VA processing disability claims for certain conditions related to particulate matter

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Editors Note: "Particulate matter" is a euphemism for Exposure to Toxic Burn Pits

VA will begin processing disability claims Aug. 2 for asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis on a presumptive basis based on presumed particulate matter exposures during military service in Southwest Asia and certain other areas – if these conditions manifested within 10 years of a qualifying period of military service.

VA conducted the first iteration of a newly formed internal VA process to review scientific evidence to support rulemaking, resulting in the recommendation to consider creation of new presumptions of service connection for respiratory conditions based on VA’s evaluation of a National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report and other evidence.

The process concluded that particulate matter pollution is associated with chronic asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis for Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations beginning Aug. 2, 1990 to the present, or Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti beginning Sept. 19, 2001 to the present. VA’s review also concluded that there was sufficient evidence to presume that these Veterans have been exposed to particulate matter.

“I announced my intent to initiate rulemaking on May 27 to consider adding respiratory conditions to the list of chronic disabilities,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough. “Through this process I determined that the evidence provided was sufficient to establish presumptions of service connection for these three respiratory conditions. This is the right decision, and VA will continue to use a holistic approach in determining toxic exposure presumptives moving forward.”

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The Media's Failure on Agent Orange

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This story is so seriously underreported that for many it hardly exists. But it does exist in a multitude of ways that are impossible to count. It has a continuing and important effect on people's lives, including unborn children, in South East Asia, mainly Vietnam, and in the United States, particularly among veterans. Until we solve the ills Agent Orange caused—and still does—the press gives it the coverage it demands and deserves, many people will continue to suffer in unimagined ways. It is media neglect of the worst sort.

Despite all the problems and the terrible damage it left in its wake, stories about the deadly defoliant are hard to find in newspapers, television or the Internet. Rarely is there anything new to report, so there is nothing to read or view. To its credit, PBS did air a substantial documentary recently, and there is an occasional newspaper story, but they are not enough to make people conscious of what the defoliant destroyed in South Vietnam in its more than eleven years of unbridled use.

I became acquainted with Agent Orange on every base that I set foot on from Can Tho to Dalat, from Saigon to Danang, from Tay Ninh to Pleiku. Every American base had its share of steel storage drums, some rusting, that were often leaning against the walls of American soldiers' and Marines' sleeping quarters, near a commissary and dining hall where troops ate, even a medical shack in Danang. By the way, its name comes from the color-coded hands painted on those steel drums, thus orange hands became Agent Orange, an easy transition as part of the language of war.

The rampant use of Agent Orange, a sort of poetic name for a killer, is one shame among many, committed by the United States in Vietnam. Even after more than 46 years since the war ended in 1975, we do not know how many suffered and how many still suffer from the effects of this powerful defoliant and herbicide.

Concerned about the movement of troops and supplies from North Vietnam into South Vietnam down the Ho Chi Minh Trail (really a spider web of narrow footpaths, wider trails, small streams, truck routes, mountains and jungle) confounded the American command’s efforts to close the seemingly unstoppable trafficking by Hanoi. Very early in the war, in 1962 when American advisors ran the show, staff in the Pentagon and White House came up with what they considered a failsafe plan to stop the ongoing influx of Hanoi's men, women and supplies into South Vietnam. It was simple: dump a variety of herbicides and defoliants with a bit of powerful dioxin included, to destroy all vegetation and crops, including trees, as well as to pollute streams and rivers. That way they would open the jungle to enable American and South Vietnamese aircraft and artillery to better detect and destroy their enemy. It never worked to stop traffic on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, but it was not until 1971-1972, with the damage already done, that the program ended.

Ron Steinman was bureau chief for NBC News in Saigon from 1966 through 1969, including leading the coverage of the Tet Offensive in 1968, and covered the war until 1972. Over the war years and after the war ended, he interviewed many soldiers and Marines to get their stories about Agent Orange, some of which are in his oral histories of the war, The Soldiers Story; Women in Vietnam; and his memoir, A Saigon Journal: Inside Television's First War.  

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Leverkusen explosion: What exactly are dioxins, furans, PCBs and PAHs?

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After an explosion in Leverkusen in western Germany, authorities are warning that a series of toxins were probably released into the atmosphere. Locals have been told not to eat fruit and vegetables from their gardens.

During an explosion at a hazardous waste incineration plant at Chempark near Leverkusen in western Germany earlier this week, tanks containing chlorinated solvents burst into flames. The solvents, as well as greases, waste medicines, tar and other pollutants are usually incinerated at temperatures of around 1,100 degrees Celsius (2,012 degrees Fahrenheit).

Only when they are incinerated at temperatures of over 850 degrees Celsius can it be ensured that no dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain in the combustion gases.

But if the incineration is not done properly, certain toxins, which belong to what are known as the dirty dozen of organic environmental pollutants, can remain or even be produced and then be dispersed into the atmosphere.

Thus, following this week's explosion, authorities have warned local residents not to touch any particles of soot or eat any fruit or vegetables from their gardens.

DW looks into what these different toxins are:

Dioxins and furans

This is a collective term for a group of 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDD) and 135 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF). One of the most toxic is the compound 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is associated with the 1976 Seveso disaster when between one and three kilograms (between approximately 2.2 and 6.6 pounds) were released into the surrounding area after an accident at a chemical manufacturing plant in Meda, not far from the Italian city of Milan. Some 3,300 animals died and there were about 200 cases of severe chloracne among humans.

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How the CDC Betrayed Victims of Agent Orange

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courtesy of Patty Fisher of Ohio, via Paul Sutton

There are few things in this world with the long-term toxicity of Agent Orange, the chemical herbicide used in Vietnam. Polonium-210 in a cup of tea will kill you – just ask former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko – but, unlike Agent Orange, its damage isn’t generational.

For the uninitiated, Agent Orange is the moniker given to the “mixture of butoxyethanol esters of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T).”1 It was a nasty chemical compound manufactured primarily by Dow Chemical and Monsanto (and others) at the instructions of the United States government during the Vietnam war.

From 1962 to 1971, the US Air Force sprayed at least 11 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam. The purpose of Agent Orange, primarily distributed through Operation Ranch Hand, was defoliation to improve visibility for military operations and the destruction of enemy food supplies. It was mostly sprayed by plane, although it was also sprayed through helicopters, truck, boat, and backpacks to clear foliage around bases and landing zones.

What made Agent Orange so dangerous was that during production, a dangerous byproduct formed: dioxin TCDD, a chemical so toxic it damages is calculated not in years but in decades or even centuries.

Dow Chemical and Monsanto knew the risks of Agent Orange and dioxin. In 1965, scientists from four rival chemical companies met at Dow Chemical to discuss the “health hazards of dioxin.” By then, the companies had been manufacturing Agent Orange and other defoliants for the US war in Vietnam. It was agreed upon at this meeting that the toxicity of Agent Orange – which caused “severe” liver damage in animal subjects – would have to remain a secret because the situation might “explode” and “generate a new wave of government regulation for the chemical industry.”

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Civilian Exposure Base Profiles: PFAS Contamination at U.S. Airbases in Germany

Fire-fighting foams used on air bases by the U.S. military are poisoning water systems throughout Germany. The foam spray, used in routine fire drills, is made of a carcinogenic material known as Per and Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS. For training purposes, the American forces light massive, petroleum-fueled fires and extinguish them using these foam sprays. Afterward, the foam residue is allowed to run off, polluting the soil, sewers, surface water, and groundwater. The US military also uses sprinkler systems in hangars to create a foam layer to coat expensive aircraft. The frequently tested systems can cover a 2-acre hangar with 17 feet of poisonous foam in 2 minutes. (.8 hectare with 5.2 meters of foam in 2 minutes.)

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EXPOSURES AT OKINAWA AND CAMP LEJEUNE

5 High-Paying Career Fields for Recently Separated Combat Arms Veterans

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There are a lot of benefits to military service, and the first among them is job training that can translate to a real-world career after leaving the military. The trouble with that particular benefit is that some military careers don’t always have a direct civilian counterpart.

Infantry and combat arms veterans really don’t find careers that closely resemble what they did in the military. This experience isn’t wasted by any means. They still gain work experience and the soft skills that come with an infantry career. These skills are highly desired by civilian employers and include teamwork, demonstrable leadership and the ability to follow instructions, among many others. Combat arms personnel excel at those things.

When considering a post-military career, many veterans have a clearer understanding of where to go in their careers. Combat arms personnel may feel a little lost in finding the next step. The good news is that the world is actually wide open. The U.S. Census Bureau recently compiled data that points to great careers offering high starting salaries for these kinds of veterans.

1. Scientific and Technical Services

2. Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

3. Utilities

4. Educational Services

5. Public Administration

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Just in case you have forgotten...

Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions 

*Exceptions: osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and mesothelioma

This is an up-to-date list of conditions on the VA’s Agent Orange presumptive list. 

Disease	Year Added
AL Amyloidosis	2006
Chronic B-Cell Leukemias	2003
Chloracne	1991
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2	2001
Hodgkin’s Disease	1994
Ischemic Heart Disease	2010
Multiple Myeloma	2016
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma	1991
Parkinson’s Disease	2010
Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset	2013
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda	1994
Prostate Cancer	2013
Respiratory Cancers	1994
Soft Tissue Sarcomas*	1991
Bladder Cancer	2021
Hypothyroidism	2021
Parkinsonism	2021

Toxic burn pit exposure: Afghanistan and Iraq veterans’ hidden cost of war

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As our 20 years of war in Afghanistan draws to a close, we must never forget the more than 2000 U.S. service members who died there—nor the 20,000 who suffered injuries. Similarly, more than 4400 U.S. service members died in Iraq and nearly 32,000 suffered injuries.

Many of those who served in those theaters returned home wearing the scars of battle—loss of limbs, disfigurement, loss of sight, and other physical injuries. Then there are the other injuries that are not quite as obvious—the emotional and mental injuries that reveal themselves as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD).

However, a lesser-known category of injuries exists that Congress must acknowledge and address immediately. These injuries result from exposure to burn pits that existed in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 20 years.

Burn pits are sites used to burn various materials ranging from garbage, human waste, chemicals, and paint to lubricants, plastics, ordnance, and medical waste—all often ignited by jet fuel. Burn pits were used because a more appropriate facility to dispose of these materials was simply not available.

Unfortunately, what has resulted from these burn pits has been referred to as the Agent Orange of our time in Southwest Asia. We are seeing a wave of rare cancers and other illnesses suffered by those who have served there and became exposed to the toxins from the burn pits. Some veterans, long after their service in uniform, have already died from these illnesses.

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Vietnam locks down capital Hanoi for 15 days as cases rise

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HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam announced a 15-day lockdown in the capital Hanoi starting Saturday as a coronavirus surge spread from the southern Mekong Delta region.

The lockdown order, issued late Friday night, bans the gathering of more than two people in public. Only government offices, hospitals and essential businesses are allowed to stay open.

Earlier in the week, the city had suspended all outdoor activities and ordered non-essential businesses to close following an increase in cases. On Friday, Hanoi reported 70 confirmed infections, the city’s highest, part of a record 7,295 cases in the country in the last 24 hours.

Nearly 5,000 of them are from Vietnam’s largest metropolis, southern Ho Chi Minh City, which has also extended its lockdown until Aug. 1.

In the latest wave of COVID-19 since April, Vietnam has recorded over 83,000 infections and 335 deaths.

A meeting of the National Assembly scheduled to open in Hanoi on Tuesday with 499 delegates will go ahead but was shortened to 12 from the original 17 days.

The delegates have been vaccinated, are regularly tested for the coronavirus and are traveling in a bubble, and will be isolated at hotels, according to the National Assembly.

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How the U.S. unleashed hell’s agent: It left a trail of appalling birth defects in Vietnam

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When Carol Van Strum moved to Five Rivers, Oregon, in 1974, she thought she had found the perfect rural idyll.

Surrounded by National Forest, her four young children could grow up close to nature. They loved fishing and playing by the river, fascinated by the little ‘dipper’ birds that sat on the rocks.

‘They knew everything that lived down there,’ she recalls. ‘There were beavers and otters in the river, and all the fish and herons and ospreys. So they just were part of that.’

Then one day the children fell sick, choking and gasping.

Down at the river, Carol found a scene of devastation — dead ducklings, crayfish and trout. The cause seemed fairly obvious: a U.S. Forestry Service helicopter had been flying overhead the day before, spraying something over the land.

Nobody knew what it was but, ‘a lot of people assumed, “Well it’s the government doing it, it must be OK,”’ says Carol. ‘We called the fire service and they said: “Oh no, it’s perfectly safe.”’ But it wasn’t.

The chopper was spraying a herbicide known as 2,4,5-T — the highly toxic main ingredient of Agent Orange, the notorious chemical defoliant used to blanket swathes of South-East Asia during the Vietnam War.

A helicopter in Oregon in 1974 was spraying a herbicide known as 2,4,5-T — the highly toxic main ingredient of Agent Orange, the notorious chemical defoliant used to blanket swathes of South-East Asia during the Vietnam War.

The U.S. military had stopped using it in 1971 because of growing public health concerns — but here it was being used in the U.S.

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Canada and Agent Orange

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Agent Orange is a mix of herbicides (plant-killing chemicals) and defoliant (a chemical used to remove leaves from plants and trees). It was used by the US military during the Vietnam War to destroy plants in large quantities. Agent Orange was one of the “Rainbow Herbicides,” alongside Agent Purple and Agent White. These herbicides were used and tested at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick. Agent Orange was incorrectly claimed to have been used to clear public land in Northern Ontario between the 1950s and 1970s. It is unclear how many Canadians were exposed to the potentially deadly chemical. Nor do we know how many may have died as a result.

Use in Warfare

Chemical herbicides were first used in warfare by the British during the Malaya Emergency (1948–1960). Herbicides were employed to destroy both jungle cover and agricultural plants that might be used by Malayan guerrillas.  The British experience using herbicides served as a precedent for American use during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange was used in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971. The chemical was used to destroy the dense jungle canopy that provided shelter and cover for the North Vietnamese military and Vietcong guerrillas. Agent Orange was also used against agricultural plants and to control weeds around American military bases. It is believed that upward of 72 million litres of Agent Orange was sprayed over Vietnam and surrounding countries. Over 25,000 square kilometres of forest was defoliated.

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State Environmental Officials Take First Steps to Clean Up 23-mile Stretch of Water Leading to Newark Bay

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NEWARK, NJ – Years of industrial processing which has contaminated miles of water along the Lower Hackensack River stretching from Oradell Dam to the mouth of Newark Bay is now planned to get cleaned up with some help from federal officials.

State Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette announced on Friday that cleanup for the target area will start through a federal process required to list the Lower Hackensack River as a Superfund site.

If approved, designating the river as a Superfund site would provide critical funding to the state for remediation efforts and leverage the Environmental Protection Agency to hold the parties responsible for the contamination to either perform cleanups or reimburse the government for EPA-led cleanup work.

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