Agent Orange Legislation

Here is some proposed legislation in the House of Representatives that will be of interest to all aircrew who flew into Vietnam but were never stationed there. It changes the definition of Vietnam Service to make eligibility for Agent Orange benefits less difficult to obtain. HR2244, The Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009, was introduce by Rep Filner on 5 May 2009. It would clarify the legal presumption of exposure to Agent Orange for veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam. Currently, 38 US Code Section 1116, defines a Vietnam veteran as "a veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in the Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975." The Department of Veterans Affairs uses a conservative interpretation to mean "boots on the ground" which excludes most Navy and Air Force personnel who have Agent Orange related issues but who can not prove "boots on the ground." HR 2244 would clarify this section by redefining a Vietnam veteran as one who, during active military, naval or air service (a) served in the Republic of Vietnam (including the inland waterways, ports and harbors of such Republic, the waters offshore of such Republic and the airspace above such Republic) during the period January 9, 1962 - May 7, 1975: (b) served in Johnston Island during the period April 1, 1972 - September 30, 1977: or (c) received the Vietnam Service Medal of the Vietnam Campaign Medal. This is something important about which to contact your representative.

Vietnam Database

A friend sent this link to me. It is a truly exhaustive (and probably exhausting to compile) database on anything conceivable related to the Vietnam War.

http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Thomas.Pilsch/Vietnam.html

Cal Taylor

Vietnam War Resources

If there is ANYthing you ever wanted to know about the Vietnam War, here is the website that can link you to any related subject, from Agent Orange and POW/MIA stories to the Enemy Perspective and Lessons Learned. Literally hundreds of links....

Click on: Vietnam War Resources

Thanks to Sandy Sandstrom for the reference!

Agent Orange Update

A new Comment was just added to a previous Post on this subject. I've re-Posted the Comment here for better visibility....thank you, Anonymous!

Anonymous said...

"Well, it looks like some of our brethren have sold the rest of us down the river on HR 6562. John Rossie and his cohorts have convinced Filner to modify the bill to the point that it has no chance of ever being passed in the House, much less in the Senate. I am disgusted with the whole thing and just feel that I can no longer believe anything this group has to say."

August 26, 2008 12:43 PM

Important Agent Orange Input

Another Comment was left on Cal Taylor's original Post on this subject. Again, to make it more visible, I'm pasting it into this new Post. THANK YOU, VNVets for the connection!

VNVets said...

I was at the introduction of the bill. One of the things I insisted upon when asking for this legislation was the inclusion of the "Blue Sky" Air Force Veterans who were stripped of their Agent Orange benefits in 1993 by the DVA, just as the Blue Water Navy Veterans were stripped of their benefits in 2002.

Congressman Filner's intent is to revert the criteria for presumptive exposure to Agent Orance to receipt of the Vietnam Service Medal. The bill, even though in its infancy, includes language that is specifically aimed at restoring benefits to the Air Force.

Also, we are in receipt of a letter [to an Air Force Veteran who served in Thailand, that Filner intends to include the TLC Veterans [those who served in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia] and received the Vietnam Service Medal. There will be more changes to the bill as it wends its way through Congress. This is HR 6562.

At the same time we are pressing for passage of a recently introduced bill [HR 6798 - Kagen [D-WI], whichj would add cancers of the gastro intestinal tract, including pancreatic, liver, and biliary cancer, to the list of Agent Orange diseases.

One other bill that already passed the House and is in the Senate now is HR 5892 - Hall [D-NY], which corrects many administrative deficiencies in the DVA, in addidition to fixing the widow's problem [widows will no longer have to recert to square one when their husband's die while a claim is in process. They can pick up as the claimant, and have an additional year to file evidence. The bill also expands the jurisdiction of the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to include the merits of the claim, rather than just the process itself.

If you would like to follow the progress of this and join our fight come visit the VNVets Blog at http://vnvets.blogspot.com

We've added your blog to our link list.

August 15, 2008 11:59 PM

Agent Orange Comment

In the interest of making a rare Comment more visible, here's one just left on an earlier Post:

"I was in that situation. I flew in and out of Vietnam from Travis and Norton. I did not have any problem convincing the VA that I had been there. I have a flight evaluation form which specifically referenced being at Bien Hoa and Saigon. That was all it took.

I can see where this legislation will make it easier for some but I also see where it could cause even more problems."

Anonymous

August 15, 2008 5:53 PM

To see the original Post, click on: Agent Orange Legislation

THANK YOU, ANONYMOUS!

Agent Orange Legislation

HR 6562 - The Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008 Congress Must Act to Restore Earned Benefits to All Vietnam Veterans - Including "Blue Water" Vets!

There are many MAC/MATS aircrew who flew into Vietnam but who never were on orders to a location in Vietnam. They have had a hard time establishing their eligibility for VA treatment for ailments presumed to be associated with Agent Orange.

Today, I received info on the legislation above. Check out http://veterans.house.gov/news/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=290 for more detail and write to your congressional representative.

Cal Taylor