Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance On The Organic View Radio Show – Veterans Day Episode
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!
Children Of Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Dioxin Reported Illness List – COVVHA Database Update
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.
© Heather A. Bowser
Agent Orange & Dioxin The VVA Veteran — May 2012 Table Of Contents
Okinawa bases stored toxic defoliant, ex-soldier says
U.S. vet pries lid off Agent Orange denials
By JON MITCHELL
Special to The Japan Times
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Thousands of barrels of Agent Orange were unloaded on Okinawa Island and stored at the port of Naha, and at the U.S. military’s Kadena and Camp Schwab bases between 1965 and 1966, an American veteran who served in Okinawa claims.
Larry Carlson
In an interview in early April with The Japan Times and Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting Co., a TV network based in Okinawa, former infantryman Larry Carlson, 67, also said that Okinawan stevedores were exposed to the highly toxic herbicide as they labored in the holds of ships, and that he even saw it being sprayed at Kadena Air Base. Carlson is one of only three American servicemen who have won benefits from the U.S. government over exposure to the toxic defoliant on Okinawa — and the first of them to step forward and reveal that massive amounts of it were kept on the island. If true, his claims, which are corroborated by five fellow soldiers and a 1966 U.S. government document, would debunk the Pentagon’s consistent denials that Agent Orange was ever stored on Okinawa.
“The U.S. Department of Defense has searched and found no record that the aircraft or ships transporting (Agent) Orange to South Vietnam stopped at Okinawa on their way,” Maj. Neal Fisher, deputy director of public affairs for U.S. forces in Japan, told The Japan Times recently. But the VA’s decision to grant Carlson benefits over his exposure to the herbicide would appear to buttress his account.
“I am the tip of the iceberg. There are many others like me who were poisoned but the VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) is denying their claims,” Carlson said during the interview at his Florida home. “I urge those men to dig in and plant their feet.” During his time in the U.S. Army, Carlson was assigned to the 44th Transportation Company at the U.S. military port in Naha between December 1965 and April 1967. ”Transport ships came in (from the United States) and we would move drums of Agent Orange. We worked 12 hours around the clock until we’d unloaded the ship,” he said. ”A lot of the time, when they dropped the barrels in our truck they would leak. I got soaked at least three times and we couldn’t do anything because we were driving (the barrels to storage sites) and couldn’t shower until we got back to our barracks.”
The USS Comet and the SS Transglobe, the most decorated American merchant vessel during the Vietnam War, were two of the ships used to transport Agent Orange to Okinawa, according to Carlson. Deliveries arrived every two months on average, and 1966 was the busiest time in terms of shipments, he said. ”It was hot and heavy then. They wanted us everywhere, and we were hauling everything — including Agent Orange,” Carlson said.
After the barrels were unloaded, they were temporarily stored on Okinawa Island and then shipped to South Vietnam, where the U.S. military sprayed huge amounts of Agent Orange over jungles and crops in an herbicidal warfare campaign against the Viet Cong.
The Vietnam Red Cross estimates that about 3 million Vietnamese are still suffering from their exposure to the dioxins contained in the herbicide, almost 40 years after the war ended. Carlson’s claims will fuel existing concerns in Okinawa that Naha’s port, Kadena Air Base and the U.S. Marines’ Camp Schwab are still contaminated with Agent Orange dioxins, which remain in the soil for decades and have been linked to widespread birth defects, stillbirths, cancers and other diseases. In southern Vietnam, the ground where former U.S. military installations once stored the herbicide remains highly toxic to this day.
Given Carlson’s allegation that local stevedores helped unload leaking barrels of the toxic defoliant, Okinawan residents are likely to be alarmed about their own risk of exposure. In the mid-1960s, roughly 50,000 Okinawa residents were employed at U.S. military bases. Carlson also recalls witnessing the chemical being sprayed as a weed-killer at Kadena air base. ”Sometimes, the supply chain would request 10 drums (of Agent Orange), so the trucks would go up there (to the base) and unload whatever they had asked for. There were workers spraying the chain link fence so that it looked neat,” he said.
Carlson first suspected that he had been sickened by his exposure to the dioxin-laden defoliant in 2005. ”I hit the brick wall. My kidneys weren’t functioning. They diagnosed me with Parkinson’s Disease. Then lung cancer. . . . They removed half of my left lung and parts of my right,” he said. Carlson also worries his own exposure may have affected the health of his children, who could have inherited genetic defects. His daughters suffer from thalassemia — a rare, inherited blood disorder — and two of them gave birth to stillborn babies.
When Carlson first applied for redress in 2006, the VA dismissed his claims. While Vietnam War veterans are automatically eligible to receive benefits for 14 dioxin-related illnesses, the Pentagon’s denials over Agent Orange’s presence on Okinawa scuppered Carlson’s initial application. But he persisted in his battle over compensation and collected five statements from fellow service members who had worked alongside him at Naha’s port. All of their accounts corroborated Carlson’s claim that large quantities of the herbicide were transported through the docks. Two of the men were even suffering from dioxin-related illnesses, including ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer. Carlson also tracked down a 1966 U.S. Air Force document that described an 18-day trip by civil engineering representatives to the Philippines, Taiwan and Okinawa to teach naval and air force service members how to safely handle herbicides.
Infantrymen like Carlson, however, received no such training and handled Agent Orange without any protective equipment. ”A simple training session would have saved some of the guys from being contaminated,” Carlson said. The documentation tipped the scales in Carlson’s favor.
In July 2010, the VA’s regional office in St. Petersburg, Florida, awarded him its maximum disability compensation due to his exposure to Agent Orange on Okinawa.
“We determined that the claim you submitted for lung cancer . . . was substantiated by the information and evidence in VA’s possession,” a letter he received from the office says.
Carlson currently receives $2,800 a month (about ¥225,000) to cover his medical expenses, which include a daily dose of more than 20 pills to keep the effects of dioxin-poisoning under control.
“When I received the letter, I felt blessed. I felt that an unseen hand had touched the heart of the person who awarded that claim. I am really thankful for the VA,” he said. During the past year, more than 30 U.S. veterans have talked to The Japan Times about sicknesses they blame on exposure to Agent Orange during deployments covering 15 military installations on Okinawa between 1961 and 1975.
U.S. government records show a further 130 veterans have lodged compensation claims similar to Carlson’s, and experts say the number of those exposed could be in the thousands. The VA has only approved redress in two other cases. One involved a former marine who developed prostate cancer from his exposure to herbicides on Okinawa from 1961 to 1962, and who was awarded benefits in 1998. The other concerned a claim from another marine, who also served on Okinawa, for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and diabetes mellitus type 2 attributed to handling contaminated equipment shipped from the Vietnam War to Okinawa in the early 1970s.
Paul Sutton, a former chairman of the Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee run by the Vietnam Veterans of America, a nonprofit organization, expressed doubt that the Pentagon will relent and fully compensate all the other veterans exposed to the herbicide on Okinawa. ”The U.S. government will fight tooth and nail against granting compensation to veterans who served on Okinawa,” said Sutton.
“To do so would be an admission that it violated treaties not to store herbicides within other countries’ political boundaries. Washington is also betting that not enough veterans will come forward to fight over their (Agent Orange) exposure on Okinawa.”
U.S. vet pries lid off Agent Orange denials | The Japan Times Online. By JON MITCHELL Special to The Japan Times
Little known law pays Vietnam Vets for Agent Orange Dioxin ailments
By Mike McPhee
Nearly 2.6 million Americans served in Vietnam, and anyone who set foot there during the war is eligible for compensation if they suffer from one of 16 ailments. Some are fairly common, like Type II diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and prostate cancer.
The vast majority of these veterans are now in their 60s and 70s, and much more likely to develop the diseases covered by the law. Many veterans may not know that illnesses appearing so much later could qualify them for combat-related disability.
Bozella, now 63 and a retired school teacher in Longmont, found out his heart disease qualified because in 2004, he had finally asked for help for PTSD, and ended up in Veterans Administration care.
“When we were in ‘Nam, we used to talk about going back to ‘the world’, thinking how good things would be when we got home,” he said. “But it turned out to be bedlam for me. I was so confused. I couldn’t keep a job. I had trouble with authority. So I began to self-medicate through drinking, smoking and other things.”
Bozella, like many combat vets, carried that emotional baggage until some fellow vets convinced him to get it checked out. “I found out I had PTSD…. my wife had been telling me that for years but I never listened to her,” he said.
Six years later, in 2010, he developed breathing and heart problems that required doctors to install a stent.
“They (the VA) determined that it was ischemic heart disease that was related to Agent Orange,” he said. Ischemic means decreased blood supply, and it is one of the most common forms of heart disease.
“If you were in ‘Nam, even for one day, and now have one of 16 medical conditions, you qualify for benefits, automatically,” Bozella explained.
There is no need for proof of actual exposure to Agent Orange or other poisons — and that makes the program differ sharply from some other federal compensation programs. Nuclear weapons workers, such as those at the former Rocky Flats plant near Denver, must find records proving significant exposure to radiation and toxic chemicals before they can get aid, and that has been a major obstacle for them.
Congress eliminated requiring proof of exposure after the Centers for Disease Control spent five years and $48 million trying and failing to identify which veterans had been exposed to Agent Orange. The defoliant, which contained a known carcinogenic – dioxin – was sprayed over nearly 12 percent of the country to eliminate enemy cover in the thick foliage, and to destroy local food sources.
The Agent Orange law, passed in 1991, states that a military person who was in Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 and has been diagnosed with one of the named conditions qualifies for disability benefits. These payments can range up to $2,673 a month for 100 percent disability.
Sailors on inland waterways, termed “brown waters,” qualify as well. Congress now has two bills pending authorizing the same benefits for “blue water” sailors, whose ships came within 12 miles of shore, because the defoliants may have drifted that far. The bill also would extend benefits to some veterans who served in Panama and the South Korean DMZ during that time.
Children of Vietnam veterans with certain birth defects also are covered.
The VA has no record of how many veterans have requested or received Agent Orange compensation, because it tracks claims only by disability. Since September 2010, just under 31,000 Vietnam vets have filed for Agent Orange compensation, according to Randal Noller of the VA.
A veteran may file a claim by presenting proof of service (form DD-214), proof of having been in Vietnam such as orders, medals etc., and an acceptable diagnosis of the medical condition, according to the VA office in Lakewood. It said most claims are processed within six months.
Of course, it’s not that simple, said Ann Weakley, a retired VA administrator and claims processor.
“The VA can be weird,” she said. “Papers get lost, sometimes it’s hard to find records, people get very frustrated. The entire process can take up to a year, including a physical exam and a disability rating board review, she said.
“But you need to stay with it. I suggest you find someone to help you, like the Veteran’s county office, the VFW or the American Legion. The state has three Veteran’s Centers in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and in the Lowry area in Denver. These are run by state employees, who can be helpful,” Weakley said.
Calling the VA directly is not advised. It has one toll-free telephone number for the entire country. On three recent tries, the average wait time was 34 minutes; the longest was 45 minutes.
Veterans can also try the local office of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. For metro Denver it is 155 Van Gordon Dr., Lakewood, and can be reached by telephone at 1-800-827-1000.
The Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs office, which can assist veterans with filing federal claims, is at 1355 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 113, Denver, 80222. Telephone is (303) 343-1268.
Bozella now believes so strongly in helping veterans learn about medical problems associated with war that he volunteers full-time for the American Legion. He also was elected president of the United Veterans Committee of Colorado, a nonprofit umbrella organization of more than 45 veterans’ organizations helping Colorado’s estimated 460,000 vets.
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AGENT ORANGE AILMENTS
Medical conditions covered by the 1991 Agent Orange Act include:
Prostate Cancer
Respiratory cancers
Multiple Myeloma
Type II diabetes
Hodgkin’s disease
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Soft tissue sarcoma (cancer)
Chloracne
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
Peripheral neuropathy
Chronic Llymphocytic leukemia
B-cell leukemias
Parkinson’s disease
Ischemic heart disease
AL Amyloidosis
Spina Bifida and certain other birth defects in vets’ children.
Though these veterans didn’t know it at the time, about 30 years ago they were flying planes contaminated with Agent Orange from the Vietnam War, DeForge reported. The group of veterans has put together a list of 48 people with diseases that might be linked to Agent Orange, she wrote.
DeForge spoke with New England Public Radio’s Kari Njiiri for the radio piece that aired Thursday morning and their conversation highlights other elements of DeForge’s story.
“What the VA’s response was there wasn’t enough contamination to affect the people who used [the planes] afterward. What they essentially are saying is the liquid form of Agent Orange, which they sprayed, was toxic. But once it dried, it was not as toxic and difficult to either ingest, absorb through the skin or inhale,” DeForge told Njiiri.
“We have crew members who are sick. We have crew members who have died … We have people who aren’t even sick yet,” said retired Air Force Major Wesley T. Carter, who served as an air medical technician and flight instructor and examiner with Westover’s 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron for 20 years and flew in the C-123s from 1974 to 1980.
“In my opinion, there is every likelihood that you would have been exposed to both airborne herbicides and their contaminants, as well as come into contact with surfaces contaminated by these toxic substances. In my opinion, the extent and manner of exposure is analogous to that experienced by many Vietnam veterans,” she wrote to Carter.
Any veteran who spent one day in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 and contracts an illnesses believed to have been caused by Agent Orange is eligible for medical and disability benefits related to the illness. Some presumptive diseases are prostate cancer, neuropathy, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and leukemia.
Click Here To Listen To The Radio Interview
Click Here To Read The Full Article
CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS, SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SECOND GENERATION, AGENT ORANGE DIOXIN BIRTH DEFECTS & HEALTH ISSUES
We have compiled a list of 194 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 500 illnesses and conditions 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.
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 March 9, 2012
Abnormal Cervical Bleeding
Abnormal growth between the ovaries
Abnormal Pap Smears SC
Abnormal Periods
Abnormal Rectal Bleeding
Acid Reflux
ADD
Adenomyosis
Addiction
Addison’s Disease
ADHD
Adult Acne
Akylosing Spondylitis
Albinism
Alcoholism
Allergies
Anemia
Annual decrease in (night) vision SC
Anxiety
Arnold Chiari Malformation
Arthritis: Inflammatory, of the SI Joint, Rhumatoid
ASD
Asthma
Autoimmune Disease (Unknown Etiology)
Autism
Back Pain
Bell’s Palsy
Benign Cyst (armpit)
Benign Oral Cysts
Benign Multinodular Goiter
Benign tumor on thryoid/ near total thyroidectomy surgery
Bilateral Uterus
Bipolar Disoder
Bladder Lift
Borderline High Blood Pressure
Born Blind
Born Deaf
Brain Stem Abnormalities
Brain Tumors
Bursitis
Carpel Tunnel
Cancer
Cerebral Palsy
Cervical Infections
Cervical Cancer
Chemical Sensitivity
Chest Wall Pain/ Breast Pain
Chronic (Asthmatic) Bronchits
Chronic Candida and Other Female Reproductive Organ Infections
Chronic Costochondritits
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Knee Dysplasia
Chronic Pneumonia
Chronic Region Pain Syndrome
Chronic Sinusitus
Chronic Urinary Tract Infections
Clotting Disorders
Complete Hysterectomy: Age 25, Age 31, Age 37
Complete Pelvic Floor Collapse
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Congenital Anosenia (Born without the ability to smile)
Congenital Hips
Crohn’s Disease
Cystic Acne
Cystic Fibrosis
Cysts: Arm, Brain, Hand, Lag, Shoulder Blade, Thyroid
Degenerative Disc Disease
Depression (Major, Clinical)
Dermatisis
Eczema
Electolyte Abnormalities
Endometrial Cancer
Endometriosis
Facet Joint Syndrome
Fever Seizures
Fibrolmyalgia
Frazonism
Fused Vertebrea in Neck
Fybroid Cysts in Breast
Gall Bladder Disease/ Gall Stones
Ganglian Cyst LK
Gastritis
Grand Mal Seizures
Grave’s Disease
Goiter
Hairy Cell Leukemia
Heart Murmur
Heart Palpatations
Heel Spur
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Hip Dysplasia
Hirsutism
Hydrocephaly
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypertension
Hypoglycemia
Hypothyroidism
Infertility
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Intercranial Hypertension
Interstital Cystitis
Kidney Stones
Lazy Eye
Lichen Planus
Low Blood Pressure
Low Potassium
Low Testosterone
Low vitamin D levels
Lhermitte’s Sign
Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease
Lupus
Melanoma (spreading)
Meniere’s Disease
Mental Retardation
Memory Loss
Mild Displasia
Miscarriages
Missing Big Toe
Missing Fingers
Missing Limb (Right Leg, Below the Knee)
Multiple Cardiac Arrests
Mytrovalve Prolapse
Neck Pain SC
Nerve Damage
Neuralgia: Face, Feet, Hands, Legs
Neuro- Epithelial Cyst
Numbness
Osteoarthritis
Ostraslaghters
Ovarian Cysts
Overactive Bladder
Panic Attacks
Para-Thyroid Gland Disfunction
Patellar Subluxation (Left Knee)
Peeling As If Sunburned (Face and body)
Pelvic Bones Not Fused
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
Peripheral Neropathy
Photosensitivity
Pituitary Gland Disfunction
Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome
Polycythemia Vera Without Genetic Factor
Premature Beats
Premature Births
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
PTSD (Secondary)
PVC’s
Raynard’s Syndrome
Rectal Seal Prolapse
Rectal Prolapse
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Sarcoidosis
Sebabceous Cysts (Left and Right Frontal Cortex)
Scoliosis
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive Teeth
Severe Light Sensitivity
Shingles: Ears, Mouth, Opthamalic, Throat
Skin Rashes
Sinusitis
Sinus Tachycardia
Sleep Apnea
Slight Deviated Jaw
Squamous Papilloma (Benign Polyp in Mouth)
Spina Bifida
Stenosis of the Spine
Tachycardia (Unknown, Due to WPW Syndrome)
Tendonitis
Tilted Uterus
Tinnitus (Lifelong)
Tooth Decay (Abnormal)
Tooth Formation Absence (Adult Teeth Never Came In)
Toxic Shock Syndrome
TMJ
Triple Ureater
Tumor on the parathyroid
Type 2 Diabetes
Ulcerated Colitis
Unexplained Numbness (Tongue)
Unexplained Tingling (Right Side Of Body)
Undiagnosed Rash (One Side of Body)
Unspecified Immunodeficiencies SC
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine Polyps
Vacteral syndrome
Vericose Veins
Vulvodynia (Pain In The Vulva)
Von Willebrand’s Disease
Weak Muscles (Left Leg)
Whole Thyroidectomy Surgery
Webbed Toes
Wolff- Parkinson- White Syndrome
The list of diseases linked to possible Agent Orange exposure includes diseases ranging from prostate and respirators cancers to type 2 diabetes. The list is also growing. In 2010, the VA added Chronic B-Cell Leukemia, Parkinson’s and ischemic heart disease.
“If you have that condition, you get service connection for it,” said Marsh. Marsh said veterans first have to file a claim at their county service office. ”They filled out everything for me and then they sent all of the paperwork to an advocate group,” said Lensch. “The hardest part was finding your old DD214.”
“That’s what I hope is going to happen here is that some vet out there is going to sit there and go: ‘Holy mackerel, maybe I should look at that list because I’ve been having health problems,’” said Lensch. Health care and disability compensation is available to veterans. Other benefits are also potentially available for their survivors.
The process starts with a health exam. Vietnam veterans must first enroll in VA’s health care system. Veterans should contact their county’s Veterans Service Office for more information. In Dane County, that office is in the City-County Building downtown.
The list of diseases linked to possible Agent Orange exposure includes diseases ranging from prostate and respirators cancers to type 2 diabetes. The list is also growing. In 2010, the VA added Chronic B-Cell Leukemia, Parkinson’s and ischemic heart disease.
“If you have that condition, you get service connection for it,” said Marsh. Marsh said veterans first have to file a claim at their county service office. ”They filled out everything for me and then they sent all of the paperwork to an advocate group,” said Lensch. “The hardest part was finding your old DD214.”
“That’s what I hope is going to happen here is that some vet out there is going to sit there and go: ‘Holy mackerel, maybe I should look at that list because I’ve been having health problems,’” said Lensch. Health care and disability compensation is available to veterans. Other benefits are also potentially available for their survivors.
The process starts with a health exam. Vietnam veterans must first enroll in VA’s health care system. Veterans should contact their county’s Veterans Service Office for more information. In Dane County, that office is in the City-County Building downtown.
