nam phong, thailand agent orange

I will have to get a rep to speak for me. I am investigating as to whether or not I may have been exposed to Agent Orange and if so what should I do. 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 . In August 1963, the government of Thailand requested aerial spraying services from RANCH HAND aircraft to assist with its locust problem. The directive highlights U.S. assistance to local government in requesting, supplying, and planning defoliation operations. Our job was to off load air craft. But veterans with one of the 14 diseases listed as Agent Orange-related conditions who were exposed outside Vietnam face the burden of proving exposure. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. L still remember the smell of the spaying of defoliant while we were living in our hardback tents.I too have skin and prostate cancer and both are malignant. I was there all the time. In addition to being inapplicable, the Memorandum for the Record is outdated. VAs policy on herbicide exposure around Thailand base perimeters did not even exist when FL 09-20 was issued in 2009. Whats disappointing is. Previously, only veterans who were exposed to the dangerous weed killer while serving in-country Vietnam were eligible for any VA benefits. Currently residing in Grand Rapids, MI; email harley50@attbi.com Fogg, Gary N. VMFA 115, E-3 ,1972-1973, Metal Shop, e-mail res0fmwe@verizon.net Folse, James" Butch" SGT; Served inNam Phong ( The Rose Garden ) from January '73 to Sept '73. 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. Gretchen Whitmer Copyright 2023 Military.com. Further documentation and sworn statements contradict that claim. Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Witkin stated that grounds personnel informed him they were using Agent Orange when he observed them spraying around barracks. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] . An on-site visit in January 2019 by several Marine veterans of Task Force Delta report that the base was minimally staffed and the runway surface is in poor condition and would not support non-emergency fixed-wing aircraft use. I have also been denied compensation for herbicide exposure and am awaiting a hearing. From 1966 to mid-1968, insurgents conducted 331 assassinations and 1,087 armed encounters. . Agents Blue, White, and Orange all known to contain chemical agents outlined in 3.307, were also available in the federal supply system. To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. The Agent Orange litigation team relied heavily on perimeter spraying, which is noted in its 1984 files. What in the world is going on, and why isnt the VA recognizing any of us? Keep reading to find out if you may be eligible. 196, Congress considered perimeter spraying. That expansion includes Navy veterans who served in the territorial waters of Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as veterans of all branches who may have been exposed in other locations, including stateside bases. Da Nang Cluster. Compensation provides tax-free monthly payments. Joel. The color distortion caused by leaking barrels containing herbicides is noted in pictures of herbicides stored on Johnston Atoll. He stated that when the weather was bad, the crew would stay in Thailand at Ubon, NKP, or Udorn. I served in The Rose Garden from April,1973 till October,1973. Many of us were exposed to herbicides which were used extensively all over the site. And while the new list contains six locations in Thailand, it adds a new clarification to those locations descriptions: No herbicide was sprayed in Thailand.. CCK Recognized for Donations to American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial, CCK Successfully Argues for a Precedential Decision About Protected Work Environment, A Day in the Life of a Paralegal (Claims Advocate) at CCK. Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. What Benefits Do I Get From Agent Orange Exposure? Agent Orange exposure can cause several serious illnesses, as well as birth defects in the children of veterans who were exposed to the chemical. And for the last 20 years, we always . In view of the above, a mowing operation for vegetation control will be impossible. I also have many illnesses and have a claim in for Parkinson etc. 3.307defines herbicide agents as 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD (also known as dioxin), cacodylic acid, and picloram. The Air Force leadership argued that adherence to the SOP should eliminate any misuse of herbicide application on Takhli. She was a former US Airforce civilian employee, who worked at Hill Air Force Base, in Layton, UT as a flight testing administrator. We never made it to Danang but went from Bien Hoa to Nam Phong Thailand I was one of the first groups there. In November 1969, the NKP Commander requested RANCH HAND assistance to defoliate the ordnance drop area. VA followed suit by drafting regulations to coincide with the statute by defining the term as follows: herbicide agent means a chemical in an herbicide used in support of the United States and allied military operations in the Republic of Vietnam[,] . In 1991, Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, which mandated that certain diseases associated with exposure to herbicide agents, including chloracne and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, be presumed service-connected. He, too, stated that the barrels often leaked. It is just simply wrong. 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. Although he worked on the detail for 10 days, he stated that the detail continued for the rest of his time there. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said the update was necessary to improve accuracy and [for] communication of information.. Our message to VA would be that they should grant benefits if a veteran has any evidence demonstrating that the spraying may have occurred, and that would be if there is an old list where DoD confirmed that there was storage or spraying, Gallucci said. Arnie Harmon, a Columbus-area veteran who served in Thailand, filed for compensation or a monthly stipend some 15 years ago at the urging of one of his physicians. In Thailand, Agent Orange was used to clear the jungle around bases, as a means to enhance security. The term commercial herbicide is notably absent from Air Force archive documentation, including the 1973 CHECO report which specifically states that herbicides used in Thailand had to undergo the same embassy approval process as herbicides used in Vietnam. VA has constructed an arbitrary distinction between tactical and commercial herbicides. VA created the Memorandum as part of Fast Letter 09-20. Population in 2009 (millions) Percentage of Province Sprayed During 1960s. I have been dealing with this for years now with Tricare and Medicare and I think it is time to see what I can do with the VA.Thank you for helping me brothers and letting me that I am not alone. If you served in Vietnam or Thailand, or in or near the Korean DMZand your child has . Daily life on Thailand bases also exposed service members to herbicide agents. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! While there is a proposed legislative fix, Rhodesand his fellow veterans who served in Thailand and suffer from Agent Orange-related illnesses arecontinuing to press Congress to take action to update the presumption policy through the orange envelope letter-writing campaign. Keep up with all the changes and details. The Nam Phong district is surrounded by Non Sa-at (in the Udon Thani province ), Kranuan, Sam Sung, Mueang Khon Kaen, Ubolratana, and Khao Suan Kwang . They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. I was with a group that arrived 3 days before the cbs. I now live in Laurel Mt. Disabled Veterans Sign up for a Career Change. Chicago, IL: 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Floors 8 and 9, Chicago, IL 60604 A key fact leading topresumptiveherbicide agent exposure for Vietnam veterans was that herbicide records were incomplete, making it impossible to determine who was actually exposed. Are walking blood banks coming to a field hospital near you? National Archives records also reveal that herbicides were delivered to Takhli on April 7, 1973. The convenience of email has changed the manner in which Americans communicate with their elected officials. I reminded my colleagues of the legislation to help these veterans and encouraged them to keep these veterans and their families in mind as we improve veteran benefits policies. It also does not include any places where the U.S. Department of Agriculture, academia, chemical companies or others tested or stored the chemicals if service members werent involved, nor areas where trained DoD personnel engaged in vegetation management and control in accordance with the DoD Pest Management Program. http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/thailand.asp. By using this information, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship created by you reading or using the information contained on this website or in this newsletter, article, or blog. In fact, they specifically pointed out that defoliants VA now labels as tactical were commercially available. The new list covers tactical herbicides including Agents Orange, Purple, Pink, Green, Blue, White and their active ingredients. In the early 1960s, military personnel had access to Agents Pink, Purple, and Green, most of which were undiluted versions of 2,4,5-T and therefore contained even higher levels of TCDD than Agent Orange. 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. The Thailand base perimeter policy was not issued until May 2010, when it was introduced in a Compensation & Pension Service Bulletin. Because service members were exposed to herbicides that were used inside the base, not just at the base perimeter, veterans who served in Thailand should not have to prove that their duties required them to be near the perimeter. The VA offers health registry exams, health care, disability compensation and other benefits to eligible veterans affected by Agent Orange toxic exposure. This is a huge win for any Vietnam War or any other veteran suffering from agent orange exposure related symptoms. Learn more about benefits related to Agent Orange exposure. To reinforce their message, I brought the letters and orange envelopes to a recentSenate VA Committee hearing on toxic exposure. Children who have certain birth defects and are biological children of Vietnam-era veterans may be eligible for VA compensation, healthcare and vocational training. "Agent Orange" refers to a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed in the jungles of Vietnam and around the Korean. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Is there any ruling from the VA on Nam Phong? For veterans like Rhodes who served in Nam Phong, Thailand, this is a policy they are calling on Congress to change. In Dr. Alvin Youngs working paper draft of suggested criteria for determining levels of herbicide exposure, he noted that groups exposed to associated dioxin contaminant were personnel assigned to support functions, to include: Personnel that sprayed herbicides using helicopters or ground application equipment; personnel that may have delivered the herbicide to the unit performing the defoliation missions; aircraft mechanics who were specialized and occasionally provided support to RANCH HAND aircrafts.

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