Rspca Neutering Voucher 2022, Norwegian Facial Features, Dave Ramsey Financial Coach Training, Articles C

And with Vietnam vets, there are two presumptions. Agent Orange was an herbicide that the United States military used during the Vietnam War. Who is Eligible for Agent Orange Benefits? Thailand Military Bases and Agent Orange Exposure VA presumes (assumes) exposure to Agent Orange for Veterans who served on any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976. Columbus, OH: 100 E. Campus View Boulevard, Suite #250, Columbus, OH, 43235 These admissions correlate with sworn statements provided by several Airmen. Hence, herbicides including Agent Orange were used in Thailand. Annual training was conducted on Takhli from March 17 to 21, 1969, and July 13 to 16, 1970, with representatives from all Thailand bases. Washington, D.C.: 1776 I Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, D.C 20006 The VA offers health registry exams, health care, disability compensation and other benefits to eligible veterans affected by Agent Orange toxic exposure. On Thursday, Pennsylvania Reps. Matt Cartwright (D) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R) introduced new legislation to expand the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange for disability benefits to. In his appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals, Thailand veteran Ronald Switzer stated he was a material handler of Agent Orange and that after the 1969 attack on Ubon, the perimeter was pushed back and the trees lost their foliage. This correlates to documents showing the recommended use of herbicides in 1969 and their subsequent use in 1970, 1971 and 1973. These cookies dont collect information that identifies you. The 1986 Scientific Feasibility of Agent Orange Ground Troop Study noted that the group could not gain a clear indication from exposed verses non-exposed veterans because the records were incomplete. Moreover, those members assigned to disperse herbicides by truck-mounted or backpack systems would certainly have been exposed. That was the idea behind a campaign initiated by Mena, Arkansas veteran Bill Rhodes and his fellow veterans who served in Thailand during the Vietnam War. But historical documentation shows no evidence that the military made any distinction between commercial and tactical herbicides at the time of the Vietnam War. Contactour office today for a free consultation with a member of our team. VA Releases Updated List of Agent Orange Exposure Locations This is a huge win for any Vietnam War or any other veteran suffering from agent orange exposure related symptoms. Now, veterans who served at any U.S. or Thai base from January 9, 1962 to June 30 1976, without regard to the Veterans MOS or where on base they were located, are eligible for presumptive service connection. The remarks come amid a growing debate in the halls of Congress over how the Navy is meeting the legal requirement to operate Col. Meghann Sullivan, commander of the 5th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 5th SFAB, faces allegations of assaulting at least All of these veterans, who used education benefits earned in the military to pay for the training, had signed agreements Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story sustained an estimated $3 million in damage from Sunday's tornado in Virginia Beach Two boaters were rescued from a marshy island in Virginia after they were stranded in poor weather, the U.S. Coast Guard said A federal watchdog agency says the Defense Department has taken steps to ensure that it is not buying products containing the A Marine veteran was killed last week in an eastern Ukrainian city where the country's military has been locked for months in Military and overseas voters will effectively get more time to return absentee ballots under a bill Gov. Learn more about us, Veterans Disability Claim Postal Service. After developing illnesses linked to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand, Rhodes filed a claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 This directly coincides with Air Force documents stating that defoliation operations around the Udorn perimeter occurred during this period. Agent Orange exposure is associated with a number of medical conditions, some of which are serious. So that takes care of the event and service. ; Delta des Roten Flusses: Diese fruchtbare Gegend rund um die Hauptstadt Hanoi (H Ni) erstreckt sich bis zum Golf . Although VA recognizes there was significant use of herbicides at numerous Thailand military bases, it only recently granted Thailand veterans the presumption of exposure afforded to Vietnam veterans. The use of herbicides on NKP was noted in the 1973 CHECO report and in a soldiers sworn statement. There were 35,000 . The class consisted of twelve non-commissioned officers. You can read the full set of eligibility requirements on the VA website . The new toxic exposure bill/Agent Orange Act ( Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 ) broadens presumptions for Agent Orange exposure in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll! The updated list includes Agents Orange, Pink, Green, Purple, Blue and White and other chemicals, used to create the defoliants, Esper said in a release. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The name "Agent. Trump Appeared to Confuse Napalm With Agent Orange, Apocalypse Now . National Archive records also reveal that herbicide missions launched from Thailand on July 6, 1966, August 29, 1966, December 15, 1967, June 7, 1967, April 18, 1969, and March 25, 1970. VA representatives said the Department of Defense has provided updated information about Agent Orange use in new areas. The location must have been a DoD installation, land under control of DoD or a non-DoD location where service members were present during testing, application, transportation or storage. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. Moreover, VAs previous position that herbicides were only used along the perimeters is contradicted by documented evidence and sworn statements. Editors note: This story was updated to include further input from the Department of Defense. However, as of the passage of the 2022 Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act on August 10, 2022, VA has officially established a Thailand presumption for veterans. Further, in a 1986 transcript of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee Agent Orange panel, the committee noted that the potential of exposure at base camps would appear to be considerable because of the regularity of spraying. Moreover, the subcommittee determined that levels of exposure are likely higher from exposure in the camps than from Ranch [H]and spraying.. For veterans like Rhodes who served in Nam Phong, Thailand, this is a policy they are calling on Congress to change. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. . The Challenge Have you been affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination? I understand you have to get the doctor to enter in your records that the problem could be related to herbicide or better agent orange contact. I was in Nam Phong when the SeaBees were knocking down the jungle to build hooches. Once Operation Ranch Hand began, around 20 million gallons of Agents Green, Pink, Purple, Blue, White, Orange,. This is HUGE NEWS for thousands of Vietnam vets who were stationed outside of Vietnam but were still toxic-exposed to Agent Orange. Learn more about benefits related to Agent Orange exposure. The Department of Defense has released a new list of locations outside Vietnam where herbicides like Agent Orange were tested and stored, a compilation that could provide some veterans proof of exposure needed to support their VA disability claims. These cookies collect information about how you use our website. Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 To learn more about current Agent Orange presumptions for Thailand, please visit CCKs PACT Act breakdown. During the detail, he used defoliants that were contained in 55-gallon drums with orange stripes. 404 of the Honoring Our PACT Act (the short name being, Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act) which lists two additional diseases that can be service connected. John Scott, an Airman stationed at Ubon from 1969 to 1972, stated that he assisted in loading barrels ofAgent Orange onto C-123sduring the first part of his tour. The term commercial herbicide is notably absent from Air Force archive documentation, including the 1973 CHECO report which specifically states that herbicides used in Thailand had to undergo the same embassy approval process as herbicides used in Vietnam. I was part of the mobile construction battalion 5 (mcb 5) seabees that built the rose garden. The government made no distinction between these herbicides in the 1970s and 1980s either. and get all the latest updates straight to your inbox. During the Committee hearing on S.B. Toll-free Helpline: 1 800 749-8487 Press 3. We owe you more than you are getting. The convenience of email has changed the manner in which Americans communicate with their elected officials. Yunnan-Hochland: Gebirgslandschaft im Norden, wo Vietnam an China grenzt und sein hchster Berg Phan-xi-png (3144 m) liegt. Hence, the records suggest the movement of herbicides to and from Thailand was not exclusively associated with RANCH HAND missions and that herbicides were used throughout Thailand. From 1966 to mid-1968, insurgents conducted 331 assassinations and 1,087 armed encounters. I am investigating as to whether or not I may have been exposed to Agent Orange and if so what should I do. These cookies do not store any personal information. PDF Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in the Vietnam War - VSPA Eligibility for health care Because of the impossibility of determining which service members were exposed to what levels of toxicity, Congress decided that veterans who served in Vietnam would be presumed exposed to the harmful herbicides. Buddy statements from anyone who served with Special Forces at Nam Phong would be helpful. San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. While there is a proposed legislative fix, Rhodesand his fellow veterans who served in Thailand and suffer from Agent Orange-related illnesses arecontinuing to press Congress to take action to update the presumption policy through the orange envelope letter-writing campaign. Phong is determined to finish top of the podium next month. Task Force Delta Overview - RTAFB Nam Phong Vietnam-era Veterans whose service involved duty on or near the perimeters of military bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 may have been exposed to herbicides. According to Prichard, locations were selected or deleted based on criteria including the existence of an official record, to include government reports, forms, unit histories, shipping logs, contracts, scientific reports or photographs. The report recognizes the heightened risk of attacks directed against air bases because they presented the enemy with a concentration of lucrative targets. Additionally, the report states: Thailand is going through the same type of growing pains experienced in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), but the knowledge and experience gained in the development of air base defense in RVN permit a more rapid evolution in Thailand. Thus, similar tactics and procedures in base defense were used in both Thailand and Vietnam because the bases were facing the same threat with similar resources. Nam Phong district - Wikipedia Why Hire CCK for Your VA Disability Appeal? Service in Vietnam, during the Vietnam War for any length of time between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, OR ; Service in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for any length of time between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971 , OR ; Service aboard a U.S. military vessel that entered the inland waterways of Vietnam, OR ; Service aboard a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward of the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia (c.f. Similarities between the Rules in Thailand and Vietnam were also necessary due to Operation RANCH HAND activities in Thailand. These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. To reinforce their message, I brought the letters and orange envelopes to a recentSenate VA Committee hearing on toxic exposure. Although the SOP is not available or remains classified, the development and enforcement of the SOP highlights the prevalence of herbicide use and the concern of misuse on Thailand bases. Previously, only veterans who were exposed to the dangerous weed killer while serving in-country Vietnam were eligible for any VA benefits. I am fighting the VA now. consider passing this info on to them. That expansion includes Navy veterans who served in the territorial waters of Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as veterans of all branches who may have been exposed in other locations, including stateside bases. (Butch) Pvt. In fact, they specifically pointed out that defoliants VA now labels as tactical were commercially available. In a 56th Special Operations Wing memo with the subject Lessons Learned from the Attack on Udorn, 26 Jul 68, the Deputy Commander of the 7/13th Air Force ordered base commanders in Thailand to review base defense plan with an eye to covering critical areas which are adjacent to the perimeter. As a result, defense surveys and reassessments were conducted throughout Thailand, including one survey conducted from June 23 to 30 1969, at NKP, Udorn, Ubon, Korat, Takhli, and U-Tapao. Agent Orange and Cancer Risk | American Cancer Society And while the new list contains six locations in Thailand, it adds a new clarification to those locations descriptions: No herbicide was sprayed in Thailand.. Sometimes it takes an act of Congress to modernize benefits like in the case with the Blue Water Navy legislation. Richmond, VA: 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA, 23225 This significantly enhances the credibility of these statements by confirming the veterans knew exactly to what they were exposed all along even though the government continued to deny the exposure. This CHECO report addresses the development of USAF base defense in Thailand from the initial attack on Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base RTAFB through 30 June 1972. Nam Phong Thailand. Agent Orange Registry exams are free exams that help eligible Vietnam War-era Veterans understand their health and help VA to better understand and respond to their health needs. The directive highlights U.S. assistance to local government in requesting, supplying, and planning defoliation operations. These cookies may be set through our website by our advertising partners. While attempting to fix the aircraft, he was forced to kneel in the Agent Orange that covered the floor. In other cases, the VA gets new information about exposure to toxins or side effects that make veterans eligible for additional benefits. Agent Orange Wasn't the Only Deadly Chemical Used In Vietnam - History MCAS Rose Garden - RTAFB Nam Phong To reprint or license this article or any content from Military.com, please submit your request, VA Releases Updated List of Agent Orange Exposure Locations, Survivors of Vets Who Died from PACT Act Illnesses Can Reapply for Benefits, Health Care Enrollment Up 17% at VA Since Passage of Toxic Exposure Law, VA Warns Against PACT Act Fraud Targeting Veterans, Making Sure Vets Get PACT Act Benefits Is New House Veterans Affairs Chairman's Top Priority, 1st Woman to Take Top Enlisted Job at Army Special Ops, Some Private Companies Charge Hefty Fees to Help Veterans With Disability Claims, 'I Let Down the Combatant Commander': Marine Leader Regrets His Forces Weren't Available for Recent Crises, Female Commander Investigated over Alleged Sexual Assaults of Male Subordinates, Pattern of Harassment. They routinely use this distinction as justification for denying Thailand exposure claims. I was one of the first to arrive. VA should afford the same presumption of exposure to Thailand veterans that it affords to Vietnam veterans because the same herbicides agents were used in Thailand. Click the button below to get more information. It is imperative to note that sworn statements of Airmen referenced throughout this report predate the Air Force Historical Research Agency discovering and/or releasing documents showing movement of herbicides from Vietnam to Thailand. Welch,Mike Sec. Sign up for the free quarterly Advanced Prostate Cancer Newsletter. Agent Orange is an herbicide that was used by the United States during the Vietnam War. Exposure to these herbicides was later determined to pose a health risk to service members. I have been experiencing some of the symptoms mentioned above. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including an Agent Orange Registry health exam, health care and disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. Agent Orange Exposure in Thailand - Hill & Ponton, P.A. Stephen Pippenger, a dog handler stationed at Udorn from September 1968 to October 1969, stated that he observed Agent Orange being loaded onto the C-123 aircraft. Because the spraying equipment on RANCH HAND aircraft and the barrels containing herbicides were known to leak, the risk of exposure throughout the flight lines as well as storage areas on Thailand bases was significant. I have photographs which I took of the area which demonstrate the extensive defoliation of the area. Agents Blue, White, and Orange all known to contain chemical agents outlined in 3.307, were also available in the federal supply system. We pulled perimeter guard and walked thru the dead foliage and barbed wire. Joel. When addressing the adequacy of facility security, official documents state that herbicides were applied to the fenced in area around the ammo storage, facility, around all perimeter guard towers, and the areas around runway overrun lights. The 1973 CHECO report also states that herbicides were used on areas within the perimeter. (Emphasis added.) Provinces. where they were, and that ' someone else ' said: "Welcome to the Rose Garden" I'm sure this happened more than once! He stated, back at our base, we would get buckets of Agent Orange and fill pump fire extinguishers with AO [Agent Orange] so we could spray around our local area.. The Marines were coming. In its report, GAO called the list inaccurate and incomplete, and urged DoD to update the publication, which hadnt been updated in more than a decade. Command Sergeant Major Witkin stated that he personally observed Udorn-based grounds personnel often spraying herbicides, including Agent Orange, on the vegetation located in and around the barracks areas and on the base perimeter. He stated the personnel spraying around the barracks told him the herbicide was Agent Orange. In fact, the distinction is notably absent from records until 2009 when VA published a Memorandum for the Record regarding herbicide use in Thailand during the Vietnam Era. A substance containing any of these five compounds is an herbicide agent as a matter of law, regardless of its purpose or name brand. More specifically, herbicides were used to improve visual observation of the base perimeter. His statement aligns with the CHECO report, which notes that heavy use of herbicides kept the growth under control in the fenced areas. Moreover, Mr. Hogstads statement correlates with a historical record showing a request dated October 11, 1967, sought six C-123 herbicide aircraft and 60 personnel to operate from [NKP] for a 15-day period.. Click here to sign up. Public Law 116-23, the. I left Iwakuni Japan to go to Danang with Task Force Delta on th way are plane ran into mechanical problems and we landed in the Philippines. They sprayed our living areas with DDT, which was banned in the US. U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand, 1972 The National Archives return to top Improving Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange During Service In 1991, Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, which mandated that certain diseases associated with exposure to herbicide agents, including chloracne and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, be presumed service-connected. The M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual was later amended to incorporate the perimeter policy, but the Memorandum was never corrected, amended, or removed from the Manual and VA continues to apply the outdated Memorandum to Thailand base perimeter claims. I have lived 50 years since then, and it has been a been a rewarding and, sometimes disappointing life.No ones fault but myself. The bill provides expanded Agent Orange presumptive locations for those dealing with herbicide exposure: If you served in these areas, during these dates, the VA will now assume (or presume) that a Vietnam veteran was exposed to Agent Orange. I spent 2 months there and handled equipment that arrived from NAM. I have been dealing with this for years now with Tricare and Medicare and I think it is time to see what I can do with the VA.Thank you for helping me brothers and letting me that I am not alone. Thailand Agent Orange / Herbicide Exposure Claim Process Information TDD (for hearing impaired): 1 800 827-4833. Additionally, the1973 CHECO Reportstates that soil sterilization and herbicide use was approved by the embassy in 1969 in accordance with the Rules. Information within those records was assessed against stringent joint VA-DOD criteria for what constitutes a location where tactical herbicides were tested, used and stored, Prichard said. For instance, which pages you go to most. The military used herbicides to clear foliage from the jungles and base camps of Vietnam. When Congress enacted these laws, it did not limit potential benefits to those veterans who served in Vietnam. Are walking blood banks coming to a field hospital near you? http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/thailand.asp. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. I was there all the time. Philadelphia, PA: 1 International Plaza, Suite 550, Philadelphia, PA, 19113 Here are the basic "rules" to get the presumption of Agent Orange exposure if you served in Thailand during the Vietnam War: 1) Service at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom (aka, NKP), Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and/or Don Muang, between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975. It also does not include any places where the U.S. Department of Agriculture, academia, chemical companies or others tested or stored the chemicals if service members werent involved, nor areas where trained DoD personnel engaged in vegetation management and control in accordance with the DoD Pest Management Program. If you have recently received a favorable decision from the VA on your Agent Orange claim, you may think that the long fight with the department of veterans affairs is, If you were wounded or injured or became sick as a result of your military service, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation. The VA has recognized certain cancers and healthcare problems associated with Agent Orange, as outlined above. Agent Orange is an herbicide that was used to defoliate the thick jungle in Vietnam and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, such as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. What did VA Cover Up in Thailand Agent Orange Data Release? Due to the density and high growth rate of tropical vegetation in Thailand, the military used herbicides because mowing was seen as labor intensive and ineffective. I have pictures of Thais using elephants to remove foliage that was dead from spraying and cleared from our base. This is such a flagrant disgrace to those who served in nam phong. Agent Orange Registry health exam: The Agent Orange Registry is a program administered by the VA since 1978. For the last 20 years, Nam Phuong restaurant has transformed itself originally from a small restaurant into a well-known restaurant today in the north-east region of the U.S. At Nam Phuong, we know how important our guests are, and we always strike our very best to make our guests come back time after time. The attorneys at Hill & Ponton are here to support you in your claim and determining your agent orange disability percentage. Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Witkin stated that grounds personnel informed him they were using Agent Orange when he observed them spraying around barracks. Agent Orange Compensation Back Pay: Does the VA Owe You? He stated that when the weather was bad, the crew would stay in Thailand at Ubon, NKP, or Udorn. Maps of Heavily Sprayed Areas and Dioxin Hot Spots Several veterans services organizations told Military Times their analysts are comparing the old list, which dates to September, 2018 and was published by the Government Accountability Office in November, 2018, and the new version. With Agent Orange exposure, there are presumptions. Notably, Mr. Pippengers statement and the time period in which he served at Udorn coincide with official records of the delivery of 28,000 gallons of Agents Orange and Blue to Udorn in 1969 and the use of some of those herbicides by C-123 aircraft. specifically: 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; and picloram. (Emphasis added.) Are Vietnam Veterans the Only Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange? The statute that defines herbicide agent focuses solely on the chemical agents contained in the herbicides used in Vietnam. 3.307 (a)(6)(i) defines an herbicide agent as a chemical in an herbicide used in support of the United States and allied military operations in the Republic of Vietnam . Figure 1.1 lists (and Figure 1.2 illustrates) the chemical composition of each of the herbicide agents as well as the time period in which they were used in Vietnam. The DoD list is instrumental in helping support many of these veterans claims. The 6/11/15 News Argus has a article stating that 2 democratic senators want to know why the VA is delaying the disability bennifits to the 1200-2000 reservist who served 1972 1982 flying and working on the 123s and are coming down with the AO symptoms. The color distortion caused by leaking barrels containing herbicides is noted in pictures of herbicides stored on Johnston Atoll. From February 2 to 5, 1969, RANCH HAND flew Laos missions from Udorn. In December 2019, DOD published its updated list of locations where Agent Orange and other herbicides were tested, used, or stored outside of Vietnam. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. Application of herbicides must be directed toward retarding growth to provide a cleared area. Disability claims from those veterans who received the VSM for Thailand service, but who did not set foot in the country of Vietnam, were placed under the Haas stay. VA followed suit by drafting regulations to coincide with the statute by defining the term as follows: herbicide agent means a chemical in an herbicide used in support of the United States and allied military operations in the Republic of Vietnam[,] . TASK FORCE DELTA MCAS Nam Phong, Thailand 1972 ~ 1973 "We Never Promised You A Rose Garden" Namphong.vet is a Vietnam War Educational Archive All content herein is copyrighted by the original source and presented under the "fair use" provisions of US Code Title 17 in effect at the time of publication, and shall not be used for commercial purposes. We theen went to Bien Hoa for fefueling and and other things. Disabled Veterans Sign up for a Career Change. National Archives records reveal that herbicides were transported from Vietnam to Takhli on April 7, 1973. To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. The statement is in direct opposition to Defense Department documents that explicitly state herbicides were sprayed in Thailand in the early 1970s to protect bases from counterinsurgency attacks. Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange - Public Health The first presumption is if you stepped foot in Vietnam, you were exposed to Agent Orange. Ive heard that Agent Orange wasnt used there and Ive heard that it was. A recently declassified Department of Defense report written in 1973 titled, "Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report: Base Defense in Thailand 1968-1972," contains evidence that there was significant use of the herbicide Agent Orange along the fence-line perimeters of military bases in Thailand to remove foliage that provided cover for enemy forces. Camp Lejeune Lawsuit. Population in 2009 (millions) Percentage of Province Sprayed During 1960s.