I do not have

your squadron down for a hospitality suite. Do you want one at our rate or are you going to get a more expensive one???

Agent Orange Workshop

Mariano Aguirre will be facilitating the PTSD and
VA benefits workshop.

Del my name is Ed McKinnie

I was in Vietnam 1963-1964, 1964-1965, 1970-1971, and had contact with agent orange

I filed for disability with the VA and was denied all my claims

My claims were for Peripheral Neuropathy, both legs, :Cancer in left shoulder, left arm, and face; Prostate cancer.

There reason was I did not make a claim within one year of last exposure.

Agent orange did not come up as a cause until a couple years ago, I have had my conditions since 2003.

Was this discussed in your work shop.

Also had a claim for tinnitus, and lower back pain. These were denied also. No record on having Tinnitus while I was in service, only thing I have on back problem is a sickbay report

Need Help

Thanks, Ed McKinnie

Ed

I was recently denied my claim from the Shitter crash at NAS Norfolk in Jan of 72. First reason was "No evidence of a chronic condition". I provided that to them, then they said, like you, I did not file within 1 year of discharge. Yea, right. I am going to file for osteoarthritis at age 22. I have been using a DAV rep, but have had 6 Service Officers in a year. Not working out real well for me. Don't know where to tell you to go. Just sucks. We are disposable assets and they don't like it when they have to take care of us!!!!

Agent Orange - VA Benfits

The following information is directly from the VA Website: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/herbicide/AOno1.htm

Vietnam Veterans Benefit From Agent Orange Rules

Vietnam veterans may be eligible for compensation and health care for certain diseases associated with Agent Orange, the defoliant sprayed to unmask enemy hiding places in the jungles throughout Vietnam.

Special health care and compensation benefits are available to the 2.6 million men and women who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, only 3,300 of whom remain in uniform today. Those discharged during that period are the largest group of veterans receiving VA health care and monthly compensation.

A small percentage of their disability claims are for illnesses that scientists have listed as being associated with Agent Orange. VA presumes that all military personnel who served in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange, and federal law presumes that certain illnesses are a result of that exposure. This "presumptive policy" simplifies the process of receiving compensation for these diseases since VA foregoes the normal requirements of proving that an illness began or was worsened during military service.

Based on clinical research, the following diseases are on VA's Agent Orange list of presumptive disabilities:

acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy porphyria cutanea tarda
chloracne prostate cancer
chronic lymphocytic leukemia respiratory cancers
Hodgkin's disease (lung, bronchus, larynx and trachea)
multiple myeloma soft-tissue sarcoma, acute
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Type II diabetes mellitus

In addition, monetary benefits, health care and vocational rehabilitation services are provided to Vietnam veterans' offspring with spina bifida, a congenital birth defect of the spine. Children of female veterans who served in Vietnam are authorized health care and monetary benefits for certain additional birth defects.

Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war also are eligible for a complete physical examination. If a VA physician suspects a disease might be related to Agent Orange, VA will provide free medical care. Those who participate in the examination program become part of an Agent Orange Registry and receive periodic mailings from VA about the latest Agent Orange studies and new diseases being covered under VA policies.

Vietnam veterans and their families can contact VA for more information about these benefits. For the Agent Orange Registry physical examination, call a local VA hospital or clinic listed in the government pages of your phone book. To file a compensation claim for a current disability related to Agent Orange, veterans can call 1-800-827-1000 for an application form or visit VA's Web site at: http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov .