This is a huge win for any Vietnam War or any other veteran suffering from agent orange exposure related symptoms. The Truth About Agent Orange and Other Herbicides in Thailand During the Vietnam War, Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, - Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School. Richmond, VA: 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA, 23225 If you have recently received a favorable decision from the VA on your Agent Orange claim, you may think that the long fight with the department of veterans affairs is, If you were wounded or injured or became sick as a result of your military service, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation. Although these missions were classified, they demonstrate the robust relationship between U.S. military in Thailand and Operation RANCH HAND. Was in NamPhong 11/72 thru Sept 73, my wife has had 4 miscarriages, we had a daughter born with a form of Spina Bifida, my son has the digits of his left foot deformed and I have been diagnosed with ischemic heart disease. Contactour office today for a free consultation with a member of our team. I served in The Rose Garden from April,1973 till October,1973. U.S. Army Manual 3-3 (dated 1971) advises that a 500-meter buffer zone must be maintained to avoid damage caused by drifts while ground spraying herbicides. This often meant that the veteran needed to prove that their MOS required them to be near the perimeter of the base. His statements corroborate documentation demonstrating the use of herbicides on U-Tapao in 1971 and 1972. The legal team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD has done extensive research on the use of herbicides in Thailand during the Vietnam War. "This update was necessary to improve accuracy and communication of information," said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. Our job was to off load air craft. He also noted in his sworn statement that the barrels were leaking all the time and the herbicide got all over his uniform and hands. On the herbicide school application, the listed purpose of the training was to train and certify Thailand based personnel who will be handling herbicides for chemical vegetation control and train personnel on the use, application, dangers and safe handling of herbicides.. The new DoD list contains nearly 150 testing and storage locations, with updates that include specific dates of release or containment, as well as 26 additions, including places like Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, and Johnston Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean. I was there all the time. And for the last 20 years, we always . We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! Restricting service-connected benefits for our men and women assigned to certain locations and career fields in Thailand during their military service is undermining the commitment we made to veterans. They routinely use this distinction as justification for denying Thailand exposure claims. Ill let you know how it goes. The 355th Civil Engineer Squadron and Pacific Air Force (PACAF) Command Agronomist sponsored the training. VA depends on DOD to provide information regarding in-service environmental exposure for disability claims based on exposure to herbicides outside of Vietnam, Wilkie said in a statement. Gymnastics will be held on May 6-9 at the Olympic Stadium Centre's Marquee Tent in Phnom Penh. Welch,Mike Sec. Several veterans services organizations told Military Times their analysts are comparing the old list, which dates to September, 2018 and was published by the Government Accountability Office in November, 2018, and the new version. Good luck and thank you very much for your service. Application of herbicides must be directed toward retarding growth to provide a cleared area. The Department of Defense has released a new list of locations outside Vietnam where herbicides like Agent Orange were tested and stored, a compilation that could provide some veterans proof of exposure needed to support their VA disability claims. I now live in Laurel Mt. National Archive records also reveal that herbicide missions launched from Thailand on July 6, 1966, August 29, 1966, December 15, 1967, June 7, 1967, April 18, 1969, and March 25, 1970. RANCH HAND was also not prohibited from herbicide spray missions in Thailand. 1116. VAs policy on herbicide exposure around Thailand base perimeters did not even exist when FL 09-20 was issued in 2009. Are walking blood banks coming to a field hospital near you? Joel. yet assertive representation for our clients. Although he worked on the detail for 10 days, he stated that the detail continued for the rest of his time there. In Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) She has also spent several years working with the Department of Veterans Affairs audiology programs in Salt Lake City, UT and Pocatello, ID. Agent Orange was a weed killer sprayed on the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. Annual training was conducted on Takhli from March 17 to 21, 1969, and July 13 to 16, 1970, with representatives from all Thailand bases. Editors note: This story was updated to include further input from the Department of Defense. I was with a group that arrived 3 days before the cbs. Fast Letter 09-20 states in part: The stay affected a large number of veteran claimants with service in Thailand during the Vietnam era. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] Total Area Sprayed (sq. It was the closest . The name "Agent. They also employed Agent Blueand Agent White, among many others. Watch below for our full discussion into the latest update of the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022. Have you been affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination? The convenience of email has changed the manner in which Americans communicate with their elected officials. I arrived in Nam Phong in June of 1972. These days, there are fewer and fewer letters delivered to the Capitol by the U.S. This directly coincides with Air Force documents stating that defoliation operations around the Udorn perimeter occurred during this period. 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This coincides with documentation demonstrating that Major George Norwood addressed the need for strong vegetation control and that the Base Civil Engineers had been requested specifically for vegetation control on Udorn in 1971. 3.307 and 3.309 provide the legal authority and framework for awarding benefits to Vietnam veterans with herbicide agent-related diseases. Several documents demonstrate that Agents Orange and Blue were present in Thailand. However, at that time, if the veteran did not serve in Vietnam, VA regulations provided no presumption of exposure for that veteran. Daily life on Thailand bases also exposed service members to herbicide agents. Elem. In November 1969, the NKP Commander requested RANCH HAND assistance to defoliate the ordnance drop area. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Agent Orange exposure can cause several serious illnesses, as well as birth defects in the children of veterans who were exposed to the chemical. This benefit is a tax-free monthly, There are a wide variety of benefits that we have found, which every veteran should know about. Eligibility for health care All of the vegetation I saw on the base was reddish brown and wilted. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service may be eligible for: Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation if they have a service-connected disability related to Agent Orange exposure. The expansion of Agent Orange exposure locations came as a result of Public Law 116-23, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. The location must have been a DoD installation, land under control of DoD or a non-DoD location where service members were present during testing, application, transportation or storage. The herbicides stored on Johnston Island were burned at sea in approximately 1977. On Korat, for example, the physical training area and Non-Commissioned Officer building were located within the drift zone, and living quarters were only meters away from the perimeter. Aircraft mechanic George Collins testified in a sworn statement that he worked on a RANCH HAND aircraft after it made an emergency landing in U-Tapao. It was where the French first landed in the 19th Century in their quest to control the area and where . However, these stayed claims did not involve claims due to herbicide exposure around Thailand bases or their perimeters. Phone number 9197780046. Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 . This data may be used to help optimize our websites and make them easier for you to navigate. Tucson, AZ: One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor, Tucson, AZ, 85701 widows, dependent children and dependent parents, Agent Orange Babies: The Effects of Agent Orange on Veterans Offspring, Benefits Every Veteran Needs to Know About (including 100 VA Disability Benefits) - 2023 Edition. Moreover, the application stated that select personnel would receive their own copy of the herbicide manual. Although the current whereabouts of the herbicide manual are unknown, the publication of such a manual demonstrates the regular use of herbicides throughout Thailand. Records from the Ranch Hand History Project show that Sergeant Richard E. Wolf, who worked on Operation RANCH HAND, received a letter of commendation for his actions in Thailand during these operations. John Scott, an Airman stationed at Ubon from 1969 to 1972, stated that he assisted in loading barrels ofAgent Orange onto C-123sduring the first part of his tour. VAs previous requirement that Thailand veterans must prove their duty position entailed working on the perimeter was unreasonable. Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Central Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 What Benefits Do I Get From Agent Orange Exposure? Moreover, those members assigned to disperse herbicides by truck-mounted or backpack systems would certainly have been exposed. Due to attacks on Thailand bases, military leaders ordered the use of herbicides. Yunnan-Hochland: Gebirgslandschaft im Norden, wo Vietnam an China grenzt und sein hchster Berg Phan-xi-png (3144 m) liegt. Thank you Chuck Maack, for calling this information to my attention. On Thursday, Pennsylvania Reps. Matt Cartwright (D) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R) introduced new legislation to expand the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange for disability benefits to. The training is an indicator that Air Force leadership took a cohesive approach regarding the application of herbicides on Thailand bases. This significantly enhances the credibility of these statements by confirming the veterans knew exactly to what they were exposed all along even though the government continued to deny the exposure. I have a VA Dr. appointment today and will try to get these matters looked at. ; Delta des Roten Flusses: Diese fruchtbare Gegend rund um die Hauptstadt Hanoi (H Ni) erstreckt sich bis zum Golf . 404 of the Honoring Our PACT Act (the short name being, Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act) which lists two additional diseases that can be service connected. She was a former US Airforce civilian employee, who worked at Hill Air Force Base, in Layton, UT as a flight testing administrator. I was in Nam Phong with Army Special Forces from January 1972 through May 1972. The Memorandum was an attachment to FL 09-20 which was aimed at assisting Regional Offices in completing the adjudication of the stayed Haas-related claims. Yeah from what I have read and through diagrams I have obtained (google Agent Orange Korat Thailand) they did spray the perimeter of the base I was also there from 73-74 I was a 462 Weapons Mechanic at the perimeter every day. age 60 but have had most of these for years, Terry Good luck and take care of yourself. Hence, herbicides including Agent Orange were used in Thailand. These veterans have been left behind by the current limitations on the presumption of toxic exposure to Agent Orange. The Air Force leadership argued that adherence to the SOP should eliminate any misuse of herbicide application on Takhli. And with Vietnam vets, there are two presumptions. Not sure what your veteran health care benefits are? (Agent Orange didn't appear orange, though it looked like that to Pilsch.) Agent Orange was a weed killer sprayed on the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Witkin stated that grounds personnel informed him they were using Agent Orange when he observed them spraying around barracks. The 1986 Scientific Feasibility of Agent Orange Ground Troop Study noted that the group could not gain a clear indication from exposed verses non-exposed veterans because the records were incomplete. As a part-time VA employee, Dr. Dahl conducts about 4 Agent Orange Registry exams per week, and 15-16 Agent Orange Registry exams per month. Subscribe to Military.com. specifically: 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; and picloram. 38 C.F.R. He was a chief gunner on UH-1P helicopters that provided gun cover for RANCH HAND aircraft. 203, San Jose, CA 95134 When Congress enacted these laws, it did not limit potential benefits to those veterans who served in Vietnam. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. VA 38 U.S.C. I also have many illnesses and have a claim in for Parkinson etc. I have had 3 stints placed in my heart for ischemic heart dz, peripheral neurapathy, and high BP. Sometimes it takes an act of Congress to modernize benefits like in the case with the Blue Water Navy legislation. VA created the Memorandum as part of Fast Letter 09-20. The new list covers tactical herbicides including Agents Orange, Purple, Pink, Green, Blue, White and their active ingredients. Although most of the Air Force bases in Thailand were seen as staging hubs for operations within Vietnam, military personnel located throughout Thailand were also subjected to hostile attacks from Communists. Rhodes and his fellow veterans who served in Thailand and suffer from Agent Orange-related illnesses are continuing to press Congress to take action to update the presumption policy through the orange envelope letter-writing . They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Lets reauthorize PEPFAR now, Stakeholder Voices Important to Farm Bill Process, Boozman Continues Leadership to Combat Arkansas Physician Shortage. Permalink: https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/10/improving-benefits-for-veterans-exposed-to-agent-orange-during-service-in-thailand, Improving Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange During Service in Thailand, https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/10/improving-benefits-for-veterans-exposed-to-agent-orange-during-service-in-thailand, Boozman Shares Service Memories of Lavaca Veteran, The Hill: American generosity has saved 25 million lives and counting. It is also another indicator that herbicide use was prevalent and supports statements from Airmen regarding the use of herbicides throughout Thailand. Patricia Kime is a senior writer covering military and veterans health care, medicine and personnel issues. Buddy statements from anyone who served with Special Forces at Nam Phong would be helpful. The heavy foliage provided excellent cover for the enemy. . Thailand Military Bases and Agent Orange Exposure VA presumes (assumes) exposure to Agent Orange for Veterans who served on any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976. Agent Orange is just one of the rainbow herbicides that the United States used. Columbus, OH: 100 E. Campus View Boulevard, Suite #250, Columbus, OH, 43235 Aircraft used for RANCH HAND, UC-123Ks, launched from airbases in Thailand including Ubon, Udorn, NKP, and Takhli on numerous occasions to conduct missions against targets in Vietnam and Laos. This is an up-to-date list of conditions on the VAs Agent Orange presumptive list. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and personal features. Nam Phong has been a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) communications center. . This statement indicates that misuse of herbicides by service members led to the necessity of establishing an SOP. For instance, which pages you go to most. The news comes on the heels of the Jan. 1, 2020, VA expansion of Agent Orange benefits to veterans who were exposed to the herbicide during their service. We never made it to Danang but went from Bien Hoa to Nam Phong Thailand I was one of the first groups there. In such a strict application, VA arbitrarily ignored its own policy of conceding herbicide exposure for veterans who served near the perimeter.
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