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From: John G. Kalil, Jr., USAF, OSI (Dec69-Dec70)
Date: 3/6/2003
Time: 9:37:14 AM
Remote Name: 128.147.86.206
Francis:
I'm not sure why so many guys are having a hard time proving their exposure to Agent Orange. Your DD214 (discharge paper) clearly reflects your Vietnam duty via reflecting your Vietnam Service and Vietnam Campaign medals. If you were in-country anywhere in "Nam", it is a given that you were exposed to Agent Orange. If you have Diabetes Type II (like me), it is already PRESUMED that the Agent Orange caused the onset of Diabetes Type II. That is also true with many forms of cancer. I hadn't heard about this memory loss business, though. See other messages I have posted on the Air Force and VA boards. I've said it before and I'll say it again....if you have a medical problem associated with Agent Orange, you should not have to prove exposure if your were anywhere in country. Anywhere. Your challenge is to prove the link between the exposure and your medical problem. Diabetes Type II and many forms of cancer are already PRESUMED to be linked with Agent Orange exposure. My brother served in the Army at Pleiku approximately the same time I was in country, developed prostate cancer (which is linked to Agent Orange exposure), died at the age of 50 last year, but was not granted a disability rating (which turned out to be 100%) until AFTER HE DIED. The award was received by his wife (finally) 2 days after he died. The VA dragged their feet on it so long that he never received a dime in benefits. Which is why I've said before, you have to stay of the VA's butt....be a pest....call them all the time....even harrass them....and use the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) to represent you in your appeals to them. I'm not sure whether it's the gov't red tape, incompetancy, or deliberate attempts to keep compensation payments down that causes them to give the G.I.'s such a hard time. I've been successful because I stay on top of them. I am currently appealing the amount of the increase they gave me for diabetes caused coronary artery disease. My DAV rep has lawyers appealing the case for me.
Good luck.