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AGENT ORANGE DARK MATTERS TWISTED BUT TRUE

AGENT ORANGE – The Accidental Inventor – VIDEO

On June 18, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

AGENT ORANGE

PLEASE WATCH AND SHARE WIDELY! COVVHA HAS FILED FOR FAIR USE AFTER YOUTUBE BLOCKED ACCESS. AVAILABILITY MAY BE LIMITED!

Dark Matters Season 3 Episode 1, Agent Orange – The Accidental Inventor
Synopsis: A chemical that speeds up the flowering process in soybeans turns into a weapon during Vietnam.
Original air date: November 22, 2012

Dark Matters: Twisted But True is a television series featured on the Science Channel. Hosted by actor John Noble of Fringe and Lord of the Rings, the show takes the viewer inside the laboratory to profile strange science and expose some of history’s most bizarre experiments. This show uses narration and reenactments to portray the stories in this show

Official COVVHA Report – Turkish Protesters Hijack Agent Orange for Increased Media Coverage

On June 3, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Agent Orange – Turkish Protesters Hijack Agent Orange for Increased Media Coverage
Official COVVHA Report

Heather A. Bowser, LPCC
COVVHA Co-Founder

What is more frightening than the thought of being intentionally poisoned by someone in authority over you? Perhaps, offspring being born with devastating birth defects, learning disorders, or rare illnesses? Maybe dying of horrible cancers, heart conditions, or complications of Parkinson’s Disorder? These are not merely frightening thoughts to those exposed to Agent Orange; it is reality, life and death.

Over the weekend, there were wide reports coming from Turkey that police were using Agent Orange on protesters as a form of crowd control. Social media, especially Twitter became ablaze with re-tweets calling foul to this form of force by Turkish police on people who were trying to protest unrest within Turkey. Social media accounts of the violence fueled more protesters to join the throng. Rampant reports of police using tear gas and high force water cannons to dissipate the crowd were coupled with images.

Agent Orange advocates and founders of (COVVHA) Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC. , Kelly L. Derricks & Heather A. Bowser, felt after researching media reports about the incident in Turkey, it was important keep the dialog about Agent Orange set in fact and not fiction. COVVHA is fighting for justice for all generational victims of Agent Orange. It is a difficult fight shrouded in denial, secrecy and lack of media support. It is coupled by the urgent needs of sick and dying offspring of those exposed.

Agent Orange has a notorious history in Vietnam from 1961-1971. The United States military used several chemical herbicides during the Vietnam War to “help” in the War effort. The military sited the thick jungle foliage of Vietnam, and the enemy’s access to food crops, as reason to spray an unfettered amount of chemicals onto South Vietnam, killing all the vegetation in its spray zone. The military deducted, if the enemy had no food and no place to hide, the U.S. and Allies would be victorious in Vietnam. In the end, they sprayed an estimated eighteen million gallons of Agent Orange, on a country the size of New Mexico.

Protesters in Turkey have stated the police were shooting orange liquid filled canisters at the crowd. Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War was colorless. It was called agent orange because of the orange stripe around the middle of the fifty five gallon barrel it was stored in. It was not orange. However, a Turkish protester seeing this substance being shot would think something is very wrong here. It is natural for them to question what police were shooting at them. If a protester was un-knowledgeable of the history of Monsanto, Dow, and the 5 other chemical company’s recipe for herbicide, it’s not a far leap for a protester to think the Turkish police, firing an orange substance at them could think they were using Agent Orange. At that point protesters believe it had gone well beyond crowd control. Instead the police were trying to kill protesters with chemical warfare.

Agent Orange wasn’t used as a crowd deterrent it was used to defoliate plant material. It was not sprayed directly on people as an act of chemical warfare. However, many were indirectly sprayed with Agent Orange during its use in Vietnam. Many U.S. and Vietnamese soldiers and Vietnamese civilians have recounted times when they were exposed by aerial spray. Others were exposed when handling the chemical with no protective gear, working or living in areas that had been defoliated, or drinking contaminated water or food. The U.S. Military has fought back against outrage that Agent Orange was used as chemical warfare. They state it was used strictly as vegetation control, an agricultural chemical. The problems with the herbicides used in Vietnam were they were toxic. They were contaminated with an industrial byproduct called dioxin. Dioxin is one of the deadliest known contaminants to man. Production of Agent Orange ended in the 1970’s.

The process of dying at the hands of Agent Orange is a long painful process, with the exception of Chloacne, which appears shortly after acute exposure; symptoms of exposure do not surface for years. Police are looking for quick responses in riot control situations.

A quick internet image search about the effects of Agent Orange on the children of Vietnam can leave a person horrified. Babies today are still being born in Vietnam with severe deformities, especially in areas where the deadly dioxin is still in high concentration in Vietnam’s soil. There are still twenty eight such places in South Vietnam today.

The plight of America’s Vietnam Veterans, Australian Veterans, and Vietnamese Veteran’s illnesses and battle to gain justice has been going on for over forty years. Children and grandchildren of all, who fought in the Vietnam War from around the globe, are currently pleading for those in power to recognize the birth defects and diseases they suffer from and believe are caused by their parent or grandparent’s exposure to Agent Orange. All of these groups cannot afford the reality of their life or death fight to be watered down or distracted from by Facebook and Twitter posts from Turkey.

So was this report from Turkey simply a misstep by a confused, uninformed protester, or was it something else? Could Turkish protesters have been trying to ride the impact of the fear associated with Agent Orange to gain more recognition for their county’s unrest? Or was it a simple mistake, which people perpetuated by not checking their facts? If the act by Turkish protesters was to gain international media exposure by claiming Agent Orange was used on them, it’s worked. The whole world did a double take when headlines read,” Turkish Riot Police, Starts Using Agent Orange,” all of the sudden the focus of the protest was lost.

There isn’t any evidence of Agent Orange being used in Turkey. Members of the media and activists must check the facts so disinformation is not spread. To be successful we must push ourselves to be knowledgeable before just clicking the share button.

The challenge is to stay focused to the matters at hand. Turkey is going through unrest. Agent Orange is continuing to kill people every day. Don’t confuse the two, and do not turn away, your attention matters.

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” ~ Mark Twain

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AGENT ORANGE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE – Official COVVHA Testimony Packet January 2013

On May 9, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

AGENT ORANGE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE OFFICIAL COVVHA TESTIMONY
There is a renewed push for the Institute of Medicine to take seriously the claims made by the Children of Vietnam Veterans and their families about the birth defects and illnesses they are suffering from. The adverse affects of the dioxin laden herbicide sprayed over the jungles of Vietnam, AKA Agent Orange, have been well known since the government first admitted in 1991 to cause illnesses in Vietnam Veterans. For years, the veterans and their families have been saying birth defects and rare illnesses have affected their children’s health. These anomalies and illnesses are not only happening in the children of Vietnam Veterans (2nd generation), but now are showing up in alarming numbers in the grandchildren (3rd Generation) of Vietnam Veterans as well.

January 16, 2013, Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance (COVVHA) participated, in the public hearings for the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Committee to Review on the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans Exposure to Herbicides (Ninth Biennial Update) in Irvine, California. Tanya Mack, COVVHA Core Chairperson, and California resident, gave testimony on behalf of COVVHA to the committee. Tanya Mack is the Daughter of a recently, deceased Vietnam Veteran who succumbed service connected Agent Orange illnesses. She was born with severe hip dysplasia and has developed several rare aggressive cancers in her thirties which she is currently still fighting.

“The Institute of Medicine is an independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public (From the IOM website).” They have been commissioned to review biannually, the most current data available about herbicides and the health effects on our Veterans. In the past, the IOM have been responsible for getting new illnesses added to the presumptive list for our ailing Vietnam Veterans. Like On October 13, 2009, when, the Veterans Affairs added three new medical conditions for Vietnam Veterans presumptively associated with exposure to herbicides; hairy cell and other B-cell leukemia’s, Parkinson’s disease, and ischemic heart disease, to the list of covered illnesses.

Included in COVVHA’s report to the committee, were the number and types of illnesses and congenital anomalies found in the second and third generation members of COVVHA. This includes the ailments that mirror the Vietnam Veterans and the congenital anomalies found on the list of birth defects covered in the children of women Vietnam Veterans. Tanya Mack, shared several studies from the early eighties including Ranch Hand studies and a current epigenetic study from Washington State that show a correlation to trans-generational exposures to dioxin, with the committee for them to consider. Several recommendations were made as to the next actions to help the children of Vietnam Veterans in the most practical ways.

Three of COVVHA recommendations included approving the currently covered eighteen plus, birth defects for children of female Vietnam Veterans for the children of male Vietnam Veterans. The second recommendation included the request for free DNA and Epigenetic testing for the biological children of Vietnam Veterans as needed, and an official Agent Orange Registry for Children of Vietnam Veterans. COVVHA made several other recommendations that were included in their submitted testimony.

Highlights of other participant’s testimony:
Ken Holybee, Director at Large, of Vietnam Veterans of America. Ken pointed out in the Veterans and Agent Orange 2008 Update, the IOM Committee concluded that it was plausible exposure to herbicides that could cause paternally mediated effects in offspring as a result of epigenetic changes, and that such changes would most likely be attributable to the TCDD contaminants in Agent Orange. He urged the committee to follow up on their 2008 recommendations. Due to the continued suffering the VVA sees in the families who attend their Agent Orange Town Hall Meetings.

Debra Kraus, widow of a Vietnam Veteran, Activist and Artist, shared a slideshow presentation of her art that is based on her experience through her husband’s dealings with the V.A. and health issues.

Elayne Mackey, National Health Committee co-chair for the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA). AVVA recommends the creation of Centers of Excellence to provide for research, treatment, and social services for the offspring of veterans of all eras who have been exposed to toxins while in service to our country.

Wesley T. Carter, Chair of the C-123 Veterans Association, asked for two possibilities, the Department of Defense designates the contaminated -123 aircraft, by specific tail number, as Agent Orange exposure sites. The other for the VA to accept claims from veterans able to provide evidence of service aboard the aircraft known to have been contaminated.

Andy Olshan, PhD, Chair of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina and Kim Boekelheide, MD, PhD, Professor of Medical Science, Brown University phoned into the meeting. The Doctors gave their opinion on the likelihood of Paternal Transmission of Dioxin through Sperm. The Doctors stated that paternal transmission is relatively small because the male system is made to minimize the transmission of issues and that there is not enough evidence to support the theory that Dioxin is transmitted through sperm.

COVVHA is committed to serving as a voice for the children of Vietnam Veterans including second and third generation victims of Agent Orange and Dioxin Exposures worldwide. We believe in empowering each other to hold the companies and governments responsible for causing so much devastation and suffering to our generations. We fight for justice globally. We hope the IOM will make the responsible recommendations to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Please, see the full testimony submitted to the Institute of Medicine attached which also includes Tanya Mack’s personal health struggle with Agent Orange related birth defects and cancers.

COVVHA members and supporters who have joined our email subscription will also receive the Video of Tanya’s testimony. If you would like to receive the video and other information from COVVHA you can subscribe in the box below

Committee to Review the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposure to Herbicides (Ninth Biennial Update… by View Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance’s profile on Scribd” href=”http://www.scribd.com/COVVHA1″>Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Heather A. Bowser, MsEd, LPCC

Camp LeJeune Toxic Water Health Update 2013

On May 8, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Camp LeJeune, NC – Marine Toxic Water Update 2013

On March 15, 2013 the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released its “Chapter A: Summary and Findings” water modeling report for the Hadnot Point and Holcomb Boulevard Water Treatment Plants and Vicinities for Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/lejeune/hadnotpoint.html). Enclosed you will find a copy of the ATSDR fact sheet about this report and other information from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Camp LeJeune, NC – Marine Water Update

Hadnot Point-Holcomb Boulevard Reports http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/lejeune/hadnotpoint.html

During 2007–2009, ATSDR published historical reconstruction results for Tarawa Terrace and vicinity. Results for Hadnot Point, Holcomb Boulevard, and vicinity—based on information gathering, data interpretations, and water-modeling analyses—are now presented as another series of ATSDR reports supporting current health studies.

Supplements

Supplement 1: Descriptions and Characterizations of Data Pertinent to Water-Supply Well Capacities, Histories, and Operations [PDF, 2.06 MB]
Supplement 2: Development and Application of a Methodology to Characterize Present-Day and Historical Water-Supply Well Operations [PDF, 20.13 MB]
Supplement 3: Descriptions and Characterizations of Water-Level Data and Groundwater Flow for the Brewster Boulevard and Castle Hayne Aquifer Systems and the Tarawa Terrace Aquifer [PDF, 4.85 MB]
Supplement 4: Simulation of Three-Dimensional Groundwater Flow [PDF, 9.31 MB]
Supplement 5: Theory, Development, and Application of Linear Control Model Methodology to Reconstruct Historical Contaminant Concentrations at Selected Water-Supply Wells [PDF, 5.39 MB]
Supplement 6: Source Characterization and Simulation of Fate and Transport of Selected Volatile Organic Compounds in the Vicinities of the Hadnot Point Industrial Area and Landfill
Supplement 7: Source Characterization and Simulation of the Migration of Light Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPLs) in the Vicinity of the Hadnot Point Industrial Area [PDF, 4.01 MB]
Supplement 8: Field Tests, Data Analyses, and Simulation of the Distribution of Drinking Water with Emphasis on Intermittent Transfers of Drinking Water Between the Hadnot Point and Holcomb Boulevard Water-Distribution System.
READ MORE: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/lejeune/hadnotpoint.html#Chapter_A

Agent Orange – Who Ordered It To Be Sprayed…

On May 5, 2013 By James J. Alonzo

Who Ordered Agent Orange Sprayed

With all the illnesses, malformed babies, and suffering from Agent Orange, one could wonder who the person that ordered it to be used was. It was Elmo Zumwalt Jr., who as commander of U.S. naval forces in Southeast Asia that ordered the chemical defoliant sprayed over the South Vietnamese countryside to deprive communist troops of cover.

Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr. (November 29, 1920 – January 2, 2000) was an American naval officer and the youngest man to serve as Chief of navel Operations. As an admiral and later the 19th Chief of navel Operations, Zumwalt played a major role in U.S. military history, especially during the Viet Nam War.

After his selection for the rank of Rear Admiral, Zumwalt assumed command in July 1965 of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven. In September 1968, he became Commander Naval Forces, Viet Nam, and Chief of the Naval Advisory Group, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.

Zumwalt’s command was not a blue water unit, like the Seventh Fleet; it was a brown water unit: he commanded the flotilla of Swift boats that patrolled the coasts, harbors, and rivers of Vietnam. Among the swift-boat commanders were his son, Elmo Russell Zumwalt III, and later future Senator John Kerry. During this time, the elder Zumwalt had an opportunity to safeguard the men who served under his command from the Viet Cong who hid in the jungle and ambushed American and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) patrols at will.

A new group of herbicides, Agent Orange, White, and other assorted color names, could be sprayed on the foliage to remove the cover that the Viet Cong used so effectively. It was claimed at that time that the side effects on humans of long-term exposure to Agent Orange were not yet known, and the manufacturers, Dow and Monsanto, were eager to reassure potential users about its safety.

Admiral Zumwalt acted to protect not only his own son, but also his many comrades from a “clear and present danger,” but in so doing, he exposed them to chemicals now known to cause cancer. As all commanders must do, Admiral Zumwalt acted quickly and decisively on the available information; in this case, he relied on sources that were biased and unreliable, as later developments made clear.

In the end, he paid personally for his decision. Zumwalt’s son, Elmo Zumwalt III, died in 1988, aged 42;

Zumwalt’s grandson (born 1977) suffers from a congenital dysfunction that confuses his physical senses. Zumwalt’s son, prior to his own death, said in 1986 that

“‘I am a lawyer and I don’t think I could prove in court, by the weight of the existing scientific evidence, that Agent Orange is the cause of all the medical problems – nervous disorders, cancer and skin problems – reported by Vietnam veterans, or of their children’s severe birth defects. But I am convinced that it is.” He also said he never blamed his father for his disease.

Admiral Zumwalt said he felt his son’s cancer was most definitely due to Agent Orange. He also mentioned that his grandson Russell suffered from very severe learning disabilities that could possibly be traced to it as well. However, Zumwalt said he did not regret ordering the use of Agent Orange, because it reduced casualties by making it difficult for the enemy to hide and find food.

Admiral Zumwalt, along with his son, authored a book called My Father, My Son, published by MacMillan in September 1986, where they discussed the family tragedy of his son’s battle with cancer.

After treatment in a number of hospitals, Elmo Zumwalt III went to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center inSeattle, where he received a bone marrow from his sister Mouzetta, whose tissues fortunately matched his well enough for this treatment to be feasible. Results were promising but in the end, he died in 1988.

Sadly the Zumwalt family also suffered from Agent Orange. Was it all a case of “What goes around, comes around” or for those of the eastern thought, Karma”?

GMO LEGISLATION Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act Endorsed By COVVHA

On April 25, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act

Take Action and make your voice heard now!!!!!!

All Legislation Endorsed and/or Opposed Has Been Approved and Reviewed by Kelly L. Derricks

It has never been easier to write your State Representative and share your position on current legislation. C.O.V.V.H.A. has been making it even easier for members, fans and followers!! The days of getting your pens and papers out to send your letters are over!!!

An “action page” link has been set up for the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act H.R.1699 & S.809 which takes you directly to the specific legislation as well as an area for your Name, Zip Code, and YOUR VOTE. That’s it!!! You hit enter and your information is sent directly to your State Representative in letter form which you will receive a copy of via email.

Your VOICE does count, PLEASE, use it!!!

Kelly L. Derricks (T.T.)

CLICK TO CAST YOUR HOUSE VOTE ON POPVOX NOW

CLICK TO CAST YOUR SENATE VOTE ON POPVOX NOW

I personally casted both of my votes and included the following statement to the United States House and Senate: I support H.R. 1699 (“To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require that genetically engineered food”) because… GMO foods are engineered with health threatening compounds and chemicals and then sprayed with half of the chemical compound used in the production of AGENT ORANGE. The U.S. Gov’t killed my Father at the age of 37 after serving in the Vietnam War. Agent Orange/DIOXIN was passed through his sperm mutating my DNA. I have to fight for my life every single day with more than 30 diagnosed illnesses at the age of 38 and so do tens of thousands of other Children of Vietnam Veterans who were exposed. Now the gov’t doesn’t care that we are being DOUBLE EXPOSED. That’s Capital Murder if you ask me. You’ll see me standing in a court room bringing charges of Murder against the United States Govt before you see me standing down on GMO.

Truth Teller
www.covvha.net

GMO Health Risks: What The Scientific Evidence Says

On April 18, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Genetic traits used to be literally shot into plants with a gun, using little metal bits coated with DNA. Nowadays, Monsanto employs a slightly different process, using a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens to infect plant cells with pieces of DNA containing the desired traits, as pointed out by Colorado State University ’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

Monsanto also makes corn, potatoes, cotton and soybeans that can synthesize their own insecticide called Bt toxin, a trait grabbed from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Other GM crops are being developed to resist drought via the introduction of genes from other plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, aka thale cress; moss; and yeast.

Genetic modification is the cornerstone of agriculture — through generations of breeding, humans took one species, the wild cabbage Brassica oleracea, and turned it into a host of different foods, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. Now, biotechnology has accelerated the process and allowed breeders more precision in designing their crops. There is much disagreement about the cost of these advances.

“There is broad scientiﬁc consensus that genetically engineered crops currently on the market are safe to eat,” Pamela Ronald, a Univeristy of California at Davis professor, wrote for Scientific American in 2011. But the American Academy of Environmental Medicine has warned of “serious health risks” indicated by animal studies measuring the effects of GM foods.

And much of the public is convinced that genetic modification is a health danger — hence the fierce push to label GMO food and broad restrictions on GM crops in Europe.

In 1996, the New England Journal of Medicine published a paper that identified a possible allergic reaction to GM soybeans. A team led by University of Nebraska scientists found that a Brazil nut protein introduced to improve the nutritional quality of GM soybeans was able to provoke an allergic reaction in people with Brazil nut allergies.

However, this problem can likely be nipped in the bud with proper safety testing. U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher Eliot M. Herman noted in the Journal of Experimental Botany in 2003 that the GM soybean injected with the Brazil nut gene “was abandoned during development, no product was released and no one was harmed.”

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require biotechnology companies to do premarket safety testing, including allergen testing (although the agency does recommend it). Calls for making premarket safety testing mandatory have come from numerous groups, including the American Medical Association, as reported by the Chicago Tribune . The prospect of hidden allergens could also be an arrow in the quiver of those who are pushing for labeling GMOs in the U.S.

Another health concern related to GMOs rests on the possibility that genes might be transferred elsewhere. The nightmare scenario would be an antibiotic-resistance gene getting inadvertently passed to pathogenic bacteria in a person’s stomach. Much of the work that’s been done indicates that the rate of horizontal gene transfer from plants to animals and bacteria is probably very low. But, admittedly, there’s a real gap in our understanding of how genes may or may not be transferred from GM crops — or other crops, for that matter — into the cells of the gut and the bacteria that live in the digestive tract.

Authors of a 2012 report on animal-feeding studies in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition found that while it’s clear a small amount of DNA from the diet can survive digestion, we have yet to see evidence that such dietary DNA can be integrated into the genome of an animal or even into the genome of a bacterium residing in the gut.

“However, major methodological limitations and knowledge gaps of the mechanistic aspects of [horizontal gene transfer] calls for methodological improvements and further studies to understand the fate of various types of dietary DNA in the [gastrointestinal tract],” the researchers at the University of Milan wrote.

The one major study of GMO feeding in humans that looked at horizontal gene transfer was published in 2004 in the journal Nature Biotechnology . Researchers looked to see if the Roundup Ready transgene — the one that codes for the herbicide-resistant enzyme — showed up in waste collected from seven volunteers who had had their large intestines removed for medical reasons. While a small amount of the transgene was found in bowel microbes in three of the seven subjects, the gene-transfer rate did not increase after they ate the transgenic soy, leading the researchers to conclude that whatever gene transfer occurred did not happen during the experimental period.

In subjects with fully intact intestinal tracts, the transgene did not survive passage. The results indicate that while horizontal gene transfer after eating GM crops might be feasible at low rates in certain medically compromised people, it would probably be quite rare in most consumers.

A 2008 paper in the journal Environmental Biosafety Research by an Australian researcher who reviewed the risks of GMOs associated with horizontal gene transfer concluded the potential danger was “negligible.”

Overall, it’s clear more research is needed about the ability of genes to move from GM crops into the animals or humans who eats them.

Meanwhile, some individual studies have conclusively found GMOs to be harmful. But many of these have been harshly criticized for loading the dice.

Gilles-Eric Seralini, a researcher at the University of Caen in France, took a second look at Monsanto data on experiments feeding GM corn to rats in three papers, and claimed the numbers actually showed the animals fed GMOs suffered organ damage, based on the rodents’ growth and organ weights. But several European Food Safety Authority reviews found that Seralini’s math was off, that the rats’ organ weights were within an acceptable range, and that his team’s conclusions were not supported by the evidence.

A 2012 paper by Seralini and other researchers purportedly found that a GM corn diet led to cancer in rats. But the study was released under extremely odd circumstances — Seralini made reporters sign confidentiality agreements that prevented them from asking other scientists to give their opinions on his research before an embargo lifted. And once other scientists got a look at the paper, the reaction was almost universally condemnatory, as exemplified by the European Food Safety Authority .

One main objection stemmed from the fact that the rats used in the study belong to a strain called Sprague-Dawley, which is extremely prone to tumors later in life. While Monsanto did use Sprague-Dawley rats in its own experiments with GM corn, such trials lasted for 90 days, whereas Seralini’s experiment went on for two years.

Many critics also said the number of rats used for such a long experiment — 10 rats for each experimental condition — was far too small, as Discover noted. In addition, there were curious gaps in the mortality data for the control rats: It’s unclear whether they died after developing tumors.

A 2011 paper by Canadian researchers supposedly found Cry1Ab, an insecticidal protein made in certain GM crops, in the blood of women and in the cord blood of fetuses. But the study, examining just 30 pregnant women (and their fetuses) and 39 nonpregnant women, also came under attack for its methods and conclusions by critics such as Food Standards Australia New Zealand . The method the researchers used to detect Cry1Ab in the blood has been called into question, and the authors provided no dietary evidence on any of the study subjects. Without that, there’s no way to conclusively draw a link between anything found in the blood and GM crops.

By ROXANNE PALMER |

Published on International Business Times (http://www.ibtimes.com)

Genetic Roulette – The Gamble of our Lives – FULL MOVIE

On February 5, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Awarded Solari Best Film of the Year, 2012, Genetic Roulette has an opportunity to receive the AwareGuide Top Transformational Film, 2012! IRT is offering a free screening of GRM so you can watch and understand why this film certainly deserves the awarded for most transformational film, 2012!

If you have not yet seen this life changing film, Institute for Responsible Technology is offering a free screening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnlTYFKBg18

When the US government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and allowed untested genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all living things and all future generations were put at risk by an infant technology.

After two decades, physicians and scientists have uncovered a grave trend. The same serious health problems found in lab animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed GM foods are now on the rise in the US population. And when people and animals stop eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.

This seminal documentary provides compelling evidence to help explain the deteriorating health of Americans, especially among children, and offers a recipe for protecting ourselves and our future.

More information can be found at: http://geneticroulettemovie.com and http://responsibletechnology.org

Order the DVD at: http://seedsofdeception.com/store/dvdcd?product_id=124

Living With Fibromyalgia, Solutions For Suffering

On January 28, 2013 By Q.A.S

Fibromyalgia where to begin.

Where do you begin when you are feeling ill and overwhelmed with pain? When each movement is like some sort of agony, when stress can end your day and you spiral into another bout of pain. Getting out of bed can be a struggle and most days you most likely wish that you could just crawl back into bed and stay there. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Have you been wondering why do I feel this way? Why me? What have I done to deserve this? We can beat ourselves up over this or we can try to understand it. We can choose to give up or we can decide to take charge of our life and diet. We can crawl back into bed and wish it was all over or we can take some control back and realize that life IS worth fighting for. We can listen when people tell us it is all in our head, we made it up etc.

We can let the world bring us down or we can research, listen, learn, try something different. We oftentimes repeat our patterns over and over and wonder why nothing changes. In order for change to exist we have to try a new choice and stick to it. Fibromyalgia can become more bearable and I am living proof of that. Do you find that your skin tingles? Do you get muscle spasms? Weakness in your limbs or nerve pain? Do your muscles twitch or do you begin to find that good sleep is becoming more and more rare? Are you finding it difficult to concentrate? Do you suddenly find that either you can remember things that happened long ago and short term memories are disabled? Or is it the other way around for you? Did you used to be able to multitask like a pro and now you sit there wondering what you can do. Spend time doing that and before you know it your day is coming to an end and you are so tired and you go to bed. Then while you toss and turn do you turn to pills? All of these questions are linked to Fibromyalgia. We all feel this at some time or another. Some of us get all of these symptoms, some only a few.

http://www.fmnetnews.com/fibro-basics/symptoms

So you have just been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and you are terrified and overwhelmed and full of questions. You looked into the eyes of your doctor and found little help there. It is frustrating and sometimes you will cry. You might come home and look up on Google this then you will read it. You might even read between the lines and realize that this is just a name for something that they do not really understand at all. That is when you got a little angry, when you realized that your doctors were practically clueless. That they wanted to throw pills at it and then hopefully you would leave them alone. For some a prescription for Lyrica works.You pray and hope and sit nervously in your chair. This is supposed to help you, you look at that bottle like a potential saviour. You might think that with this pill you just might be able to feel normal again, or at least to some degree. Right? Well the chances of it working are just like any other pill. It may or may not work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregabalin

One thing that you may have noticed having Fibromyalgia is that not only are you more sensitive physically. You may also find loud noises unbearable. Strong smells bother your olfactory sense as well. So on top of everything else your other senses may go into overload. Even spicy food is a bit too much for some people. Add in the extra strong senses into the situation and it can make most mundane tasks more difficult. It is a bit like being the most sensitive person in the world. You may wonder why you did not get your cape and outfit if you are going to have super anything. You might ask why you cannot at least fly along with super senses.

Treating Fibro can and should be more than just a pill. Pills treat symptoms but they do not cure. So this means that the root cause is somewhere either inside of you or around you. I am suggesting that you look at the inside of your home and inside of your body. Your home can be hiding many toxins that can only make you more miserable. This website goes on to speak about this. Chemicals are not going to help you at all. Whether it is a glass cleaner or a surface cleaner be very careful of chemicals. There is a way to make your own homemade cleaning items that work just like those cleaners bought from the store. The benefit of this is that you can eliminate not only chemicals that are having an effect on your Fibromyalgia symptoms, but also you are getting rid of chemicals that are harming your family too. People buy these items without thinking. Sometimes they do not even read the labels. You have to begin to read labels and take responsibility for what you are bringing into your environment. These take a toll on your health.

http://managingfibromyalgia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/fibromyalgia-and-chemical-sensitivities.html

You may wonder how to make household cleaners or something that will clean your bathroom etc. You may also buy home fragrances, air fresheners, scent warmers or scented candles. The trouble with many of these is that they are chock full of synthetic scents etc. You should not be exposing yourself to things like this. This teaches you how to make your own. It is not hard at all once you get used to this. Not only that but doing this thoroughly around your home when you have the energy can really help you. If you cannot do it find someone that can and ask for help. Do not be ashamed to admit you need help. You are sick and you deserve understanding and compassion. Once you get this done then your home will not smell as bad. The vinegar does fade away leaving a clean surface. Plain candles can be substituted for those chemical nightmares.

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/cleaningtipsandrecipes/a/Homemade_Cleaners.htm

You also need to take a long look at what you are eating. This is no joke, this is your comfort and happiness here. You need to look at everything that you are eating and get rid of anything that is overly processed. You would be wise to seek out food in its most whole form. Instead of frozen potatoes or powdered ones buy the fresh ones. I know that Velveeta tastes good but it is nothing but chemicals and food colorings really. If you are going to eat cheese then make sure that you eat it sparingly and try to spend a little more and get real cheese. The same goes for sodas of all kinds. Sodas are not worth it. I know they taste good, but is it worth your health? Really consider this please. You may be saying but it tastes so good, or only a little bit can’t hurt me. A little bit can hurt you. Getting rid of processed foods and sodas is step one.

http://waterforlifeusa.com/blog/8-ways-soda-fizzles-your-health

Continuing on with diet, there have been studies done. There are clear links with a plant based diet and improving of symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Your author is on a plant based diet and has lost weight and symptoms have become better over time. Remembering how bad it was and where it is now, things are better. This is something worth looking at. There are many many places that tell you fish will help. I advise against consuming fish vehemently.There are studies coming out right now showing that mercury contamination is much higher than previously believed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning

http://www.greenandhealthy.info/fish.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11093597

Sleep is a very big issue with people suffering from Fibromyalgia. Sleep comes rarely and you wonder when it will come by and visit you. It becomes that thing that people talk about and you hear but seem to almost never experience. You toss and turn add pillows and finally you will sleep after tossing enough. When you wake up you may feel like you have been wrestling with sleep rather than sleeping next to it. This does not help you when all you want is sleep, some peace from the constant pain. This article goes over some of the problems found with patient suffering from this.

http://www.musculoskeletalnetwork.com/fibromyalgia/content/article/1145622/2110825

Now I will cover medical marijuana uses for people with this.It can be said that the author uses this for medical reasons and it has helped tremendously. Each person makes their own choices and finds their own path. Personally, this coupled with a plant based diet and complete elimination of household chemicals and processed foods have helped. Symptoms are much less than they were which of course does tend to cause worry. Because it makes you wonder how bad it would be if these measures had not been taken. It is not so much pain relief as a disassociation from your pain that it provides. It makes it feel slowly less and less until your pain becomes easier to deal with.This is what most people that suffer from Fibromyalgia usually lament. They will say “I wish I had one day without pain, that would be nice, Or that would be a gift” or they will simply lay in bed and cry wondering why they are suffering so much from something that even the doctors wonder about. These things do not inspire confidence or peace of mind.

http://www.medicalmarijuana.net/uses-and-treatments/fibromyalgia/

Herbal relief can also be something else that you can incorporate into your regimen. Now they do say that you should consult your doctor before you begin taking these supplements. Personally, I would make sure that my doctor knew and was open to the idea of herbal remedies. Many doctors seem to be against herbal remedies opting for the more standard western practices. So please be forewarned and forearmed. I am suggesting that you research it and try to find a homeopathic doctor in conjunction with your regular doctor. Just to make sure that you are not getting a biased opinion.

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/conditionsetoh/a/Fibromyalgia.htm

http://www.myhomeremedies.com/topic.cgi?topicid=285

You can also try alternative therapies to find relief from your symptoms. There are many things that you can do that do not involve taking a pill, getting surgery of some kind, etc. Massage does help with the pain aspect of this. While massage is expensive for some it is possible to just do it yourself. You can give yourself a massage and relax somewhat if there is nobody to help you with this. You could also save up to buy a used massage table that you and your partner can use. You do not have to rely on a professional for the rest of your life. You can get books and begin to practice gently on your partner and eventually it can be something that you can share with your significant other. Acupressure and acupuncture can be very helpful as well. Read more about various other things that you can look into.

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/self-massage-for-fibromyalgia.html

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/alternativetreatments/a/bodywork.htm

https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupuncture+for+Fibromyalgia+Syndrome

Remember, you can be your own worst enemy if you do not watch what you say and do carefully. Do not pay attention to others that show you no patience at all while you suffer. The following is an article on ten things that you should stop doing to yourself.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/copingwithfmscfs/a/10-Things-To-Stop-Doing-To-Yourself.htm

Ways of coping are very important tools. Sometimes perhaps write yourself small notes when you are feeling good. Then keep them stashed away somewhere for when you are feeling bad. When you are having a bad day read what you wrote and remember to smile even if you do not feel like it. You can fool yourself into being more happy over time if you just continue to smile.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/copingwithfmscfs/a/pacing101.htm

Finally I want you to repeat after me. This is not my fault and I am a beautiful worthy person. You deserve to be happy and have enjoyment in life. This can feel like a heavy burden but you can find ways to lighten the load. My advice comes from living with Fibromyalgia myself. I know what it feels like and how hard it is. So just know that this advice is coming from someone that does indeed know how you feel. Find something that you enjoy doing that helps others. There is a joy in helping someone that cannot possibly pay you back for your kindness, but it brightens the world. You can smile and find joy and hope and a reason to go on. Life is beautiful and you are not alone.

Quiescent Aureate Serpent

©Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

ILLNESSES REPORTED BY CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS AGENT ORANGE WWW.COVVHA.NET

Agent Orange 731 Illnesses Reported By Children Of Vietnam Veterans – COVVHA Database Update 2013

On January 9, 2013 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Agent Orange 731 Illnesses Reported By Children Of Vietnam Veterans – COVVHA Database Update 2013

We have compiled a list of 731 reported illnesses that the biological Children of Vietnam Veterans are suffering from to try and find common threads. There have been no official claims that anything on this list has been proven to be caused by Agent Orange/Dioxin unless otherwise noted in the information below. Other reports indicate that there are up to 30 years of illnesses and conditions being collected that we suffer from as the second generation. While many of us are born with these problems, our members that participated in this list are generally between the ages of 20-45 both male and female, often with no prior family history. If you are suffering from any illness not listed, please email us at COVVHA@GMAIL.COM. This list has been updated as of January 9, 2013. Please click on the page “JOIN OUR SITE” to become an email subscriber. You will then receive notifications when databases for 2ND GENERATION, 3RD GENERATION, and VETERANS HEALTH have been updated as well as any new articles that are published. Please be sure to check your email after subscribing for your confirmation completion.

Abnormal Cervical Bleeding
Abnormal Growth between the Ovaries
Abnormal Pap Smears
Abnormal Periods
Abnormal Rectal Bleeding
Achy Body
Acid Reflux
Acne Issues Undefined Cystic
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
ADD
Addiction Cigarettes
Addiction other than Cigarettes
Addison’s Disease
Adenomyosis
ADHD
Adrenal Gland Tumors
Adult Acne
Agoraphobia Severe
Albinism
Alcoholism
Allergies
Alopecia Areata
Amblyopia
Amenorrhoea
Amputation
Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Basaloid Type
Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Anaphylaxis
Anencephaly
Anemia
Anger Issues
Angioedema
Ankyloglossia
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Annual Decrease in Night Vision
Anorexia Nervosa
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Anxiety
Aortic Pulmonary Regurgitation
Aphasia
Appendicitis Cancerous/Undefined
Appendicitis
Arachnoid Cyst In Brain Space
Arachnoiditis
Arnold-Chiari Malformation
Arrhythmia
Arteriovenous Malformation
Arthritis Inflammatory Of The Si Joint Rheumatoid
Arthritis Juvenile
Asperger’s
Asthma
Ataxia
Atrial Fibrillation
Autism
Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune Disease Unknown Etiology
Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
Autonomic Neuropathy
Back Pain
Bacterial Meningitis
Bacterial Infections
Balance Problem
Bell’s Palsy
Benign Cyst Armpit
Benign Multinodular Goiter
Benign Oral Cysts
Benign Tumor on Thyroid/ Near Total Thyroidectomy Surgery
Berger’s Disease
Bicornuate Uterus
Bicuspid Aortic Heart Valve
Bicuspid Valve Prolapse
Bilateral Baker Cysts
Bilateral Uterus
Bipartite Patellas
Bipolar Disorder
Blackouts
Bladder Infections/ Utis
Bladder Is Collapsing
Bladder Issues Infections/Overactive
Bladder Lift
Bleeding Issues
Blindness
Blood in Urine Undefined
Blood Vessel Issues
Boils
Bone Cancer
Bone Spurs/Problems Undefined
Bones Missing At Birth
Border Line Diabetic
Borderline High Blood Pressure
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline Schizophrenia
Born Blind
Born Deaf
Bowel Deformity/Issues
Bradycardia Arrhythmia
Brain Calcification And An Enlarged Perivascular Space
Brain Issues Water On The Brain
Brain Lesions Aneurism/Tumors/Surgery
Brain Stem Abnormalities
Brain Stem Small
Brain Tumors
Breast Cancer
Breast Pain
Breathing Problems Undefined
Bronchitis/Bronchial Spasms
Bursitis
Calcium Deficiency
Calluses on Vocal Chords Faulty Stomach Acid Caused
Camptodactyly
Cancer
Cancer Undefined
Cardiac Arrhythmia
Cardiac Deformity
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiac Sarcoma
Carpal Tunnel
Caudal Regression
Cava Perthes
Celiac Disease
Cellulitis
Central Nervous System Disorder
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebellum Issues Undefined
Cerebral Aneurysm
Cerebral Palsy
Cervical Cancer
Cervical Dysplasia/Incompetency
Cervical Infections
Chiari Malformation Assoc W/ Spina Bifida
Chemical Sensitivity
Chest Wall Pain/ Breast Pain/Chest Pain
Childhood Bedwetting
Childhood Extreme Shyness
Chloracne
Choristoma Tumor in the Ear
Chromosome Abnormalities
Crohn’s Disease
Chronic Asthmatic Bronchitis
Chronic Candida and Other Female Reproductive Organ Infections
Chronic Childhood Ear Infections
Chronic Constipation
Chronic Costochondritis
Chronic ENT Issues Resulting In Adenoidectomy Tonsillectomy And Ear Tubes
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue and Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Chronic Insomnia
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Knee Dysplasia
Chronic Migraines
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Copd
Chronic Pneumonia
Chronic Sinusitis
Chronic Urinary Tract Infections
Chronic Venous Insufficiency Cvi Severe
Cleft Palate Lips
Clotting Disorders
Club Foot
Club Foot Talipes Equinovarus
Cognitive Disorder
Cognitive Disorder
Cognitive Issues
Cold Hands/Feet
Cold/Flu Chronic
Collapsed Vertebra
Colon Issues
Complete Hysterectomy
Complete Pelvic Floor Collapse
Compromised Immune System
Compulsive Skin Picking Around Fingers
Congenial Scoliosis
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Congenital Anosmia Born Without the Ability To Smile
Congenital Heart Blockage
Congenital Hips
Congenital Hypertension
Connective Tissue Disorder
Constipation/Cramping
Conversion Disorder
Costochondritis
Cranial Synthesis
Crest Syndrome
Crohn’s Disease
Crossed Eyes Newborn
Cryoglobulinemia
Cushings Syndrome
Cystic Acne
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis
Cysts
Cysts Arm Brain Hand Leg Shoulder Blade Thyroid
Daily Headaches
Debilitating Muscle Spasms
Deep Venous Thrombosis
Deformed Arms/Legs/Fingers/Toes/Feet
Deformed Sinuses
Deformity of Chest/Breast
Deformity of Shoulders/Muscles
Deformity of The Face/Head/Neck
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative Joint Syndrome
Degenerative Ligament Tissue
Dehydration
Dental Problems
Depression
Depression Major Clinical
Dermatitis
Detached Retina
Developmental Delay
Deviated Nasal Septum
Dextrocardia
Diabetes Type I
Diabetes Type II
Diagonal Earlobe Crease
Dilated Cardiomyopathy with Enlarged Left Ventricle And Heart Sound
Diarrhea SP
Digestive Issues
Disc Desiccation
Dissociative Disorder
Diverticulitis
Dizzy Spells
Double Cervix
Double Hernia @ Birth
Double Ureter
Double Uterus/Cervix
Double Uvula/Cleft Uvula
Droop Eye Ptosis
Drug Abuse
Duane Syndrome
Dwarfism
Dysautonomia
Dyslexia
Dysphagia
Dysthymia Aka Chronic Depression
Ear Infections/Problems/Surgeries/Tubes
Ectopic Pregnancy
Eczema
Electrolyte Abnormalities
Elevated Heart Rate
Emotional Problems
Empty Sella Syndrome
Endocrine Disorders
Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial Hyperplasia
Endometriosis-
Enlarged Heart
Enlarged Liver-Cause Unknown
Epilepsy
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Excessive Nose Bleeds
Excessive Sweating
Exotropia
Extra Body Parts
Extra Bones
Extra Vertebrae
Eye Floaters
Eye Problems Undefined
Eyes Legs Stomach Abdomen
Facet Joint Syndrome
Facial Aplasia
Factor V Leiden
Familial Tremor
Fatigue Chronic Syndrome,
Fatty Deposits on Liver
Felty’s Syndrome
Fever Seizures
Fever Undefined
Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Fibroid Cysts in Breast
Fibromyalgia
Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
Follicular Lymphoma/Large B Cell Lymphoma
Food Allergies
Foot Deformity/Issues/Burning
Fragile X Syndrome
Frazonism
Fused Digits
Fused Vertebrae in Neck
Fused Vertebrae/Disc
Gall Bladder Disease/ Gall Stones
Ganglion Cyst
Gastritis
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastroparesis SP
Gene Mutations gg MHP
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Gestational Diabetes
Glaucoma
Glioblastoma
Gluten Intolerance
Goiter
Goldenhar Syndrome
Gout
Grand Mal Seizures
Grave’s Disease
Growth Hormone Deficiency
Growths/Lumps on Skull
Hae – Hereditary Angioedema
Hair Loss
Hairy Cell Leukemia
Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
Head Sores
Headaches (Chronic
Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss/Deafness
Heart Attack
Heart Defect/Murmur/Newborn
Heart Disease
Heart Failure
Heart Murmur
Heart Palpitations
Heart Problems/Surgery Undefined
Heat Intolerance
Heel Spur
Hemangioma
Hereditary Atypical Hemochromatosis
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
Hernia
Herniated Discs
High ANA Levels In Blood Leads To Potential Lupus Diagnosis
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
High Myopia/ Shortsightedness
High Pulse Rate
Hip Deformity/Pain/Surgery/Undefined -
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Pain Undefined
Hip Replacement
Hirsutism
Histiocytosis
Hives
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Hormone Issues/Replacement
Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Hydrocele Testis
Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephaly CG (brother-deceased
Hydrocoele Hernia
Hyaline Membrane
Hymen Issues Partially Intact
Hypercoagulability
Hyperhomocysteinemia
Hyperinsulinemia
Hyperlipidemia
Hypermobility Issues/Surgeries
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Hypoglycemia
Hypoparathyroidism
Hypoplasia Entire Right Side
Hypoplastic Heart
Hypospadias
Hypothyroidism
Hyperprolactinemia
Hysterectomy
Idiopathic Gastroparesis
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Itp Platelet Disorder
Immune System Issues Undefined & Ivig Infusions
Imperforate Anus
Incompetent Cervix
Infant/Toddler Lethargy Withdrawal
Infertility
Insomnia
Insulin Resistance
Interstitial Cystitis
Intracranial Cyst
Intracranial Hypertension Formally Known As PTC
Involuntary Muscle Spasms Face
Iron Deficiency
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Ischemic Heart Disease
ITP
Jaw Deformity/Surgery
Joint & Muscle Problems/Pain
Joint Hypermobility Syndrome
Juvenile Macular Degeneration
Keratosis Pilaris
Kidney Disease/Surgery
Kidney Issues/Infections/Cysts
Kidney Stones
Kienbock’s Disease
Knee Chondromalacia Patella
Knee Problems/Dysplasia/Pain/Surgery
Kyphosis
Lactose Intolerant
Lateral Epicondylitis
Bilateral Microtia
Lazy Eye
Learning Disabilities
Legally Blind
Lethargy
Leukemia
Leukocytosis with Neutrophilia
Lhermitte’s Sign
Lichen Planus
Lipomas-Non-Cancerous Tumors Throughout Body
Liver cirrhosis due to atypical hereditary hemochromatosis
Liver Disease Fatty/Undefined
Liver Inflammation/Other
Liver Lesions
Long Qt Syndrome
Loss of Skin Pigment
Loss of Strength In Limbs
Low Blood Count Red
Low Blood Pressure
Low Estrogen
Low Potassium
Low Testosterone
Low Vitamin D Levels
Lumbarization
Lumps On the Head
Lung Cancers and Hocm
Lung Deformity rd Lung
Lung Disease/Nodules/Tumors/Clots
Lupus
Lupus of The Skin
Lymphocytic Thyroiditis
Lymphatic Tumors/Lymphangioma
Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Lymphoma
Macrodactyly
Major Depressive Disorder
Malabsorption of Food/Drink
Malabsorption of Vitamin B
Marfan Syndrome
Mastocytosis
Mastoiditis
Melanoma
Memory Loss
Menieres Disease
Menopause Issues Early
Menorrhagia
Menstrual Cycle Issues
Mental Health Issues
Mental Retardation
Metabolic Syndromes
Metatarsus Varus Pigeon Toe
Methicillin Staphylococcus Resistant Aureus
Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase
Microtia
Migraine Headaches
Migraines : Hypnic Cluster Basilar Hemiplegic
Mild Dysplasia
Misopedia
Missing A Whole Layer of Dermis
Missing Big Toe ,
Missing Digits
Missing Fingers
Missing Limb Right Leg below the Knee
Missing Limbs/Body Parts
Missing Vertebrae
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mittelschmerz
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
Mood Swings
Multiple Sclerosis
Mullerian Aplasia
Multiple Cardiac Arrests
Multiple Recurring Undiagnosable Oozing Sores
Muscle Spasms/Pain/Numbness Undefined
Musculoskeletal Problems,
Muscular Dystrophy
Myasthenia Gravis
Mycobacterium Gordonae
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Mitral Valve Prolapse Duplicate Mitral Valve
Nasal Cancer
Nasal Polyps
Nausea
Neck Pain
Nephrolithiasis
Nerve Damage
Neuralgia Face Feet Hands Legs
Neurocardiogenic
Neurological Problem Undefined
Neuropathy
Neutropenia
Nevus Sebaceous
Night Blindness
Night Sweats
Night Terrors
Nightmares
Non-Hodgkin’S Lymphoma
Nosebleeds
Numbness
Nystagmus
Obesity
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Orthostatic Hypotension
Orthostatic Intolerance
Osteoarthritis
Osteochondritis
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Osteopenia
Osteoporosis
Ostras Laughters
Otosclerosis
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cysts
Ovaries & Wrists
Overactive Bladder
Pain In Chest Radiating Up My Right Side of Neck
Pain Undefined
Palate Problems
Pancreases
Pancreatitis
Pancytopenia
Panic Attacks
Paralysis
Paresthesias
Para-Thyroid Gland Disfunction
Pericarditis
Pars Planitis
Partial Thyroidectomy
Patellar Subluxation Left Knee
Pectus Excavatum
Peeling As If Sunburned Face and Body
Pelvic Bones Not Fused
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome K, before Hysterectomy
Pelvic Reconstruction/Issues
Peptic Ulcers
Peripheral Neuropathy
Periventricular Leukomalacia
Pernicious Anemia
Personality Disorder
Phantom Pains Photosensitivity
Pierre Robin Sequence
Pituitary Gland Disfunction
Pityriasis
Planar Spaciatis
Pneumonia Childhood / Recurring
Poland Syndrome
Poliosis
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycythemia
Polycythemia Vera without Genetic Factor
Polymorphic Light Eruption
Polymyositis
Poor Egg Quality
Porphyria
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Potassium Issues
Preeclampsia
Pregnancy Complications Undefined
Pregnancy Partial Molar
Premature Babies
Premature Menopause
Premature Ovarian Failure
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor
Prolactinoma
Prolapsed Cervix
Prostate Problems/Enlarged
Psoriasis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pseudo-Obstruction Intestinal Neurological
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Ptosis
PTSD Primary Related To Family Violence
PTSD Secondary
Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary Fibrosis/Other Undefined
Pulmonary Restriction
PVC’s
Pyloric Stenosis
Rapid absorption
Rash under My Arm Same Place My Dad Gets It
Rashes Newborn
Rashes Undefined
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Rectal Prolapse
Rectal Seal Prolapse
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Renal Cysts/Calcifications
Renal Failure
Reproductive Problems Female
Respiratory Infections/Distress
Restless Leg Syndrome
Retroverted Uterus
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Rheumatic Fever
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rosacea
Sacral Agenesis
Sacral lumbarization
Salpingitis Isthmica Nodosa
Sarcoidosis
Schizophrenia
Scleroderma
Scoliosis
Sebaceous Cysts
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Secondary infertility
Seizures Petit Mal
Seizures,
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive Teeth
Sensitivity to Medications
Septate Uterus
Septate Uterus
Severe Chronic Neutropenia
Severe Depression
Severe Light Sensitivity
Shingles Ears Mouth Ophthalmic Throat
Short Term Memory Problems
Shyness
Sinus Infections/Problems
Sinus Tachycardia
Sinusitis
Sjogrens Syndrome
Skin Cancer -
Skin Lesions
Skin Problems/Deformity
Skin Rashes
Sleep Apnea
Slight Deviated Jaw
Small Digits on Hands-
Snoring
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Problems
Spastic Colon
Speech Problems
Sphincter of Oddi Disorder
Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Occulta
Spinal Cord Disease/Tumors
Spinal Deformities
Spinal Deterioration
Spinal Surgeries/Pain/Undefined
Spinal Meningitis
SpinoCerebellar Ataxia
SpinoCerebellar Degeneration
Splenetic Cysts
Spondyloarthropy
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis
Squamous Papilloma Benign Polyp In Mouth
Steatohepatitis
Stenosis of The Spine
Stomach Pains/Problems
Strabismus
Strange Growths
Strep Throat
Stress
Stress Seizures
Stroke
Sturge Weber Syndrome
Subglottic Stenosis
Suicidal Thoughts
Suicide Brother
Supraventricular Tachycardia
Swelling Undefined
Swollen Glands
Syndactyly
Syringomyelia
Tachycardia
Tachycardia Unknown Due To Wpw Syndrome
Temporal Arteritis
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Tendonitis
Testicular Deformity
Thinning Of Hair Top Front
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Throat Tumors
Thrombophilia
Thyroid Cancer Hashimoto’s
Thyroid Issues & Cysts Hyperthyroidism
Tilted Uterus
Tinea Versicolor
Tinnitus Lifelong
Tired
Tonsillitis/Tonsillectomy
Tooth Decay Abnormal
Tooth Formation Absence Adult Teeth Never Came In
Torticollis
Tourettes
Toxic Shock Syndrome
Tracheoesophageal Fistula
Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula
Tremors
Triple Ureter
Triple X Syndrome
Truncus Arteriosus
Tuberculosis
Tumor on The Parathyroid
Tumors
Tumors on Liver
Twitches
Ulcerated Colitis
Ulcers Stomach Mouth Nose
Undiagnosed Rash One Side of Body
Unexplained Numbness
Unexplained Tingling Right Side of Body
Unspecified Immunodeficiency
Urinary Tract Infections/Issues
Uterine Cancer
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine Leiomyosarcoma
Uterine Polyps
Urticaria
Vacterl Syndrome
Vaginal Bleeding
Vaginosis
Vascular Headaches
Vasculitis
Varicose Veins
Vertebrae Extra/Missing
Vertigo
Viral Meningitis
Vision Problems
Vitamin B Deficiency
Vitiligo
Vomiting
Von Willebrand’S Disease
Vulvodynia Pain in the Vulva
Weak Enamel In/On Teeth
Weak Muscles Left Leg
Webbed Toes
Weight Loss
Whole Thyroidectomy Surgery
Wolff- Parkinson- White Syndrome

© (COVVHA) CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS HEALTH ALLIANCE INC

agent orange gmo monsanto children of vietnam veterans www.covvha.net

Agent Orange, Children Of Vietnam Veterans, Monsanto, GMO – The Video That Explains Everything

On December 18, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

On October 16, 2011, Kelly L. Derricks (TRUTH TELLER) traveled to New York City where she gave a public speech about Agent Orange after being invited by Millions Against Monsanto to participate in the rally event for World Food Day. Below is the video recording of that speech.

Kelly has battled severe health issues since she was born that continue today. Some of her illnesses, presumed to be associated with the inter-generational effects of Agent Orange, include but are not limited to the following:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Addison’s disease
• Congenital adrenal hyperplaysia
• Intersticial cystitis.

*Her complete list of illnesses staggers to 30 different things.

Kelly continues to fight for the Children of Vietnam Veterans as well as Vietnam Veterans and their families. In January of 2012 She Co-Founded The Non-Profit Organization (COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC

Visit The Main Website At WWW.COVVHA.NET

https://www.youtube.com/user/teppnme?feature=watch

BREAKING AGENT ORANGE NEWS – Okinawa Japan Operation Red Hat

On December 3, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

THE ZEIT GIST

‘Were we marines used as guinea pigs on Okinawa?’

Growing evidence suggests that the U.S. military tested biochemical agents on its own forces on the island in the 1960s

By JON MITCHELL

Special to The Japan Times

READ FULL ARTICLE - http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121204zg.html

Newly discovered documents reveal that 50 years ago this week, the Pentagon dispatched a chemical weapons platoon to Okinawa under the auspices of its infamous Project 112. Described by the U.S. Department of Defense as “biological and chemical warfare vulnerability tests,” the highly classified program subjected thousands of unwitting American service members around the globe to substances including sarin and VX nerve gases between 1962 and 1974.

According to papers obtained from the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the 267th Chemical Platoon was activated on Okinawa on Dec. 1, 1962, with “the mission of operation of Site 2, DOD (Department of Defense) Project 112.” Before coming to Okinawa, the 36-member platoon had received training at Denver’s Rocky Mountain Arsenal, one of the key U.S. chemical and biological weapons (CBW) facilities. Upon its arrival on the island, the platoon was billeted just north of Okinawa City at Chibana — the site of a poison gas leak seven years later. Between December 1962 and August 1965, the 267th platoon received three classified shipments — codenamed YBA, YBB and YBF — believed to include sarin and mustard gas.

For decades, the Pentagon denied the existence of Project 112. Only in 2000 did the department finally admit to having exposed its own service members to CBW tests, which it claimed were designed to enable the U.S. to better plan for potential attacks on its troops. In response to mounting evidence of serious health problems among a number of veterans subjected to these experiments, Congress forced the Pentagon in 2003 to create a list of service members exposed during Project 112. While the Department of Defense acknowledges it conducted the tests in Hawaii, Panama and aboard ships in the Pacific Ocean, this is the first time that Okinawa — then under U.S. jurisdiction — has been implicated in the project.

Corroborating suspicions that Project 112 tests were conducted on Okinawa is the inclusion on the Pentagon’s list of at least one U.S. veteran exposed on the island. “Sprayed from numbered containers” reads the Project 112 file on former marine Don Heathcote. Heathcote, a private first class stationed on Okinawa’s Camp Hansen in 1962, clearly remembers the circumstances in which he was exposed.

Throughout the late 20th century, rumors of Project 112 were widespread among U.S. veterans, but they were quickly dismissed by an American public unwilling to believe its government would test such substances on its own troops. However, following a series of TV news reports by CBS, the Pentagon admitted to the existence of Project 112 and promised to come clean on the issue.In 1961, as the Cold War deepened, the U.S. initiated a comprehensive overhaul of its defensive capabilities in more than 100 different categories; No. 112 on this list was the study of CBW. Envisaged by President John F. Kennedy’s secretary of defense, Robert McNamara, as “an alternative to nuclear weapons,” Project 112 proposed experiments in “tropical climates” and, to evade laws regulating human testing in the U.S., it suggested the use of overseas “satellite sites.” Fulfilling both prerequisites, Okinawa must have seemed a perfect choice.

That disclosure began in 2000, when the Pentagon claimed that there had been 134 planned tests, of which 84 had been canceled. The experiments it admitted carrying out included the spraying of troops in Hawaii with E. coli, subjecting sailors to swarms of specially bred mosquitoes, and exposing troops in Alaska to VX gas. The Pentagon stated that no participants had been harmed in these tests.

Throughout the Cold War until 1969, Washington adhered to a strict policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of CBW on Okinawa. In all likelihood, it would have continued to do so, were it not for the events of July 8 of that year. On that day, American service members were conducting maintenance on munition shells at the Chibana depot when one of the missiles sprung a leak. Twenty-three troops and one civilian fell sick from exposure to the missile’s contents — likely VX gas — and were hospitalized for up to a week.

Considering the toxicity of such weapons, those exposed escaped lightly. Nevertheless, when the accident was reported, its ramifications were far-reaching: The Pentagon was forced to acknowledge its chemical arsenal on Okinawa — infuriating local residents — and promised to remove the entire stockpile before the island’s reversion to Japanese control in 1972.

Proof of Project 112 on Okinawa?: An excerpt from the history of the 267th Chemical Platoon.

Operation Red Hat, the mission to transport the weapons off the island, was organized by the same man who had brought them to Okinawa two decades previously: John. J. Hayes (by then a general). It also involved the 267th Chemical Platoon, which had been renamed the 267th Chemical Company. During two separate phases in 1971, the military shipped thousands of truckloads of sarin, mustard gas, VX and skin-blistering agents from Okinawa to U.S.-administered Johnston Island in the middle of the Pacific. The consignments totaled 12,000 tons — a terrifying amount considering that many of these substances’ fatal dosage is measured in milligrams. After the final shipment had left the island, Hayes assured journalists, “Every round of toxic chemical munitions stored on Okinawa has now been removed.”

This year marks 60 years since the first delivery of chemical weapons to Okinawa; this week is the 50th anniversary of the launch of Project 112 on the island. However, the continuing illnesses suffered by U.S. veterans including Heathcote and Mohler suggest this problem is far from a purely historical matter — and only now are potential correlations between toxic munitions and illnesses among Okinawan residents coming to light.

In the near future, Washington plans to return a number of U.S. installations on Okinawa to civilian usage. However, just as former U.S. CBW storage sites elsewhere — such as the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Johnston Island — remain dangerously contaminated, Okinawan land is likely to be handed back in a similarly toxic state.

Under the current U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, the host government is solely responsible for the cleanup of former bases — a task that’s expected to set Japanese taxpayers back hundreds of millions of dollars. With the true cost in terms of health and capital yet to be determined, there is a real risk that these weapons of mass destruction will poison not only the soil but also American-Japanese-Okinawan relations for decades to come.

In November, Japan’s Association of Commercial Broadcasters awarded the TV documentary “Defoliated Island” a commendation for excellence. The program was based on Jon Mitchell’s articles for The Japan Times investigating the U.S. military’s usage of Agent Orange on Okinawa during the Vietnam War. Send comments on this issue and story ideas to community@japantimes.co.jp.

The Japan Times: Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012

The Lingering Effects of Agent Orange

On December 3, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

This video explores the perspectives of three generations of Agent Orange survivors offering a rare insight into non-Vietnamese survivors highlighting the global scale of this issue. Additionally, Jon Mitchell, a Welsh born journalist now residing in Yokohama explains his groundbreaking work in helping to uncover the use, storage and burial of Agent Orange on the Japanese islands of Okinawa. Through the video, viewers can see how these inspiring individuals used their time aboard Peace Boat to spread the messages of this issue as well as their time on land in Da Nang, Vietnam; where they were able to visit a support center for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.
Special thanks to
Heather Bowser (Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance), Kenneth H. Young, Jenna Mack, Jon Mitchell
&
Da Nang Center for Agent Orange and Disadvantaged Children

The lingering effects of Agent Orange from Peace Boat on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/peaceboat

(COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance Lapel Pins On Sale Now!

On November 21, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!

The Perfect stocking stuffer gift that will shine the whole year through!!!

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance is proud to introduce our new Lapel Pins for purchase

Individual Pins Are Priced At $12.00

Email Us At PMASON@COVVHA.NET To Place Your Orders!!!!

COVVHA Organic View Radio Agent Orange Veterans

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance On The Organic View Radio Show – Veterans Day Episode

On November 13, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

On Monday November 12, 2012, Kelly L. Derricks and Karen Y. Wengert were please to return to the Organic View Radio Show, hosted by June Stoyer, for a special Veterans Day feature about Agent Orange and the children of Vietnam Veterans.

Click the player below to hear the show!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theorganicview/2012/11/12/the-children-of-vietnam-veterans-health-alliance

Listen to internet radio with The Organic View on Blog Talk Radio

COVVHA BY DESIGN CUSTOM CLOTHING LINE

On November 5, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEW AGENT ORANGE AWARENESS CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS HEALTH ALLIANCE CUSTOM CLOTHING LINE “COVVHA BY DESIGN” SPONSORED BY

RED ZONE GRAPHIC EMBROIDERY

Check out some of our photos for our different brand lines like :

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COVVHA COMFORT SLEEP LINE

COVVHA VETERANS & MILITARY

COVVHA LAPEL PINS

R2M CUSTOM

For Ordering and product Information Please Contact

PMASON@COVVHA.NET

To View Photos, please Click HERE

Agent Orange News Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance 2012

Agent Orange Dioxin & GMO News September – October

On October 8, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

One veteran’s story about fighting Agent Orange

Ruben Rosario: Did this veteran’s service cost him his life?

Ken Blum: Focus on Agent Orange before victims are all gone

John Bury: Victims of Agent Orange must band together to push …

Despite knowing Agent Orange, Parkinson’s link some veterans still have …

France May Issue Call for Europe-Wide Ban on GM Corn

Red Fridays – Burn Pits, the new Agent Orange

Genetically Modified Organisms No Answer to Food Shortage

Treatment of veterans is totally disgusting

Federal Judge Dismisses Agent Orange Case in NY

Agent Orange in Okinawa: the Smoking Gun

Prop 37: 8 Reasons for Voting Yes for Labeling GMO Foods

New method of cleaning Passaic River fails test in Lyndhurst

Promise made, promise kept: Son takes father’s fight about Agent …

Agent Orange wrecks future generations’ too?

Corpus Christi Army Depot’s safety history sometimes spotty

Letters: A veteran’s take on his healthcare

After military service, veterans next battle V.A.

Vietnamese, Korean dioxin victims on epic bike trip

Homeland Security is Working for Monsanto

US says to help clear dioxin from Da Nang airport by 2016

War veterans’ children supported by scholarships

Over VND2.5 billion raised for disadvantaged children

Agent Orange consequences to be overcome by 2020

Vietnam Veteran Remembered As Kind, Proud American

SEARCH TIME.COM

US, Vietnam join hands to deal with AO consequences

Agent Orange chemical in GM war on resistant weeds

Agent Orange cleanup effort stirs questions about responsibility

Mag Links Romney To Monsanto

Remember Vietnam,Continuing Birth Defects Caused By Agent …

Massive Attack on GMO Labeling Proposal in California

Monsanto: One of Romney & Bain’s Earliest Clients

Andrew G. Reiter: Questions on efforts to clean up Agent Orange

Oregonians Fear Harmful Effects From Timberland Herbicides

AGENT ORANGE Rainbow Herbicides A Bioforming Pandemic Killing Some …

Feds May Acknowledge Ground Zero Cancer Link

FRA | Legislative Update: Agent Orange Reform

Debate over genetically modified food gets political with Prop. 37

Agent Orange’s shameful legacy

U.S. and Vietnam looking to improve trade relations

American student asks justice for AO victims

Birth defects caused by Agent Orange : WTF

Dow denies succour to Bhopal despite new-found enveronmentalism

Navy veteran says Agent Orange is still a concern

Dow Chemical still blamed for deaths and birth defects and under …

Laos still in the dark on Agent Orange impact

United States and Laos yet to deal with Agent Orange legacy

I look to the positives rather than the ifs or the buts’

United States Embarks On $43 Million Effort to - Birth Defect Lawyer …

Da Nang: 62 people infected with dioxin

VA Harnesses Big Data For Broader Impact

McNair researcher to use Vietnam’s toxic aftermath for realistic theatre

Craig Wehrle: War supporter Grothman should look at birth defects

The Terrible Legacy of Agent Orange

Vietnam forgotten, more than a ‘Lost Generation’

150, 000 Vietnamese children born with birth defects - Agent …

He’s telling the other side of war

Veterans For Peace: U.S. just beginning Agent Orange cleanup in …

Cleaning Agent Orange - Video Library – The New York Times

Behind the front line

The Toxic Effects of Agent Orange Persist 51 Years After the …

Children of Vietnam Health Alliance Makes Debut Appearance On Vietnam Television – VIDEO

On October 1, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

We here at COVVHA, get this question a lot…

When I made my first trip to Vietnam, my biggest fear was that I would be considered a traitor, a war sympathizer, and God forbid, a Hanoi Jane (A.K.A. Hanoi Heather). Even after my first trip, I was a little hesitant to start speaking out. Then it happened. I just started sharing my experiences with others. To my surprise, as I started speaking out, many American Vietnam Veterans came to me asking questions. They would ask, “Did you go to XXX? I served there, what is it like now?” Others would speak of the topography, where they went on R&R, more than one told me of a lost love, asking if I met any Vietnamese American children. Some would tentatively ask how I was treated by the Vietnamese. When I would tell the stories of meeting aging Vietnamese veterans, who once fought for the North or South, and how they would listen to my family’s tragic Agent Orange story, and tear up, then tell me through the translator, how they are very sick from diabetes, cancers and heart conditions and how their children are very ill or dead. The American Veteran would listen, and then more often than not say, “I’m glad you went, I’m not sure if I would go back, but I’m glad you went. I know your Dad is very proud of you.” That was all the affirmation I needed. I was on the right path. It took the men who are living the long Shadow of the Vietnam War to give me the courage I needed.

A few times, and I say very few, because it’s only happened twice, I have been called a “War sympathizer,” I will tell you no Vietnam Veteran has ever called me such. Maybe they are too polite or too pissed to speak with me, I get that, but I’ve never had that experience. When it has happened, I have said, I am not a war sympathizer, I am a humanitarian, the war is over, and our countries are at peace with each other. The mental, and physical pain left from the war is not over, on either side, but the actual taking up arms and killing each other is.

The Vastness of the problem with Agent Orange in Vietnam took till my third trip to even grasp. Vietnam is roughly the same size in square miles as the state of New Mexico. Vietnam reports it has over three million Agent Orange victims. Now think about a county in your state. In one small province in Vietnam I visited, there were 14,000 Agent Orange Victims, 7,000 of them were second generation victims. Can you imagine? Remember the polio epidemic? If it were happening again, would you just sit by and watch? Now, not only throw in the polio epidemic, but also throw in extreme poverty, very poor health care and toxic local environments that are continuing to poison the food supply, creating more victims. This is the current state of things in Vietnam. Would you support those who were doing the work to stop it, and improve the conditions of innocent children? There are many trying to stop this epidemic in Vietnam.

How can helping those offspring affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam help the offspring of Vietnam Veterans in the US or Australia? Currently, there is more research going on in Vietnam on issues of Agent Orange than anywhere else in the world. In Vietnam, there are more supporters globally then there have ever been for the children of US or Australian Veterans. Ninety nine percent of these global supporters do not even know there are Agent Orange offspring Victims in the United States or Australia. If none of the children of American Vietnam Vets or Australian Vietnam Vets are speaking out and educating those in the global community that we are in fact here, how will they ever know? How will they ever know we need help with health care costs and the like?
Why is all this research happening and global supporters still do not know other victims exist? Number one, it is the multitudes of identifiable Agent Orange victims in Vietnam. Remember, three million victims in the area as large as the state of New Mexico. Secondly, it has to do with the fact that Vietnam acknowledges there is a problem, unlike the Australian and US Governments, and invites researchers in to try to help. I do have to have a side note to say, at least the Australian Government has been more open to appropriate research. Our governments and chemical companies have worked hard to dismiss the Vietnam Veteran’s story of suffering in their children and stifle any real research. Then they turn around and say, there are no reputable studies on the affects of Dioxin in the offspring of Vietnam Veterans
.
Wouldn’t it be helpful if this international support would come to the offspring of American and Australian Agent Orange victims as well? Especially after the last 40 years that our own governments have turned their back on our Fathers, and our families. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the same pressure that is happening in Vietnam to require the government to create social/medical change for the victims of Agent Orange could also happen in the US and Australia? Unless the children of American and Australian Vietnam Veterans engage with the rest of the world, it will pass us by while we wait for our governments to just do the right thing. How much longer should we be passive?

There is something to be said for the emotional healing that has happened for me as a result of my trips to Vietnam. I was once extremely bitter, especially after my own Father died as a result of his AO illnesses. It changed me to see other disabled children born after the war, who also like myself, had no say in the politics of the 60’s, interacting and caring for each other. Their simple acts of compassion for each other helped heal a very lonely place left in my heart from childhood. It’s also given me hope by watching Non Government Organizations, physically help those in most need in Vietnam. I see what could be. I see the future for projects that could meet the unique needs of American and Australian generational victims of Agent Orange. We have to be out there meeting each other, we have to understand the suffering we ALL are going through. One of our dreams is to facilitate a group of American/Australian victims of Agent Orange to go to Vietnam as a delegation to experience this for themselves. It’s only with doing, engaging and acting can real change happen.

It’s about public relations, building relationships, comparing research, and comparing experiences, that helps not only the greater good, but us in the long run. Some may never agree with me, and that is fine. I am a humanitarian, not a war sympathizer, I have my Father’s approval and that is all I need to continue this work. Caring about the Vietnamese Agent Orange victim really does matter.

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxhnIKp3WlU

Top List for Avoiding GMOs

On September 13, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Outside of avoiding these companies and doing your best to purchase organic produce that starts with the number 9 on the PLU code sticker (the sticker on fruits and vegetables), here are 10 foods that are the most likely to contain GMOs that you should avoid when not consuming an organic source:

1. Corn

2. Soy

3. Sugar

4. Papayas

5. Aspartame (yes, aspartame is genetically modified! It was revealed back in the 90s in a little-known report).

6. Canola

7. Zucchini

8. Yellow squash

9. Dairy (more than 1/3 of non-organic dairy products in the United States still contain Monsanto’s genetically engineered hormone known as rBGH. Made from cloned DNA, the hormone is currently banned in over 27 countries).

10. Cotton (in the form of cotton oil).

Until proper legislation is enacted to label or ban GMOs entirely, it’s important to protect yourself and your family on a daily basis from the effects of genetically altered food staples.

Agent Orange Pregnancy Outcomes Among Us Women Vietnam Veterans – IOM Report

On July 31, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

The possibility of long-term health effects includingadverse reproductive health outcomes resulting frommilitary service in Vietnam has been a subject of researchinterest in the United States over the past two decades [CDCVietnam Experience Study, 1988; Stellman et al., 1988].The U.S. Congress, responding to concerns of many womenVietnam veterans, legislatively mandated a comprehensive health study of women Vietnam veterans. This mandate ledto three separate but related epidemiologic studies of women Vietnam era veterans: (1) post-Vietnam servicemortality follow-up; (2) assessment of psychologic healthoutcomes; and (3) reproductive health outcomes. Resultsof the ®rst two studies were published or submitted to Congress previously [Thomas et al., 1991; Dalager andKang, 1996]. The present report deals with the thirdstudy. The studies of reproductive outcomes among maleveterans have been mostly negative in that service inVietnam was [...]

This mandate ledto three separate but related epidemiologic studies of women Vietnam era veterans: (1) post-Vietnam servicemortality follow-up; (2) assessment of psychologic healthoutcomes; and (3) reproductive health outcomes. Resultsof the ®rst two studies were published or submitted to Congress previously [Thomas et al., 1991; Dalager andKang, 1996]. The present report deals with the thirdstudy.

The studies of reproductive outcomes among maleveterans have been mostly negative in that service inVietnam was not associated with the risk of fathering a childwith birth defects, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth orneonatal death [Erickson et al., 1984; Donovan et al.,1984; Aschengrau and Monson, 1989, 1990]. However, inthe recent “Ranch Hand study”, neural tube defects (spinabi®da, anencephaly) were reported in four children of U.S.Air Force personnel who sprayed Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam, while none was observed among children of control veterans [Wolfe et al., 1995].

Further-more, when the CDC birth defects study was reanalyzedusing the exposure opportunity index based upon interview data, the risk of spina bi®da was signi®cantly associatedwith the highest estimated level of Agent Orange exposure[Erickson et al., 1984]. Based on these data and others, anInstitute of Medicine panel suggested an associationbetween herbicide exposure in Vietnam and an increased risk of spina bi®da in children [IOM, 1996]

Agent Orange Pregnancy Outcomes Among Us Women Vietnam Veterans1097-0274(200010)38!4!447–AID-AJIM11-3.0

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Dioxin Reported Illness List – COVVHA Database Update

On July 24, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS, SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SECOND GENERATION, AGENT ORANGE DIOXIN BIRTH DEFECTS & HEALTH ISSUES

We have compiled a list of 63o reported illnesses that the biological Children of Vietnam Veterans are suffering from to try and find common threads. There have been no official claims that anything on this list has been proven to be caused by Agent Orange/Dioxin unless otherwise noted in the information below. Other reports indicate that there are up to 30 years of illnesses and conditions being collected that we suffer from as the second generation. While many of us are born with these problems, our members that participated in this list are generally between the ages of 20-45 both male and female, often with no prior family history. If you are suffering from any illness not listed, please email us at COVVHA@GMAIL.COM or fill out the comment section on our “Contact Us” page. This list has been updated as of July 24, 2012

Abnormal Cervical Bleeding
Abnormal growth between the ovaries
Abnormal Pap Smears
Abnormal Periods
Abnormal Rectal Bleeding
Achy Body
Acid Reflux
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Addiction (cigarettes)
Addiction(other than cigs/alcohol, non drug)
Addison’s Disease
Adenomyosis
ADHD
Adult Acne
Albinism
Alcoholism
Allergies
Alopecia Areata
Amblyopia
Amenorrhoea
Amputation
Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma-Basiloid Type
Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Anencephaly
Anemia
Anemia SC (as a small child when I had pneumonia)
Anger Issues
Angioedema
Ankyloglossia
Ankylosing spondylitis
Anorexia
Annual decrease in (night) vision
Anxiety/GAD
Aortic Pulmonary Regurgitation
Aphasia
Appendicitis
Arachnoid Cyst in Brain Space
Arnold Chiari Malformation
Arrhythmia
Arterial Vienous Malformation (AVM)
Arthritis: Inflammatory, of the SI Joint, Rhumatoid, Juvenile
ASD
Asperger’s Syndrome
Asthma
Ataxia
Atrial Fibrillation
Autism
Autoimmune Disease (Unknown Etiology)
Autonomic Neuropathy
Bacterial Infections
Back Pain
Balance Problems
Bell’s Palsy (now-resolved)
Berger’s Disease (Kidney Disease)
Benign Cyst (armpit)
Benign Multinodular Goiter
Benign Oral Cysts
Benign tumor on thryoid/ near total thyroidectomy surgery
Bicorneate Uterus
Bicuspid Aorta Heart Valve
Bicuspid Valve Prolapse
Bilateral Baker’s Cyst
Bilateral Uterus
Bipartide Patellas
Bipolar Disorder
Bladder infections/ UTI’s
BLADDER IS COLLAPSING
Bladder Lift
Bleeding Issues
Blindness
Blood in Urine (undefined)
Blood Vessel Issues
Boils
Bone Cancer
Bones Spurs/Problems (Undefined)
Bones Missing at Birth
Borderline High Blood Pressure
Borderline Diabetic
Borderline Schizophrenia
Born Blind
Born Deaf
Bowel Deformity/Issues
Brain Issues (Water on the brain, etc)
Brain (calcification & an enlarged Penvascular space)
Brain Lesions, Aneurisms, Tumors, Surgery
Brain Stem Abnormalities(Too small)
Brain Tumors
Breathing Problems (undefined)
Bronchitis/Bronchial Spasms
Bursitis
Calcium Deficiency
Calluses on vocal Chords-Faulty “flap” stomach acid caused
Camptodactyly
Cancer
Cardiac Arrhythmia
Cardiac Deformity
Cardiomyopathy
Cardio Sarcoma
Carpel Tunnel
Caudal Regression
Cava Perthes
Celiac Disease
Cellulitis Infections
Central Nervous System Disorder
Cerebellum Issues (Undefined)
Cerebra Aneurysm
Cerebral Palsy
Cervical Cancer
Cervical Dysplasia/Incompetency
Cervical Infections
Chiari Malformation (Assoc. with Spina Bifida)
Chemical Sensitivity
Chest Wall Pain/ Breast Pain
Childhood bedwetting
Childhood Extreme Shyness
Chloracne
Choristoma ( tumor in the ear)
Chromosome Abnormalities
Chronic (Asthmatic) Bronchitis
Chronic Candida and Other Female Reproductive Organ Infections
Chronic Childhood Ear Infections
Chronic Cold/Flu
Chronic Constipation
Chronic Costochondritits
Chronic ENT issues resulting in adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy and ear tubes
Chronic Fatigue And Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFAIDS)
Chonic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)
Chronic Insomnia
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Knee Dysplasia
Chronic Migraines
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic Pneumonia (Childhood/Recurring)
Chronic Sinusitis
Chronic Urinary tract infections
Chronic Urinary Tract Infections
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), Severe
Cleft Palate, Lips
Clotting Disorders
Club Foot (Talipes equinovarus )
Cold Hands and Feet
Collapsed Vertebrae
Colon Issues
Complete Hysterectomy: Age 25, Age 31, Age 37,Age 36
Complete Pelvic Floor Collapse
Compromised Immune System
Compulsive Skin Picking
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Congenital Anosenia (Born without the ability to smile)
Congenital Heart Blockage
Congenital Hips
Congenital Hypertension
Congenital Scoliosis
Cognitive Issues
Connective Tissue Disorder
Constipation/Cramping
Costochondritis
Conversion Disorder
Cranial Synthesis
Crohn’s Disease
Crossed Eyes (Newborn)
Cryoglobulinemia
Cushing’s Syndrome
Cystic Acne
Cystic Fibrosis
Cysts: Arm, Brain, Hand, Leg, Shoulder Blade, Thyroid, Arm, Ovaries & Wrists.
Daily Headaches
Debilitating Muscle Spasms
Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
Deformed Extermities/Digits
Deformed Sinuses
Deformity Chest/Brest
Deformity Shoulder/Muscles
Degenerative Disc/Bone Disease
Degenerative Ligament Tissue
Degenerative Joint Disease
Dehydration
Dental Problems
Depression (Major, Clinical, Severe)
Dermatitis
Developmental Delay
Deviated Septum
Dextrocardia
Diagonal earlobe Crease
Diarrhea
Digestive Issues
Disc Desiccation
Dissociative Disorder
Diverticulitis
Dizzy Spells
Double Cervix
Double Hernia at Birth
Double Ureter
Double Uterus/Cervix
Double Uvula
Droop Eye (Ptosis)
Drug Abuse
Duane Syndrome
Dwarfism
Dysautonomia
Dysphaxia
Dyslexia
Dysthemia
Ear Infections, Problems, Surgeries, Tubes
Ectopic Pregnancy
Eczema
Electrolyte Abnormalities
Elevated Heart Rate
Emotional Problems
Endocrine Disorders
Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial Hyperplasia
Endometriosis
Enlarged Liver (Cause Unknown)
Epilepsy
Excessive Sweating
Exotropia
Extra body parts (Organs)
Eye Problems (Undefined)
Facet Joint Syndrome
Facial Aplasia
Factor Z Leiden
Familial Tremor
Fatty Deposits on Liver
Felty’s Syndrome
Fever (Undefined)
Fever Seizures
Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Fibroid Cysts in Breast
Fibromyalgia
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
Food Allergies
Follicular Lymphoma/Large B Cell Lymphoma
Foot Deformity, Issues, Burning
Fragile X Syndrome
Frazonism
Fused Digits
Fused Vertebrae in Neck
Gall Bladder Disease
Gallstones
Ganglion Cyst
Gastritis
Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroparesis
Gene Mutation
Glaucoma
Glioblastoma
Gluten Intolerance
Goiter
Goldenhar Syndrome
Gout
Grand Mal Seizures
Grave’s Disease
Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD)
Growths/Lumps on Skull
HAE – Hereditary Angioedema (still being tested for verification)
HAE – Hereditary Angioedema Type 3
Hair Loss
Hairy Cell Leukemia
Hashimoto’s auto-immune thyroid disease
Headaches
Head Sores
Heat Intolerance
Hearing Loss/Deafness
Heart Attack
Heart Disease
Heart Failure
Heart Problems/Surgery (Undefined)
Heart Murmur (as a child) Heart Palpatations
Heel Spur
Hemangioma
Hereditary (atypical) heochromatosis
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)
Hernia
Herniated Discs
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
High Pulse Rate
Hip Deformity, Pain, Surgery (Undefined)
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Pain (Undefined)
Hip Replacement
Hirsutism
Histiocytosis
Hives
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Hormone Issues/Replacement
Hidradenitis suppurativa
Hydrocephalus
Hydrococle Hernia
Hylan Membrane
Hyman Issues (Partially Intact)
Hypercoagulability
Hyperhomocysteinemia
Hyperinsulimia
Hyperlipidemia
Hypermobility Issues/ Surgeries
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypospadias
Hypoplastic Heart
Hyoplasia –Entire Right Side
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Hypoglycemia
Hypothyroidism (HASHIMOTOS)
Idiopathic Gastroparesis
Idiopathic Intercranial Hypertension (IIH)
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) Platelet Disorder
Immune System Issues (Undefined & IVIG Infusions)
Incompetent Cervix
Infertility (SECONDARY)
Insulin Resistance
Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
Intracranial Cyst
Intracranial Hypertension
Involuntary Muscle Spasm (Face) (EYE, LEGSSTOACH,ABDOMEN)
Iron Deficiency
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Ischemic Heart Disease
ITP
Jaw Deformity/Surgery
Joint & Muscle Problems/Pain
Joint Hypermobility Syndrome
Keratosis pilaris
Kidney Disease/Surgery
Kidney Stones, Infection, Cysts
Kienbock’s Disease
Knee Problems/Dysplasia ,Pain, Surgery
Knee Replacement
Lateral Microtia
Lazy Eye (x2)
Learning Disabilities
Legally blind
Lethargy
Leukemia
Leukocytosis with neutrophilia
Lhermitte’s Sign
Lichen Planus
Liponas-(non-cancerous tumors throughout the body)
Liver Disease (Fatty/Undefined)
Liver Inflammation/Other
Liver Lesions
Long QT Syndrome (LQTS)
Loss of Skin Pigment
Loss of Strength in Limbs
Low Blood Count (Red)
Low Blood Pressure
Low Estrogen
Low Potassium
Low Testosterone
Low vitamin D levels…even with sun and supplements
Lumbarization (Extra Vertabrae)
Lung Deformity (3rd Lung)
Lung Disease, Nodules, Tumors, Clots
Lupus
Lupus of the Skin
Lymphoma
Lymphatic Tumors/ Lymphangioma
Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Lymphocytic Thyroditis
Macrodactyly
Malabsorption of food/drink
Marfan Syndrome
Mastoiditis
Melanoma (spreading)
Memory Loss
Memory Retention Problems
Meniere’s Disease
Menopause Issues (Early)
Menstrual Cycle Issues
Mental Health Issues
Mental Retardation
Menorrhagia
Metabolic Syndromes
Methicillin Staphylococcus Resistant Aureus (MSRA)
Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR)
Microtia
Migraine headaches ( Cluster, Basilar, and Hemiplegic Migraines)
Mild Displasia
Miscarriages
Missing a whole layer of dermis (skin)
Missing Big Toe
Missing Fingers
Missing Limb (Right Leg, Below the Knee)
Mitral valve prolapsed
Mittelschmerz
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD)
Mood Swings
Motor Development (Slow @ Childhood)
Mullerian Aplasia
Multiple Cardiac Arrests
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Reoccuring Undiagnosed Oozing Sores
Muscle Spasms, Pain, Numbness, (Undefined)
Musco-Skeletal Problems
Muscular Dystrophy
Myasthenia Gravis
Mycobacterium gordonae
Nasal Cancer
Nasal Polyps
Nausea/Vomiting for no apparent reason.
Neck Pain/ Problems
Nerve Damage
Neuralgia: Face, Feet, Hands, Legs
Neurocardiogenic
Neurological Problems (Undefined)
Neuropathy
Neutropenia
Nevus Sebaceous
Night Blindness
Nightmares
Night Terrors
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Nosebleeds
Numbness (Hands, Feet, Body, Limbs)
Nystagmus
Obesity
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Orthostatic Hypotension
Osteoarthritis
Osteochondritis
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Osteopenia
Osteoporosis
Osteosclerosis
Osteo-Slaughters
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cysts
Overactive Bladder
Pain (Undefined)
Pain in chest, radiating up right side of neck
Palate Problems
Pancreatitis
Pancytopenia
Panic Attacks
Para-Thyroid Gland Disfunction
Paralysis
Paresthesia
Pericarditis
Pars Plantis
Patellar Subluxation (Left Knee)
Pectus Excavatum
Peeling As If Sunburned (Face and body)
Pelvic Bones Not Fused
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (before hysterectomy)
Pelvic Reconstruction/Issues
Peptic Ulcers
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral Nervous System Disorder
Periventricular Leukomalacia
Personality Disorder
Phantom pains in random places in my body with no apparent cause
Photo-sensitivity
Pierre Robin Sequence
Pituitary Gland Dysfunction
Pituitary Issues/Tumors
Pityriasis
Planar Spaciatis
Poland Syndrome
Poliosis
Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Poly Cystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
Polycythemia Vera Without Genetic Factor
Polymyositis
Poor Egg Quality
Porphyria
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Potassium Issues
Preeclampsia
Pregnancy Complications (Undefined)
Pregnancy, Partial Molar
Premature Babies
Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumor (PNET)
Prolactinemia
Prolapsed Cervix
Prostate Problems/Enlarged
Psoriasis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pseudo tumor Cerebri
Pseudo Obstruction (Intestinal, Neurological)
Ptosis
PTSD (Primary)
PTSD (Secondary)
Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary Fibrosis/Other (Undefined)
Pulmonary Restriction
Pyloric Stenosis
PVC’s
Rapid Absorption
Rash (Skin, Newborn, Undefined)
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Rectal Prolapse
Rectal Seal Prolapse
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome
Renal Cysts/Calcifications
Renal Failure
Reproductive Problems (Female)
Respiratory Infections/Distress
Restless Leg Syndrome
Retroverted Uterus
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Rosacea
Sacral Agenesis
Sacral Luburalization
Salpingitis Isthmica Nodosa (SIN)
Sarcoidosis
Schizophrenia
Scladerma
Scoliosis
Sebaceous Cysts (Lumps on the head)
Seizures, Stress
Seizures, Petite Mal
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive to Medication
Sensitive Teeth
Septate Uterus
Severe Chronic Neutropenia
Severe Light Sensitivity
Shingles: Ears, Mouth, Opthamalic, Throat
Short term memory problems
Sinus Tachycardia
Sinus Infections/ Problems
Sinusitis
Sjogrens
Skin Cancer
Skin Problems/ Deformity
Skin Rashes
Sleep Apnea
Slight Deviated Jaw
Snoring
Social Problems
Spastic Colon
Speech Problems
Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Occulta
Spinal Cord Disease/ Tumors
Spinal Deformities
Spinal Deterioration
Spinal Meningitis
Spinal Surgeries/ Pain (Undefined)
Sphincter of Oddi Disorder-
Splentic Cysts
Spondyloarthropy
Spondylithesis
Spondylolytis
Squamous Papilloma (Benign Polyp in Mouth)
Steatohepatitis
Stenosis of the Spine
Stomach Pains/Problems
Strabismus
Strange Growths
Stress
Stroke
Sturge Weber Syndrome
Subglottal Stenosis
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicide
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
Swelling (Undefined)
Swollen Glands
Syndactyly
Syringomyelia
Tachycardia (Unknown, Due to WPW Syndrome)
Temporal Arteritis
Tendonitis
Testicle Deformity
Thinning of the hair, top front
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)
Throat Tumors
Thrombophilia
Thyroid Cancer (Hoshimotos)
Thyroid Issues & Cysts (Hyperthyroidism)
Tilted Uterus
Tinnitus (Lifelong)
TMJ
Tooth Decay (Abnormal)
Tooth Formation Absence (Adult Teeth Never Came In)
Torticollis
Tonsillitis/Tonsillectomy
Tourettes
Toxic Shock Syndrome
Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula
Tremors/ Ticks
Triple Ureter
Triple X Syndrome
Truncus Arteriosis
Tuberculosis (TB)
Tumors
Tumor on the parathyroid
Tumors on Liver
Twitches
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
Ulcers, Stomach, Mouth, Nose
Ulcerated Colitis
Undiagnosed Rash (One Side of Body)
Unexplained Numbness
Unexplained Tingling (Right Side Of Body)
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)/ Issues
Uterine Cancer
Uterine Leiomyosarcoma
Urticaria
Unspecified Immunodeficiency
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine Polyps
Vacterl syndrome
Vaginal Bleeding
Vaginosis
Vasculitis
Vascular Headaches
Varicose Veins
Vertibrae, Extra/ Missing
Vertigo
Vision Problems
Vitiligo
Vomiting
Von Willebrand’s Disease
Vulvodynia (Pain In The Vulva)
Weak Muscles (Left Leg)
Webbed Toes
Weight Loss
Whole Thyroidectomy Surgery
Wolff- Parkinson- White Syndrome
VA has recognized that certain birth defects among Veterans’ children are associated with Veterans’ qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea. Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta), a defect in the developing fetus that results in incomplete closing of the spine, is associated with Veterans’ exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea. Birth defects in children of women Veterans is associated with their military service in Vietnam, but are not related to herbicide exposure. The affected child must have been conceived after the Veteran entered Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone during the qualifying service period. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Many Children of Vietnam Veterans (COVVs) and family members of COVVs, contact us with questions about COVV’s health concerns. At this point in time, the government does not recognize that Agent Orange causes birth defects or illnesses in the children (or grandchildren) of male Vietnam Veterans, unless the COVV has Spina Bifida (Only for Children of Vietnam Vets not Grandchildren). This is a tragic denial of the many unexplained medical illnesses and birth defects many Children of Male Vietnam Veterans face. Please, if you or a loved one is suffering from an unexplained birth defect, or illness, you think may be caused by Agent Orange read the information below.
Please file a claim with the Department Of Veterans Affairs as soon as possible. This claim will be denied, but we have to start identifying ourselves with the VA.
You can find all mentioned forms on www.Va.gov.
Please follow the instructions below:
You will need to provide years your Father was in Vietnam and his Social Security number.
If your father has passed away, and his death was linked to Agent Orange exposure, state that.
1. Application for benefits (be sure to keep copies for your records)
A. Complete claim form no. 21-03042
B. Complete Statement of support form no. 21-4138 used to add additional information. Add anything you feel is necessary in understanding your claim.
Send these forms in as soon as possible!
2. RECEIVING YOUR DENIAL
Please be advised your claim will be denied. It will state, “There is no record of your mother serving in Vietnam or Korea. There is no proof of spina bifida.” This is their standard answer to all of the children of male Vietnam Veterans (unless you have Spina Bifida, then you are eligible for benefits).
3. Filing an appeal
A. Your next step is to file an appeal
1. Complete: Appeal Form VA9
2. Complete: Release of Medical Information Form 21-4142
a. The VA most likely will not attempt to acquire your records
4. Prepare for the hearing
A. Wait for your hearing Date
B. Gather all your medical records that support your claim
5. The Hearing
A. Take any witnesses that can support your claim
B. Contact your Senator or Congressman and senator, asking them to attend the hearing or to send a representative.

THE SOLDIER AND THE HIPPIE

On July 23, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

THE SOLDIER AND THE HIPPIE

Yep….As I write this, my hair color loosely resembles the pink cotton candy at the state fair. By the time this is printed, it will probably be more a lilac hue. One of my tattoos is a Tibetan Buddhist mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM. It translates to ,’OM, the jewel in the lotus,’ meaning to find compassion in the darkest, most unexpected places. I say this mantra often when I am at odds with someone, or feel tension of some sort. I also have symbols of the four elements tatted around my wrists, a reminder to keep all of my bodies in balance. According to Eastern mystics and meta-physicians, we have four bodies, of course. One of my heroes is Gloria Steinem. I honestly believe if women ran things, more progress would be made. Add Eastern thought to that equation, and I don’t believe we would find a need for war. The one time I held a cold and heavy gun, I got a bit nauseous. Seriously. I couldn’t do it. My body had a violent reaction to a violent and deadly weapon. In short, these are just some of the reasons I would not make a good soldier. These are also some of the topics that cause my former Marine and Nam vet dad, to argue with me. Or, to put it plainly, he argues and I say my mantras.

The Tibetan monk, Thich Nhat Hanh was interviewed by Oprah recently. He commented that if we each took the time to actively listen to one another, and just say, ‘I hear you. I hear your suffering. I empathize. I understand,” there would be no war. Not try to solve their issue, or argue their beliefs, just listen. I heartily agree. He also spoke of the famous Monk protests during the Vietnam war that upset so many, including my father. Hanh said the monks setting themselves aflame was not like the suicide bombers of today because they were only hurting themselves. To paraphrase, he explained it was their way to call attention to the suffering at the time.
It was because of this act so many years ago, that my father got upset when I started exploring Buddhism. It did not matter that the monks never physically hurt him or his men, he took it as an act against him. It did not matter that some of his men converted to Buddhism while stationed there. Still to this day, he has not forgiven those monks. Nor the protesters he encountered when he returned home in August of 1966. I suppose California was the last place the vets should have landed, with it being a hotbed of hippie counterculture.

“But they were receiving different information about the war than what you were told, Dad. Both of your groups were receiving misinformation. And some of them were just against the war, not you as a person,” I said after studying the era in high school. But, it didn’t matter. He hated them enough to get thrown in jail for punching one in the face, about six hours after landing. That’s my dad!
At the time, and even now, he cannot comprehend their side. His ability to forgive is masked by hurt and pain from the horrors he had witnessed, the difficult decisions he had made on a daily basis during his tour. He will not open his heart for them, or anyone else that attacks his fragile ego. I suppose I can understand others’ attitudes when I speak out against war; being his daughter. I can see a soldier being furious with me that I am not supporting them in something they fully see as their duty. But, can we not support the person as a human, and not a war? This is the thin line I walk between two worlds: my father’s world and the way I was raised, versus my world and my spiritual truth.

Dad’s world is VERY black and white. It has to be the way he wants it, from only his view. And then, there is the rest of the world. Separate. With him being the supreme ruler of our household, you cannot question him in any sense of the word. It was very difficult for me to grow up in this environment. He raised us like soldiers, but also prim and proper ladies. But never autonomous or free thinking. Have I shown you enough of my character for you to grasp how impossible this was/is for me to live with?? I need reasoning for things. I need to see all sides of the argument, the history, the patterns.

For instance, I researched some very gruesome, despicable men in my Criminal Justice courses for college, only to find they were also victims of abuse and neglect. When there are cases of extreme child abuse on Nancy Grace, I wonder, “Why did they do it?” As you can guess, Dad does not think this way. In fact, he doesn’t think about it at all. ‘She’s guilty! Fry her!” And while this is upsetting to me, I understand this is how he was taught to think. As you can surmise, I did not make it through the criminal justice program. Progressive liberal ways of thinking are much more suited in Early Childhood Development courses, and that is just where I went for my degree!
I often take part in letter writing and email campaigns for various causes dear to my heart. I would like to be more active outside the home, if my health issues improved. I feel the need, and have the right for my voice to be heard. I feel that we are all connected by a cosmic force, and that alone stirs my passion to speak. My dad, on the other hand, does not want to draw attention, anger anyone, or show any signs of protest to ‘The Man.’ It is a wonder I survived adolescence. When I see what I view as an injustice, or see someone or something who cannot speak for themselves, I use my voice. I don’t wait for someone else to step in. I’ve been there many times throughout my life, and would have been relieved if someone spoke for me. It isn’t that I set out to make waves, or piss off my Dad, it just happens that way.

I imagine at the beginning of this piece, you thought was referring to two opposing forces of the Vietnam War. Did you guess by the end that I was using both words to describe me?

Epilogue– After much debate, I shared this with my father. I had to quit reading for a bit after the Gloria Steinem comment, then again after the monks, so he could calm down. (He still is pissed at them.) The whole time, his chapped hands wrung anxiously. A few times he chuckled. He said he liked it, and thought it was good. Then, he talked for about and hour and a half about the war, which is rare for him. Among things, he admitted being stuck in the soldier mentality and in that era.
“The world moved on. I didn’t, ” he said. “I don’t know another way to be.” He still prefers WHITE men in charge; everyone to be Christian; men and women to marry only each other, and settle down to have nice, polite, and obedient children. He fears change so much, that he would rather be stressed and miserable than question why. I, on the other hand, dance with the hungry ghosts in my closet in order to learn about myself. I haplessly run towards the dark, unknown path where I faintly see only a few others ahead to challenge tradition and grow as my true self. But, I guess he already walked a more dangerous, unknown path with a different set of phantoms.

I don’t claim to be more elvolved, or have a clear picture why HE is the way he is, but i am more aware. And this is a start.

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

London Assembly calls on IOC to review Dow Chemicals Olympics deal

On July 11, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

The London Assembly today called on the Olympics organisers to rethink their partner-relationship with Dow Chemicals—the company involved in producing the Agent Orange dioxin used during the Vietnam War.

Assembly members voted to urge Lord Coe’s 2012 committee and the IOC to “consider the environmental, social, ethical and human rights records of companies when awarding high-profile partnership deals.”

Dow and 35 other companies manufactured Agent Orange for the US government which was dropped on Vietnam rain forests in the 1960s which campaigners say got in the food chain and caused genetic birth deformities for generations.

The company, which sponsored the plastic ‘wrap around’ of the Olympic Stadium in east London, also bought Union Carbide, owners of the Bhopal pesticide plant which blew up in the 1984 disaster in India. The official death toll of Bhopal was 2,259, but thousands more died subsequently from poisoning.

“The Bhopal factory site still hasn’t been cleared up almost 30 years after the horrific chemical disaster,” Navin Shah told the Assembly. “The survivors and their families continue to fight for compensation.

“It is time for the 2012 organisers and the IOC to take their ethical and sustainability code seriously and exclude Dow Chemical from future sponsorship deals.”

He put forward a resolution urging organisers to review their partnership with Dow Chemicals.

“We owe it to the victims and their families to demand action and changes to keep out the likes of Dow Chemical from future Games,” he added.

The Assembly urged the IOC to tighten regulations around Olympic sponsorship.

Assembly member Darren Johnson said: “Enthusiasm for the London Games is in danger of being tarnished by association with companies like Dow Chemical.

“Dow bought Union Carbine with its assets and also took on the responsibility—it’s time they lived up to it.”

Campaigners in east London also have a score to settle over its involvement in Agent Orange.

2012 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce

On June 19, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

EWG’s 2012 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ From The Environmental Working Group Website. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/faq/ This printable photo includes “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Clean Fifteen”

This is something you will want to print out and have with you on all of your trips to the supermarket!

Agent Orange’s deadly legacy spreads to Japan

On June 18, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

The fallout from the US military’s use of Agent Orange may have spread from Vietnam to Japan. Massive caches of the toxic herbicide were buried on Futenma, “the world’s most dangerous base,” potentially poisoning the island, a Japanese daily reports.

The US military presence has long been a point of contention for locals on the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, a cluster of islands located some 400 miles south of Japan.

A slew of violent crimes committed over the last 40 years by US servicemen has led 85 per cent of locals to oppose the presence of American bases on Okinawa. However, the military’s most deadly mark on the islands may be a far less visible killer: Agent Orange.

Scores of barrels of the defoliating chemical were clandestinely buried at Futenma Air Base on Okinawa Island following the Vietnam War, the Japan Times reports.

The Pentagon allegedly ignored repeated requests from soldiers serving on the island in the 70s and 80s to safely dispose of a pesticide a million times more toxic than any naturally occurring poison.

In the Summer of 1981, “unacceptably high readings” of chemicals in the wastewater flowing out of the installation prompted Lt. Col. Kris Roberts, the former head of maintenance projects on Futenma, to start digging up the ground near the end of the base’s runway.

“We unearthed over 100 barrels buried in rows. They were rusty and leaking and we could see orange markings around some of their middles,” Roberts, now a state representative in New Hampshire, told the Japan Times in a recent interview.

Agent Orange, the most widely-used of the “Rainbow Herbicides” deployed during the United States’ decade-long herbicidal warfare program in Vietnam, got its moniker from the orange-stripped barrels in which it was shipped. The US used over 76 million liters of defoliants to rob the Vietcong of cover and food.

As Okinawa was a forward staging post for the US military during the war, the base was a likely transit point for the herbicides despite the Pentagon’s insistence to the contrary.

Roberts’ ranking officers tried to hush the find up by having local workers haul off the seeping barrels to an undisclosed location. A typhoon soon flooded the burial site, whereby Roberts and his men jumped down into the toxic cesspool and drained “the contaminated water off the base.”

Since his contact with the chemicals, Roberts has been plagued by a series of life-threatening illnesses, including prostate cancer, precursors of lung cancer, and heart problems. His doctors have no doubt his ailments stem from his exposure to Agent Orange.

Roberts has fought to have the US Marine Corps and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contact his former crew out of fear they were similarly poisoned, but his appeals have fallen on deaf ears.

Despite the official Pentagon position, in February the Department of Veterans’ Affairs awarded two former service members compensation for exposure to Agent Orange during their deployment on Okinawa at the time.
One of the sick veterans said it was routine to ship goods contaminated with Agent Orange for cleaning as the Vietnam War was winding down.

In fact, between 1962 and 2010, 132 Veterans serving on Okinawa during the Vietnam War era claim to have been exposed to Agent Orange, despite repeated denials from the Pentagon that the defoliant was ever present on the islands.

Read The Full Story

http://www.rt.com/news/agent-orange-buried-okinawa-932/

Hearing on Monsanto lawsuit deal begins Monday – Nitro Vest Virginia

On June 18, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

A hearing begins Monday to determine whether a multimillion-dollar settlement in the huge class-action Monsanto dioxin lawsuit should be approved.

Judge must decide if settlement is fair

By Kate White The Charleston Gazette

The judge must decide if the settlement reached Feb. 24, after nearly a decade of litigation, is fair, reasonable and adequate.

Under the tentative agreement, chemical giant Monsanto will provide class-members up to $93 million. The company has agreed to a 30-year medical monitoring program with a primary fund of $21 million for testing, and up to $63 million in additional funding, if necessary. It also has agreed to spend $9 million cleaning 4,500 homes.

The settlement also would allow residents to retain their right to file personal-injury lawsuits against Monsanto if medical tests turn up illnesses potentially related to dioxin exposure.

Word of the settlement emerged on the eve of an expected six-month trial in a case in which Nitro-area residents sought medical monitoring for dioxin-related illnesses and a cleanup of what they argue is a contaminated community.

Before an agreement in a class-action lawsuit is finalized, the members of the class must be notified of the proposed settlement and given a chance to object to its terms.

Expert testimony must be presented to prove the settlement is appropriate and that the testing procedures of the medical monitoring match the benefits that originally were sought, among other things.

In their lawsuit filed in 2004, Nitro residents said Monsanto unsafely burned dioxin wastes and spread contaminated soot and dust across the city, polluting homes with unsafe levels of the chemical.

For more than 50 years, the Monsanto plant in Nitro churned out herbicides, rubber products and other chemicals. The plant’s production of the defoliant Agent Orange created dioxin as a toxic chemical byproduct.

Read Next Page

http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201206150173?page=2&build=cache

“Heart Of Rage”
Harry C. Mackel Jr. – In Memory Day 2012 Washington D.C.
Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance Original Article

On June 15, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Harry C. Mackel Jr. September 4, 1945 – October 14, 1982
In Memory Day 2012

Today is a day I would have rather just kept to myself. As a matter of fact, for the last 2 weeks less than 5 people knew that exactly 30 years and 8 months to the date of my father’s death, his name would be included at a ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall known as “In Memory Day”.

I’m not there. It was quite a difficult decision for me to make. A decision that made me feel forced to attend a funeral of sorts. I buried my father 30 years ago when I was 7 years old. There’s not anything about the day that I don’t remember. When I was told that his memory was to be included in today’s events I felt very sad. I expressed to the people that did tell that I thought most would expect me to be happy about it. But I wasn’t. Not in any way.

Let’s face it. People don’t visit the Vietnam Memorial Wall to be happy. It is in essence a collective grave stone with more than 58,000 names on it. 30 years later our government has decided to acknowledge my father’s service in Vietnam and his death thereafter as something special? 30 years later?

To be clear, I did not submit the application, a relative did. One that I have spoken to less than 10 times over the last 20 years. When and if I ever go back to The Wall, it will be on my own terms and my own time. It will certainly not be yet another day in history that the United States Government dictates to me how I am to feel about my father’s death and the Agent Orange that killed him.

So on a day that I wanted to keep to myself, I feel yet again forced to deal with the issue since going through my emails today; I was faced with an article written about the ceremony events. An article that shared the story of another PA Vietnam Veteran who lost his life to Agent Orange & Dioxin exposure and was also being honored today. The article failed to include the names of the other 9 PA Vietnam Veterans who are also being remembered today. I felt that I should at least include my own father’s name, however in doing so I thought it necessary to share the story with all of you.

If anything positive has come out of today, I can say that it was one simple thing that I have been waiting for over the last 37 years of my life….. To see my Father, Harry C. Mackel Jr., an active member of The United States Air Force for nearly 10 years, who voluntarily served 2 “Boots On The Ground” tours in Vietnam, in his USAF Military Uniform. Yes, that is correct, for my entire life I have never seen a photo of my Father in his uniform, until now. Included in the ceremony events are the names and photos of all of the Vietnam Veterans being honored today. I received a photocopy of the picture being used in the booklet early last week. It took me several days to convince myself that it was even my father. My husband insisted that it was. In the picture, he was probably just 17 years old, making it the youngest photo I have ever seen of my father. For days, I traced the harsh lines of a photo that came out of a copy machine and then tri-folded for mailing. For days, I had no idea who this man was in the photo, thinking it had to have been a mistake. For days, as I have done many times over the years, I questioned my own Identity. Until I finally stared at his eyes. They are unmistakable, they are mine.

Yet, as I write this story, I am filled with A Heart Of Rage. The kind of rage that only a daughter of a Vietnam Veteran who has long been dead would know. The rage of her Father being taken away. You see, there is even more to this story then one could possibly imagine. I found out about “In Memory Day” on a week night at 8:00 p.m. Only 6 short hours before that, I received a different phone call. One informing me of a situation which I knew in my heart would come one day, a situation I have been running from since I was a teenager.

AGENT ORANGE AGAIN RIPPING THE LIFE AWAY FROM YET ANOTHER LOVED ONE OF MINE.

Who you ask? The only other man that I have ever called my father. A man that is now suffering the effects of Agent Orange and Dioxin.

My adopted Father.

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Below I have included the booklet that was at the Ceremony. I have also included the link to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund for anyone interested in applying for the program. In addition, you will find the original article written about the PA Vietnam Veteran also being honored.

In Memory Day Ceremony Book

Seeds of Freedom – GMO Film

On June 13, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Seeds of Freedom charts the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity-rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system.

The film highlights the extent to which the industrial agricultural system, and genetically modified (GM) seeds in particular, has impacted on the enormous agro-biodiversity evolved by farmers and communities around the world, since the beginning of agriculture. Seeds of Freedom seeks to challenge the mantra, promoted by the pro-GM lobby, that large-scale, industrial agriculture is the only means by which we can feed the world. In tracking the story of seed it becomes clear how the corporate agenda has driven the take over of seed in order to make vast profit and control of the global food system.

Through interviews with leading international experts such as Dr Vandana Shiva and Henk Hobbelink, and through the voices of a number of African farmers, the film highlights how the loss of indigenous seed goes hand in hand with loss of biodiversity and related knowledge; the loss of cultural traditions and practices; the loss of livelihoods; and the loss of food sovereignty. The pressure from agribusiness interests is growing and threatens to replace the diverse, nutritional, locally adapted and resilient seed crops which have been bred by small-scale farmers for millenia, by monocultures of GM seed.

The story of seed has become one of loss, control, dependence and debt. It’s been written by those who want to make vast profit from our food system, no matter what the true cost. It’s time to change the story.

Watch The Film Now

http://seedsoffreedom.info/2012/05/01/seeds-of-freedom-watch-the-film/

For more information about the film, Visit the Seeds of Freedom Websitehttp://seedsoffreedom.info/

Agent Orange & Dioxin The VVA Veteran — May 2012

On June 4, 2012 By Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Agent Orange & Dioxin The VVA Veteran — May 2012 Table Of Contents

The VVA Veteran — May 2012