..

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/s...ets-1.13783880