BWN Presumptive rights Petition

[Chopper]

Here is a link to sign the petition to help the Blue Water Navy sailors get agent orange presumptive diseases benefits. The VA has denied that those serving aboard ships in the gulf of Tonkin on Yankee Station during the Vietnam war were exposed to Agent Orange and has only allowed benefits to those with "boots on the ground" in Vietnam. Yet those of us that served on those ships have the exact same diseases, actually our disease rate is higher, than those veterans that had "boots on the ground" But the VA continues to ignore the facts and denies any agent orange benefits to those that served aboard the ships during the Vietnam war. They deny, delay and and refuse to move on any claim we submit. They are hoping that we will all die before they approve any agent orange presumptive disease benefits! This is a terrible wrong that needs to be righted.

Please sign the petition if you agree with the cause!

https://www.change.org/p/give-the-vi...tm_term=194529

Thank You!

[d'Wayne]

For everyone that thinks government healthcare is good thing, all they need to do is check the VA.

[Chopper]

For everyone that thinks government healthcare is good thing, all they need to do is check the VA.

True Dat but this isn't about health care as much as it's about disability. Many sailors and marines that served on board the ships on yankee station in the Vietnam war are suffering, and many have already died from prostate cancer, lymphoma, diabetes, Parkinson's, heart disease and a host of other serious diseases that are known to be caused by agent orange exposure but the VA refuses to acknowledge these veterans have these diseases in spite of the facts. This petition is in support of those veterans. Click on the link and read what this is all about. I think you will be surprised, well maybe not because you are aware of how the VA operates.

Please join in supporting these veterans by signing the petition.

[greendragon]

I signed the petition, How about the Hospital ships that were anchored off coast. I had buddies that got wounded and were med evaced to them.

[wmitch2]

There is a list of Duty Stations that are automatically accepted for Agent Orange. If your Duty Station is listed, it a no brainer. I've lost the link, but check with the AmVets rep at your local VA. NO BODY ELSE, use the AmVet rep. I was in the rivers, but assigned to a ship and that ship was listed. Otherwise you'll have to prove exposure. Don't give up !!!

[Chopper]

There is a list of Duty Stations that are automatically accepted for Agent Orange. If your Duty Station is listed, it a no brainer. I've lost the link, but check with the AmVets rep at your local VA. NO BODY ELSE, use the AmVet rep. I was in the rivers, but assigned to a ship and that ship was listed. Otherwise you'll have to prove exposure. Don't give up !!!

You are correct. Certain ships that served in the inland waterways have been included in the presumptive exposure list. That list can be found on the VA website. That is what is so frustrating about the whole thing. The VA decided to draw a line and basically said agent orange didn't go beyond this line. We all know that is BS. if you spray millions of gallons of a chemical over a land that borders with a sea, where is that chemical going? There is no doubt that those of us that served on Yankee station in the gulf of Tonkin were exposed to agent orange. Proving exposure is all but impossible. That is why they call it "presumptive" exposure. I have had prostate cancer, kidney cancer, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Those are all diseases that can be cause by agent orange, yet the VA refuses to accept that those of us on the aircraft carriers were exposed. The VA can not prove that I was not exposed to agent orange no more than they can prove that any of the boots on the ground veterans were exposed.

Thank you for signing the petition!

[B-47]

The government wanted to cover up everything they could about agent orange. They were very much aware of the potential health dangers of this chemical, but they were willing to take the risk to service personnel in the field, in storage, in distribution and usage. They needed an advantage to clear vegetation around and on military post in Vietnam, Okinawa, Guam, Thailand, etc. and the Vietnam forest. They also knew that those risk would cause massive cost to the military and government for those exposed to agent orange. Therefore, the government and military decided to deny any and everything about Agent Orange and its cause and effect.

For years the government and military denied that Agent Orange (the chemicals in 55 gallon drums with orange stripes) was in Guam, Okinawa and Thailand. I (as well as thousands of other military personnel) know for a fact that Agent Orange was in Okinawa when I was stationed there with the Air Force as a 4258 Strategic Wing Safety Personnel. At the time I and others did not know how dangerous the orange striped drums were but we knew it was being used to clear vegetation around Kadena Air Base. I personnally was exposed to this chemical when the Safety Office was notified of a chemical spill at the storage depot and the Col. (my boss) told me and a major to go down to the storage farm and investigate and prepare a spill and injury report. We arrived at location to find a 55 gal. drum on its side with a forklift puncture at the bottom of the drum. The two airmen were standing over the drum making sure the drum would not continue leaking on the ground. One airmen was transported to the hospital for burning sensation to his hands and the splash of chemicals on his face and left eye (he rubbed his eye as he was trying to get the liquid off his face). While the Major was gathering information the airmen and myself was instructed to lift the drum upright so the bottom of the drum with the hole would be on top and limit any further chemical spill. When we lifted the drum upward both of were splashed with the chemical liquid on our hands, legs, feet with shoes on and arms. We both cleaned ourselves with a cloth to clear the liquid from our bodies. The report was completed and filed in a locked safe in the Safety Office and 5 other reports were distributed to appropriate US Air Force Facilities. I did not realize that the drums we saw on pallets in the storage yard was Agent Orange until I started reading Military Forums on the internet many years later. The 55 gal. drums with the orange stripe was unmistakable.

Fortunately, for me, I am unaware of any injury or ill effects to my health from this chemical and I have never applied to Veterans Programs for health care. But, we also must remember the US Government and military has been hiding many secrets about exposures of CIA drug programs on military personnel as well as well as exposure to atomic radiation, agent orange and other biological programs.

For those that say the government and military does not hide, cover up, deny their responsibility of these types of deliberate incidents, I can prove that wrong too. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Williams vs US Government judgement denied.

[Chopper]

I'm glad to hear that you haven't suffered any ill effects from the agent orange exposure. You are very lucky.

The Australian Navy who had ships on Yankee Station in Vietnam did a study and they determined that the ships sucked in salt water, desalinated it and used it for cooking, drinking, bathing and any other use of water onboard a ship. The US ships did the exact same thing. Further they determined the salt water from the gulf of Tonkin contained considerable amounts of agent orange and their study also determined that the desalination process increased the strength of the toxin in agent orange ten times its normal strength. In turn they have provided their sailors and others that served onboard those ships health and disability benefits due to that exposure.

The United States refuses to accept or even acknowledge that study, therefore those of us on American ships serving alongside the Australian Navy that were exposed and suffer from the diseases caused by that exposure are just shit out of luck. The VA has basically told us to go pound sand....they don't want to hear about it. In the meantime thousands of Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans continue to die from and suffer from the exposure to agent orange.

I was even told about three weeks ago by the VA that I did not qualify for any medical, prescription or any other benefits whatsoever because my wife and I have a combined income over $42,000.00 per year.