Agent Orange Presumptions Not Just For Vietnam Vets
Readers of Tom Philpott's Military Update column sound off.

Will the new ruling on heart disease for veterans from Agent Orange include those of us who served on the DMZ in Korea?  Everything seems to be slanted toward Vietnam veterans.
Some VA people are not even aware there at victims of Agent Orange exposure from the second Korean Conflict.  I am one of them.
I have diabetes and heart disease which necessitated a by-pass operation four years ago. My claim was honored. 20 % for insulin dependent diabetes and 30% for heart disease related to diabetes.

R. SCHOENFELDT
Saukville, Wis.

The presumption of exposure to Agent Orange also extends to veterans who served in certain units on the Korean DMZ between April 1968 and July 1969, when tactical herbicides were used there. Those units were primarily infantry and artillery that operate on the DMZ during that period. Also, the Department of Defense has provided VA with a list of locations where testing, storage and transportation of tactical herbicides, such as Agent Orange, occurred. If evidence shows a veteran was involved with tactical herbicide handling or testing at one of these locations, or was exposed in some other manner, then VA will acknowledge exposure on a facts-found, occupational or direct basis, say officials. Veterans exposed this way are eligible for presumptive service connection of the same herbicide-related diseases as veterans who served in Vietnam or on the Korean DMZ during the designated time frame.
VA officials suggest it is difficult to provide one-size-fits-all advice on such a complex subject. Therefore, they encourage veterans to contact VA directly or work through a service organization representative to see how their individual situation may relate to general policy on AO exposure. – Tom Philpott

Don’t Worry About Taxpayers

Your article about VA adding three more diseases to its list of illnesses presumed caused by exposure to Agent Orange noted how this was going to hit taxpayers’ wallet. Mr. Philpott, compared to the billions spent or given to banks and others during the bailout, this is a drop in the bucket.
Remember, Vietnam veterans gets hit twice: once in the wallet as a taxpayer and once in the heart.
Don't worry, it is likely most who would benefit from this are dead already or soon will be. Maybe the government should wait another 10 to 20 years to implement this and 90 percent of us will have died.
Just think how many lives and how much money we would have saved if we didn't go to war at the drop of a hat.

RANDALL CHAPMAN
Master Sergeant, Retired

That was a very informative article. However, it took me several attempts to read completely; it was very hard to get past the fact that the writer was equally concerned about veterans’ health and taxpayers’ wallets!

I think that’s the country’s biggest problem. Citizens worry about higher taxes at the expense of human health!

Vietnam Vets have been the single largest group of vets to have been mistreated from the time they went to war to when they returned and saw their country turn there back on them.

This article was just another slap in the face!

JIM “SNUFFY” DAVLIN
Via e-mail

I am unsure what your article is pointing out. Are you concerned that it will cost VA to compensate veterans?  Or are you providing information to veterans who may not know about this decision?  The headline that appeared in my local newspaper suggested it will cost the taxpayers more money. Not a good choice, from my perspective.

Veterans did what was asked of them, put themselves in harm’s way, and were severely injured in the process. Vietnam vets remained in harm’s way when they returned home. People hated us.

We spend more than $50 billion carrying on wars that are only going to create more injured veterans. If we pull out of those wars we would have the resources needed to take care of those injured in the line of duty in previous wars and we would eventually end the line of veterans who need to be cared for. Another thing to consider is what we might need to do for the people who live in Vietnam. They were as exposed to these herbicides too. I wonder if they are having the same health problems we are.

 For my part I wish that none of us ever went to Vietnam. I certainly would rather not have heart disease. To date I have had seven hospitalizations for heart problems. I am approaching Medicare eligibility in a few months and hope that I will be around to enjoy the benefits.

I have worked all of my life, paid my taxes and raised a family. I hope my kids are not affected by my exposure to Agent Orange.

ALAN D. RICHTER
Via e-mail

RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS PAY
Thank you for your article on stop loss pay. I am a National Guard soldier recently deployed. I know there are a lot of soldiers in my unit who are in the same position. But we were told there is no retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay program, even though many of us have read about it in various civilian and military news articles. 

Do you have any contact information to request the pay?

DAVE S.
Via e-mail

Here again are websites and e-mail addresses for filing retroactive stop loss pay claims or to learn more
Army -- https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil or e-mail to: RetroStopLossPay@CONUS.Army.Mil
Navy – E-mail to:NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
Marines -- https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss or e-mail to: stoploss@usmc.mil
Air Force --   http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss/claims.asp
– T.P.

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA 20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com.