tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post6939008964480900497..comments2023-10-23T03:46:29.785-07:00Comments on Agent Orange Zone: The Legacy of Agent OrangeAgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-14244322305118065362009-07-16T06:44:15.491-07:002009-07-16T06:44:15.491-07:00(Con't from last posting)
Many of these, and...(Con't from last posting) <br /><br />Many of these, and other chronically ill veterans, need supportive in-home, respite care for family, and finally long-term care. Getting the straight scoop on these programs from the VA can nearly be impossible, unless you know about their social workers. When you do find available help, you're faced with trying to understand the eligibility criteria. Nothing is easy about this process. The veteran needs to be supported by his VA doctor, and the local VA social worker. The local social worker then needs to send the request along to the social workers at the applicable medical center, where they decide if they can afford to pay for those recommended services. <br />At some VA Health Care facilities, all concerned get a letter back indicating that due to unprecedented demand, they are unable to provide services, and you go on an indefinite waiting list. <br />There needs to be a system that is easy to understand. Step-by-step information needs to be provided, and who to contact for support services. We desperately need the proper funding to meet this unprecedented demand for services. <br />I urge you to do a “stress test” of the facilities that serve us, and decide if these services are accessible in your community. If they're not, then I suggest you contact your congressman and tell them that. Supporting veterans needs to be more than just a bumper sticker on a car. <br />These veterans, and those that follow, need action now to meet the challenges ahead. <br />Carl Young advocates for <br />veterans' rights, and is a Life member of the Vietnam Veterans of AmericaCarl Hand-uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03669351877972529166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-44656983463472799582009-07-16T06:43:19.189-07:002009-07-16T06:43:19.189-07:00Numerous studies have made the clear link between ...Numerous studies have made the clear link between Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD, to an increased risk of dying relatively young due to heart disease. <br />Still other studies suggest that Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange (AO) suffer from Parkinson's disease. Yet the Congress fails to pass legislation requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish these aliments as presumptive conditions related to military service. How many families have watched a loved that served in Vietnam, die an untimely death due to the degenerative and incurable condition of Parkinson's disease or heart disease, and had no idea it might have been directly related to their military service? <br />A new aliment AL amyloidosis -- a rare incurable disease that can lead to organ failure and death -- has been recognized as a service-connected illness related to herbicide exposure. A new bill is H.R. 2254 would include “Blue Water Navy” veterans ... and others, including those who received the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), which could include those who served in support of the war in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, as potently exposed to AO. <br />I'm now watching my father, Capt. Robert W. Young, USMC Retired, who served in both Korea and Vietnam, having his good days, and not so good. There's overwhelming evidence that suggests a higher incidence of Vietnam veterans with Parkinson's disease than other population groups. <br />Based on the available evidence H.R. 1428 <br />was written to establish a presumption of service-connection for Vietnam veterans afflicted with Parkinson's disease. Sadly this bill is stuck in committee and will only gain life if more of our elected representatives step forward and co-sponsor the legislation. <br />A similar bill introduced during the last session died in committee due to a lack of involvement by our elected representatives. What's wrong with this picture? Based on their lack of commitment, we are faced with the daunting if not impossible task of providing evidence that proves the relationship between veterans military service and these medical conditions. <br />One excellent resource for doing so is the U.S. Military Veterans with Parkinson's (USMVP), e-mail Alan Oates at usmvp@aol.com. Isn't it time for de-classification of all Department of Defense information that pertains to exposure of U.S. military servicemembers to any toxin at any time? We need epidemiological studies, birth defects registries, and do the outreach necessary to scientifically document the problems suffered by our veterans and their offspring. <br />If Congress acted upon the available evidence, we would have a much easier time getting the life-line benefits they deserve. To date, I haven't seen any legislation supporting Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD and an increased risk of heart disease.Carl Hand-uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03669351877972529166noreply@blogger.com