tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18591141553889264892024-03-13T21:56:10.670-07:00Agent Orange Zonea place for up to date information on the health consequences of military service...AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.comBlogger3464125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-29563629002133672452022-03-02T09:35:00.001-08:002022-03-02T09:35:10.945-08:00VA will propose adding rare cancers to the presumed service-connected list as related to military environmental exposure<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;">WASHINGTON</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;">— The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to propose adding certain rare respiratory cancers to the list of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/specific-environmental-hazards/&source=gmail&ust=1646328206905000&usg=AOvVaw1QB4nyWXxc3MRVABwGNJYS" href="https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/specific-environmental-hazards/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: large;" target="_blank">presumed service-connected disabilities</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;">in relation to military environmental exposure to particulate matter.</span></b></span></p><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>VA determined through a focused review of scientific and medical evidence there is biologic plausibility between airborne hazards, specifically particulate matter, and carcinogenesis of the respiratory tract, and that the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection.</b></span></p><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Based on these findings, VA’s Secretary is proposing a rule that will add presumptive service connection for several rare respiratory cancers for certain Veterans. The cancers under consideration include:</b></span></p><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></b><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Adenocarcinoma of the trachea.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Large cell carcinoma of the lung.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung.</b></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.</b></span></li></ul><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>“This is the right decision. The rarity and severity of these illnesses, and the reality that these conditions present a situation where it may not be possible to develop additional evidence prompted us to take this critical action,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We’ll continue to hold ourselves accountable to Veterans to provide more care, more benefits and more services to more Veterans than ever before.”</b></span></p><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>VA intends to focus its rule on the rare respiratory cancers above in Veterans who served any amount of time in the Southwest Asia theater of operations and other locations. VA will invite and consider public comments as part of this process.</b></span></p><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Once rulemaking is complete, VA will conduct outreach to impacted veterans and survivors to inform them about potential eligibility.</b></span></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-53984040843660099772022-03-02T09:32:00.002-08:002022-03-02T09:32:12.403-08:00Dioxin cleanup underway at Seabee Base in Gulfport<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.wlox.com/2022/02/26/dioxin-cleanup-underway-seabee-base-gulfport/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - If you drive 28th Street in
Gulfport, you probably have wondered what has been going on in the northwest
corner of the Seabee Base.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The area, known as Site 7, is being cleared and cleaned to
remove any remaining Dioxin. It’s a dangerous chemical found in Agent Orange, a
tactical herbicide used during the Vietnam War that has since been linked to
certain cancers and other illnesses.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>From 1968 to 1977, the Air Force stored more than 15,000
drums of the herbicide on the Seabee Base. Some of the drums leaked over time,
contaminating surrounding areas.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Gulfport was actually the largest storage area for the
chemical in the continental United States before it was shipped to Vietnam. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Over the years, the chemical has been removed from areas
outside the Seabee Base and brought to a containment site on base which has
been contained under one foot of concrete. That area is now used as a
mobilization site for Navy heavy equipment.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>This 18-acre site, which was a landfill, had exposure from
low-level dioxin that was removed from surrounding ditches and placed there.
The overall cleanup has been going on for 40 years.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>“This is a fairly substantial milestone for the
environmental restoration program on board NCBC Gulfport. That all of the sites
that were identified have been remediated and put into a long-term status with
not only the Navy, but also with the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality,” explained J.D. Spalding with Naval Facilities and Engineering Command
Southeast.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Spaulding called this phase of the cleanup, “the end of an
era” that was established in the 1980s.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.wlox.com/2022/02/26/dioxin-cleanup-underway-seabee-base-gulfport/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-638740861185079312022-03-02T09:29:00.004-08:002022-03-02T09:29:33.635-08:00What Lies Beneath - Vets worry polluted base left them ill<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-army-fort-ord-chemical-exposure-cancer-c1078dd520322f2a4130e2f7077b7892"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>FORT ORD NATIONAL MONUMENT, Calif. (AP) — For nearly 80
years, recruits reporting to central California’s Fort Ord considered
themselves the lucky ones, privileged to live and work amid sparkling seas,
sandy dunes and sage-covered hills.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But there was an underside, the dirty work of soldiering.
Recruits tossed live grenades into the canyons of “Mortar Alley,” sprayed soapy
chemicals on burn pits of scrap metal and solvents, poured toxic substances
down drains and into leaky tanks they buried underground.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>When it rained, poisons percolated into aquifers from which
they drew drinking water.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Through the years, soldiers and civilians who lived at the
U.S. Army base didn’t question whether their tap water was safe to drink.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: arial;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlHWqMPtaPOnOSnfGSL2fLM6lZkLLbLzI222EBPovJp2zIaXRfVZMgDi77vRYKFoPcRpgY2fFg5y6F9-ChcGeAxZ6sK3ReLNngARhqq5U3yuilOfZd9gyqhbGyRPsFHanrPDVZ3gUlXQHL69tzci0QIXHtD-7Wud47IfIWL2e7DpJ21oInefhx-A_1=s2000" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlHWqMPtaPOnOSnfGSL2fLM6lZkLLbLzI222EBPovJp2zIaXRfVZMgDi77vRYKFoPcRpgY2fFg5y6F9-ChcGeAxZ6sK3ReLNngARhqq5U3yuilOfZd9gyqhbGyRPsFHanrPDVZ3gUlXQHL69tzci0QIXHtD-7Wud47IfIWL2e7DpJ21oInefhx-A_1=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></b></div><b style="font-family: arial;">Rusted barrels rest outside barracks at Fort Ord on
Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in Fort Ord, Calif. Hundreds of Fort Ord veterans
are being diagnosed with rare blood cancers, according to a database compiled
by a former soldier and shared with The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Noah
Berger)</b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But in 1990, four years before it began the process of
closing as an active military training base, Fort Ord was added to the
Environmental Protection Agency’s list of the most polluted places in the
nation. Included in that pollution were dozens of chemicals, some now known to
cause cancer, found in the base’s drinking water and soil.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Decades later, several Fort Ord veterans who were diagnosed
with cancers — especially rare blood disorders — took the question to Facebook:
Are there more of us?<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Soon, the group grew to hundreds of people who had lived or
served at Fort Ord and were concerned that their health problems might be tied
to the chemicals there.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Associated Press interviewed nearly two dozen of these
veterans for this story and identified many more. The AP also reviewed
thousands of pages of documents, and interviewed military, medical and
environmental scientists.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>There is rarely a way to directly connect toxic exposure to
a specific individual’s medical condition. Indeed, the concentrations of the
toxics are tiny, measured in parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels
of an immediate poisoning. Local utilities, the Defense Department and some in
the Department of Veterans Affairs insist Fort Ord’s water is safe and always
has been.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-army-fort-ord-chemical-exposure-cancer-c1078dd520322f2a4130e2f7077b7892"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-85782038642673230142022-02-17T09:03:00.004-08:002022-02-17T09:03:22.494-08:00Scaled-Down Toxic Exposure Bill Passed by Senate<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/scaled-down-toxic-exposure-bill-202705074.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJiITGBlRdtMImuPMmHd3EairRa0HTPEu2EcXI1Kes2wa12L4LOPfp2xzTPQbGQwT8UgTq0dGcTqhqPoO9DQpF88ORUYNeH2kL2gvbiYa_dURVCwlFYnAHjJasA3o6UubRsW6X6Uqb5IPuVN9OQPiP62I-hN1Xan4SK5LNX5w4AysxW0l9VjU1Ktb7=s705" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="705" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJiITGBlRdtMImuPMmHd3EairRa0HTPEu2EcXI1Kes2wa12L4LOPfp2xzTPQbGQwT8UgTq0dGcTqhqPoO9DQpF88ORUYNeH2kL2gvbiYa_dURVCwlFYnAHjJasA3o6UubRsW6X6Uqb5IPuVN9OQPiP62I-hN1Xan4SK5LNX5w4AysxW0l9VjU1Ktb7=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Senate on Wednesday quickly and quietly approved a
bipartisan bill intended to extend Department of Veterans Affairs health care
to more veterans suffering from conditions related to toxic exposure.</b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The bill was a pared-down version of legislation that had
been introduced in both the House and Senate, legislation that would have dramatically
expanded benefits for toxic exposure victims but was deemed too pricey by some
critics due to projected costs of more than $200 billion. The scaled-down bill
was approved by unanimous consent, meaning no one objected when Senate Veterans
Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., asked on the Senate floor for
the bill to pass.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But even though no one objected Wednesday, the bill has
garnered criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and advocates who say it does
not go far enough to help veterans now suffering from fatal diseases after
breathing in toxins during their time in the military.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The bill, which was negotiated by Tester and Senate Veterans
Affairs Committee ranking member Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and introduced just two
weeks ago, would create a one-year enrollment period for VA medical care for
post-9/11 combat veterans who served after 1998 and never enrolled. It would
also extend the enrollment period for all formerly deployed post-9/11 combat
vets from five years to 10.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The bill would also mandate that the VA screen patients for
potential exposure to toxic substances during their military services.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/scaled-down-toxic-exposure-bill-202705074.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-9311848418400279132022-02-17T09:00:00.004-08:002022-02-17T09:00:57.438-08:00VA to Overhaul Disability Evaluations for Mental Health, Other Conditions<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/va-overhaul-disability-evaluations-mental-165806846.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Department of Veterans Affairs will change its
disability ratings criteria for mental health conditions, sleep apnea and
tinnitus, part of a major overhaul of the review process to ensure that
compensation matches veterans' medical conditions and needs, department
officials say.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The VA plans to update its Schedule for Rating Disabilities
-- its guide for determining how it evaluates and provides benefits for
service-connected disabilities -- for mental health conditions, to include
their impact on veterans' lives, and abolish the "0%" disability
rating for any service-connected mental health diagnosis in favor of a 10%
minimum, according to a notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>For tinnitus, the department will get rid of its stand-alone
rating and consider the condition a symptom of whatever underlying disease is
its cause.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>As for sleep apnea, ratings will be assessed based on the
effectiveness of treatment and the condition's impact on "earning
impairment," according to the notice.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Previously, most conditions were assessed on the number and
severity of symptoms, but VA officials said the consideration of lost wages or
productivity is needed to ensure that the department compensates veterans
appropriately.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/va-overhaul-disability-evaluations-mental-165806846.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-689087011404260852022-02-17T08:58:00.005-08:002022-02-17T08:58:59.907-08:00Drug Strategy Could Help the Brain After Exposure to Toxic Pollutant<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/drug-strategy-could-help-the-brain-after-exposure-to-toxic-pollutant-358581"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>New research shows that exposure to the industrial byproduct
TCDD in utero could cause the brain’s immune system to go array later in life,
damaging important brain circuits, and potentially giving rise to
neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD. TCDD is primarily
released into the environment by vehicle exhaust and burning wood and low
levels of the toxin are found in air, soil, and food. The most common way
people are exposed is through meat, dairy, and fish.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In the same study, recently published in the journal Brain,
Behavior, and Immunity, researchers also found that pharmacological
manipulation could restore the function of microglia, important cells in the
brain’s immune system. “This suggests that defects in microglia function
resulting from prenatal exposures can be reversed later in life, indicating a
possible additional therapeutic avenue for neurodevelopmental disorders,” said
Rebecca Lowery, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the Del Monte Institute
for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester, and co-first author of the
study.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The research, which was conducted in mice, showed that when
the brains of males were exposed to TCDD in utero, it caused inflammation which
cause microglia to go array when responding to injury. While the microglia
themselves appeared healthy, the cells became over activated while responding
to injury in a way that could damage important brain circuits. But
investigators found that by using the drug Pexidartinib (PLX3397) they could
‘shut-off’ the hyper-responsive microglia and those were replaced by new
microglia that functioned normally.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/drug-strategy-could-help-the-brain-after-exposure-to-toxic-pollutant-358581"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-70665381354767251382022-02-17T08:54:00.005-08:002022-02-17T08:54:33.561-08:00Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/vietnam-war-map/">READ THE STORY</a> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1gQ1YEUe3oKnsW1LjlAzbx0c-YEt8OZao9jw4E5G-WztlYe1YjYqt6uuQNFqENufYFfpMYjI7nBodRWs6BLoWxbvAyOiy6pmc9u_wX1W-kBt5f__7_QkmykYBr3jsO_30QjLJdMVstK_CNCL6DCRJ8ML0G3FhPzyXXkB2usPsKxsoyJUdMRuPJia2=s1536" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1536" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1gQ1YEUe3oKnsW1LjlAzbx0c-YEt8OZao9jw4E5G-WztlYe1YjYqt6uuQNFqENufYFfpMYjI7nBodRWs6BLoWxbvAyOiy6pmc9u_wX1W-kBt5f__7_QkmykYBr3jsO_30QjLJdMVstK_CNCL6DCRJ8ML0G3FhPzyXXkB2usPsKxsoyJUdMRuPJia2=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Wars transform nations. Then they end, and as their veterans
die, they fade from living memory into history. That is now happening to the
Vietnam War, the conflict that dominated both America’s foreign policy and its
domestic politics for much of the 1960s and 70s.<o:p></o:p></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Two million Vietnam vets left<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Losing the last living link to a war is an important moment
in the life of a nation. The death in 1956 of Albert Woolson (106), the last
undisputed veteran of the Civil War, was significant enough to be acknowledged
by President Eisenhower himself. For Vietnam, the “Woolson moment” is still far
off. Of the 2.7 million Americans who served in Vietnam, just under two
million* are still alive. But as many are now in their late 70s, their numbers
will start to decline rapidly.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>For most other Americans, “Vietnam” is ancient history.
Heck, even Rambo is 40 years old. The nearest intimation anybody under 50 has
of what the war must have felt like, came last year, with the chaotic U.S.
evacuation of Kabul. As some with long memories said, it was so eerily reminiscent
of the Fall of Saigon in 1975.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But mostly, the Vietnam War has fallen off the radar.
Perhaps, this is not so surprising. The martial appetite of those vast legions
of armchair generals is sated by an endless stream of content about World War
II. As for Vietnam: Communism, which Americans went there to stop from
spreading, is no longer a geopolitical threat. Vietnam itself is now an exotic
holiday destination for Americans, even a potential ally against China.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Yet there are still doors in time that open directly from
here and now into the horror of what the Vietnamese call “the American War.”
Pictures, mainly — of that Buddhist monk, self-immolating in anti-war protest,
or of that girl, naked and crying because of the napalm that flattened her
village and burned her skin.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/vietnam-war-map/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-88062418395459869062022-02-17T08:48:00.004-08:002022-02-17T08:48:54.991-08:00Nearly 4,000 More 9/11 Vets Have Died in the Past 20 Years Than Anticipated, Study Finds<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/nearly-4-000-more-9-200108133.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Post-9/11 veterans are dying at higher rates than Americans
overall, particularly through accidents, suicide and homicide, new research has
found. The numbers are even higher for veterans who have suffered a traumatic
brain injury.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Veterans who have served since Sept. 11, 2001, are dying via
suicide at twice the rate of Americans overall, with homicide claiming retired
service members at one-and-a-half times the rate of the general population.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>They also had slightly higher rates of accidental deaths,
according to a study published Friday in JAMA Network Open.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The death rates were significantly higher for those with a
history of traumatic brain injury: Veterans who experienced a mild traumatic
brain injury died at nearly twice the general rate for accidents from 2002 to
2018 and three times the rate by suicide, while those with moderate to severe
brain injuries were five times as likely to die by suicide and faced a
threefold risk of being murdered or dying in an accident.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The study is the first to look at "excess deaths"
among veterans who have served since Sept. 11, 2001, examining the number of
deaths over and above what normally would have been expected during the 17-year
study period.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The researchers, led by Jeffrey Howard, an associate
professor of public health at the University of Texas at San Antonio, reviewed
records of more than 2.5 million post-9/11 veterans to catalog their long-term
health outcomes with a focus on those with a history of a brain injury.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/nearly-4-000-more-9-200108133.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-44321260974822651482022-02-17T08:45:00.003-08:002022-02-17T08:45:38.204-08:00WEED-KILLING CHEMICAL USED IN DEADLY AGENT ORANGE TOXIN FOUND IN 1 IN 3 AMERICANS<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/weed-killing-chemical-americans"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Researchers have found that as many as one in three Americans
have a relatively high amount of a toxic weed-killing chemical in their bodies.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In a paper published in the journal Environmental Health,
the team explored the prevalence of 2,4-D, a chemical frequently used as an
herbicide to control weed growth.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The researchers found that nearly 33 percent of the urine
samples collected from 14,395 study participants had detectable amounts of the
chemical in their bodies. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>“Our study suggests human exposures to 2,4-D have gone up
significantly and they are predicted to rise even more in the future,” Marlaina
Freisthler, PhD student and researcher at the George Washington University and
co-author of the study, said in a press release.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/weed-killing-chemical-americans"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-82245591698033591732022-02-17T08:43:00.000-08:002022-02-17T08:43:13.610-08:00Dublin VA warns 4,600 veterans they may have been exposed to HIV, Hep. B or Hep. C<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/dublin-va-warns-4-600-215010118.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin had to stop all
medical procedures and operations for two days last month due to concerns over
reused medical equipment.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>On Jan. 12-14 the VA halted all procedures and related
operations after an internal review found not all steps were followed to ensure
safe cleaning or sterilization between patients, according to a press release.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The VA notified all veterans potentially impacted by this
and explained the potential risks, including transmission of Hepatitis B,
Hepatitis C and HIV. Officials offered any patients who may have been exposed
free testing for blood-borne pathogens. Testing is not required but anyone with
concerns may come in for the testing.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The VA is offering testing through Feb. 25 at specified
sites, but testing will continue after that date at the VA so every veteran has
the opportunity to be tested.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/dublin-va-warns-4-600-215010118.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-48959806623877694282022-02-09T12:23:00.002-08:002022-02-09T12:23:16.964-08:00GAO Report About Veterans (Vietnam & Type 2 Diabetes)<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105143?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_content=topic_veterans&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY </b></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Highlights<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">What GAO Found<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considers Type 2
diabetes—which most often develops in adults due to several factors, including
genetics, physical inactivity, and environmental factors—to be associated with
exposure to herbicides used in the Vietnam War. VA does not assume the same
association exists with Type 1 diabetes, for which the exact causes are unknown
but most often develops in children and teens.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>VA does not have comprehensive data on claims involving Type
1 diabetes. Specifically, data for Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
claims decisions are not available prior to 2003. Further, available VBA data
do not distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes because VBA tracks both
conditions using the same medical diagnostic code. Thus, GAO cannot reliably
report the number of claims that VBA has granted or denied to Vietnam veterans
for Type 1 diabetes. VBA officials stated they do not systematically track
claims for Type 1 diabetes, but they can identify Type 1 diabetes claims by
performing customized text searches. Accordingly, VBA identified around 1,900
claims decisions as potentially involving Type 1 diabetes from fiscal year 2003
through July 2021, which represented less than 1 percent of all decisions for
diabetes during that time. Additionally, officials from VA and representatives
from veterans service organizations said they did not expect there would be
many claims for Type 1 diabetes, in part, because Type 1 diabetes most often
develops at a young age and prior to military service.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>VA evaluates veterans' claims for Type 1 diabetes either
using evidence of a direct connection to service or by presuming a connection
if the condition developed within a year following service. As with claims for
any other condition, VBA claims processors may grant benefits if veterans
provide evidence that their Type 1 diabetes was caused or aggravated by their
military service. Such evidence could include development of Type 1 diabetes
symptoms during service (e.g., elevated blood sugar), according to VBA
officials. Additionally, claims processors may presume a connection to service
if veterans' Type 1 diabetes developed to a certain degree within a year
following their service.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Among 30 VBA claims decisions that GAO reviewed potentially
involving Type 1 diabetes, claims processors granted or denied benefits for
various reasons, and generally explained whether the claim contained evidence
to support a connection with the veteran's service. For example, in two of 11
decisions to grant benefits, VBA claims processors identified evidence of
veterans being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during or within a year of
completing service, and a disability medical examiner stated that the veteran's
condition was "at least as likely as not" due to military service. In
contrast, claims processors noted in eight of 19 decisions to deny benefits
that the veteran's treatment records did not include complaints, treatments, or
a diagnoses of Type 1 diabetes during service.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105143?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_content=topic_veterans&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-50585320318700225112022-02-09T12:15:00.004-08:002022-02-09T12:15:43.557-08:00'A Crisis of Confidence' — After Decades of Failures, VA Sec Seeks 'Game-Changers'<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/02/03/crisis-of-confidence-after-decades-of-failures-va-sec-seeks-game-changers.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>As the 11th secretary of Veterans Affairs since President
Ronald Reagan established it as a cabinet-level organization in 1988, Secretary
Denis McDonough hardly has big shoes to fill.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Each secretary has made promises, and some have made
changes: Jesse Brown expanded service to all veterans but particularly for
women veterans, and he extended health care through a series of clinics. Edward
Derwinski added some benefits for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Bob
McDonald created the first Veterans Experience Office expressly to improve the
us-against-them feeling so many veterans complain about.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But in the background, scandals arose. Eric Shinseki,
beloved by his staff and by his boss, President Barack Obama, inherited a
benefits backlog issue that went back years. It was first highlighted during
the Walter Reed Scandal in 2007 under Secretary James Nicholson, when soldiers
faced a Defense Department backlog in the military medical retirement system.
After leaving the military and beginning VA's benefits process, they then faced
a second 400,000-plus case backlog at VA. Nicholson had also resigned.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Health benefits were denied to Gulf War veterans, Vietnam
veterans, and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans killed
themselves at high rates -- and a VA official issued the infamous
"shhh!" memo wondering if VA officials should issue a statement
before someone "stumbled" on the problem. And 13,000 old benefits
cases were found in a filing cabinet.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Most recently, Sec. Robert Wilkie, a President Donald Trump
appointee, chose to discredit a House Veterans Affairs staffer and Navy
reservist after she reported being groped and verbally assaulted at a VA
facility in Washington -- rather than look into the case and work to prevent it
from happening again. Reporting from ProPublica led to a government
investigation.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/02/03/crisis-of-confidence-after-decades-of-failures-va-sec-seeks-game-changers.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-75392389175501816022022-02-09T12:12:00.000-08:002022-02-09T12:12:25.873-08:00MJFF Urges US Veterans’ Affairs to Better Fund Disease Care, Research<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2022/02/02/mjff-urges-us-veterans-affairs-better-fund-disease-care-research/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) encouraged the U.S.
House of Representatives’ Committee on Veterans’ Affairs to expand healthcare
access for veterans exposed to hazardous chemicals, and to better support
research into service-connected Parkinson’s disease.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Recently, the committee hosted a roundtable discussion about
healthcare costs for veterans exposed to certain substances during their
service, such as garbage burn pits, warfare chemicals, jet fuel, and cleaning
solvents.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Committee members heard from community activists and
advocates, including those with the MJFF, who called for a change in how U.S.
veterans with health problems as a result of their service are treated.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>“We are a country that purports to love its veterans — we
support the troops, we put on our flag pins, we stand, veterans get discounts
at Denny’s … but when a veteran is sick and dying due to the service they gave
to this country, and they come back and are put under scrutiny … in a case
concerning their own health care and lives? It’s unacceptable,” Jon Stewart, a
veterans’ activist and television personality, said in an MJFF press release.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In a letter sent to Veterans’ Affairs committee Chairman
Mark Takano (D-California), the MJFF explained that soldiers may experience
physical or psychological stress, head trauma, severe brain injury, or be
exposed to substances known or suspected to trigger Parkinson’s disease.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2022/02/02/mjff-urges-us-veterans-affairs-better-fund-disease-care-research/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-50896856266107442092022-02-03T09:37:00.004-08:002022-02-03T09:37:34.659-08:00Biden just reduced 'financial distress' for veterans by allowing most of their medical debt to go unreported to credit bureaus<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/va-veterans-medical-debt-unreported-credit-bureau-cfpb-financial-distress-2022-2"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Department of Veterans Affairs just established a new
rule to prevent medical debt from weighing down veterans.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>On Wednesday, the VA, along with the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB), announced new minimum requirements for reporting debt
to credit bureaus. Specifically, legislation signed in 2020 allowed the VA
Secretary to establish a methodology for reporting debt to credit bureaus, and
under the new rule, the VA will not report to those bureaus "until all
available collection efforts are exhausted and the specified debt becomes
classified as not collectible," according to a press release.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Reporting debt to consumer reporting agencies impacts
credit worthiness and negative reports may cause financial distress for
Veterans," VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement. "Late
remittance or nonpayment can lead to debt collection. However, overpayment of
benefits funds is often debt accrued through no fault of the Veteran." <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>According to the VA, if benefits are overpaid, it can result
in a deduction of a veteran's monthly benefit until the debt is repaid. This
can be caused by an error in paperwork on the veteran's end, along with
processing errors on the agency's end.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"These new changes will result in a 99% reduction in
unfavorable debt reported to consumer reporting agencies, thus reducing
financial distress for Veterans," McDonough added.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/va-veterans-medical-debt-unreported-credit-bureau-cfpb-financial-distress-2022-2"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-23660751671920374852022-02-03T09:35:00.000-08:002022-02-03T09:35:02.126-08:00Sens. Moran, Tester Introduce Landmark Bill to Provide Health Care for Post-9/11 Toxic-Exposed Veterans<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom/news/sens-moran-tester-introduce-landmark-bill-to-provide-health-care-for-post-9/11-toxic-exposed-veterans"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon
Tester (D-Mont.) – the ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veterans’
Affairs Committee (SVAC) – today unveiled their bipartisan Health Care for Burn
Pit Veterans Act—landmark legislation to offer Post-9/11 combat veterans,
including those suffering from conditions caused by toxic exposures, such as
burn pits, access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>“Post-9/11 veterans are the newest generation of American
heroes to suffer from toxic exposures encountered during military service,”
said Sen. Moran. “The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act is an important
first step to make certain our veterans receive the care they need as a result
of their service. I appreciate the entire Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
for working together to craft this consequential legislation to care for our
servicemembers who put their life and health on line for their country.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>“Today, we took a critical step in our bipartisan effort to
do right by all toxic-exposed veterans across the country with the introduction
of our Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act,” said Sen. Tester. “This landmark
bill will allow us to connect a generation of burn pit veterans with the care
they’ve earned, while moving the ball forward on addressing toxic exposure in
the comprehensive way our veterans deserve. Our work here is just beginning,
and together we will keep fighting to deliver quality care and benefits to the
men and women who stood in harm’s way to protect our country.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Approximately 3.5 million Post-9/11 combat veterans may have
experienced some level of exposure to burn pits during their service—many of
whom are living with undiagnosed illnesses linked to military toxic
exposures—and nearly one-third of those veterans are currently unable to access
VA care. Among its many provisions, the senators’ bipartisan Health Care for
Burn Pit Veterans Act would:<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Expand the period of health care eligibility for combat
veterans who served after September 11, 2001 from five years following
discharge to ten years;<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Provide a one-year open enrollment period for any Post-9/11
combat veterans who are outside their 10-year window;<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Establish an outreach plan to contact veterans who did not
enroll during their initial period of enhanced eligibility;<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Direct VA to incorporate a clinical screening regarding a
veteran’s potential exposures and symptoms commonly associated with toxic
substances;<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Mandate toxic exposure related education and training for
healthcare and benefits personnel at VA; and<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Strengthen federal research on toxic exposures.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom/news/sens-moran-tester-introduce-landmark-bill-to-provide-health-care-for-post-9/11-toxic-exposed-veterans"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-46730261183064746902022-02-03T09:32:00.004-08:002022-02-03T09:32:33.207-08:00Bureaucracy is failing Blue Water Vietnam veterans<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/2022/01/31/bureaucracy-is-failing-blue-water-vietnam-veterans/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In 1961, when many avoided the Draft, Ray Sarbacker decided
to enlist in the military. A fresh-faced kid of 18, Sarbacker wanted to be a
patriot like his dad. Sarbacker’s father was one of the WWII heroes who’d
parachuted onto Normandy Beach on D-Day. Sarbacker knew his father was traumatized
by what he’d witnessed that day — so much so that he’d never discussed it. But
young Sarbacker, determined to follow in his dad’s footsteps, joined the Navy.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Within months, Sarbacker found himself on an aircraft
carrier. When he’d enlisted, U.S. action in Vietnam was limited to “advisors”
on the ground, but the nation’s engagement escalated rapidly. Soon, Sarbacker’s
carrier was in the Gulf of Vietnam, and Sarbacker’s responsibilities included
washing Agent Orange off of helicopters and planes that returned from missions.
Then, overworked and exhausted, Sarbacker and his shipmates would sleep on the
carrier’s deck, using their Agent Orange-soaked towels as pillows until the
next wave of helos returned.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/2022/01/31/bureaucracy-is-failing-blue-water-vietnam-veterans/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-36600358949879645452022-02-03T09:30:00.004-08:002022-02-03T09:30:40.976-08:003 Wartime Exposure-Related Documentaries<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>1) "The Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM)
Act"</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://youtu.be/6Ds3sOdzDZo"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>https://youtu.be/6Ds3sOdzDZo</b></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>2) Agent Orange exposure on Thailand military bases,
veterans fight to get disability compensation<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://youtu.be/iGShX_Kavlo"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>https://youtu.be/iGShX_Kavlo</b></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>3) America's Vietnam Shame: Children Of Agent Orange |
Timeline<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://youtu.be/DVpo6k3n6II"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>https://youtu.be/DVpo6k3n6II</b></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-22618099104666547502022-01-27T07:49:00.006-08:002022-01-27T07:49:47.543-08:00Agent Orange update, disability and VA health care, unemployment and more<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://pantagraph.com/news/local/veterans-corner-agent-orange-update-disability-and-va-health-care-unemployment-and-more/article_1d823fbb-2be4-57a1-bb93-e31f2874fd1b.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>AGENT ORANGE PRESUMPTIVE UPDATE REMINDER</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and Parkinsonism were added
to the Agent Orange Presumptive List when the 2021 National Defense
Authorization Act was passed. Veterans who previously filed and were denied claims
involving these conditions will be eligible for VA disability benefits. The VA
was ordered under the Defense Authorization Act to locate and contact the
veterans who were denied their claims for these conditions so that appropriate
reconsideration by the VA could be conducted. If you are a veteran whose
disability claim for any of these three new presumptives was denied and the VA
has not contacted you, please contact your VSO (preferably the VSO who assisted
in the filing of the original claim) to take further action on your claim.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY AND VA HEALTH CARE<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Are you a veteran who was denied VA health care because your
income exceeded the means test for eligibility (your household income was above
the VA income means test)? Medical conditions and their proven relationship
with exposure change periodically as the VA gains more data. If you have been
diagnosed with any medical condition or disease that has been determined to be
caused by an exposure, you should file a claim for service-connected disability
compensation regardless of how long you have been out of the military or how
long ago you filed and were previously denied. If your claim is approved, this
disability makes you eligible for VA health care and you should apply as soon
as you get the approval of your disability claim.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>VA INDIVIDUAL UNEMPLOYABILITY<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A veteran who cannot work because of a disability related to
their service in the military (a service-connected disability) may qualify for
“individual unemployability.” Such a veteran may be able to get disability
compensation or benefits at the same level as a veteran who has a 100%
disability rating. If, 1) a veteran has at least one service-connected
disability rated as 60% or more disabling, or 2) has two or more
service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling
and a combined rating of 70% or more AND the veteran cannot hold down a steady
job that can support the veteran financially (known as substantially gainful
employment) because of the service-connected disability.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://pantagraph.com/news/local/veterans-corner-agent-orange-update-disability-and-va-health-care-unemployment-and-more/article_1d823fbb-2be4-57a1-bb93-e31f2874fd1b.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-69014442686279634322022-01-27T07:44:00.003-08:002022-01-27T07:44:47.278-08:00House Approves Bill to Automatically Enroll Vets in VA Health Care<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="KEEP READING"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Eligible veterans would be automatically enrolled in the
Department of Veterans Affairs health care system under a bill passed by the
House on Thursday.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The House voted 265-163 to approve the Ensuring Veterans'
Smooth Transition, or EVEST, Act. The vote fell largely along party lines,
though 44 Republicans joined Democrats to support the bill.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH_v29OHKqBwquFxhSMGNdWqW8LpWPKgrQz7AaTeb8svmb2W9PoP4NvSpnOFkL8SKMuL2DaDoIitiv57uJw9XHYDXcU1sT5B8SGQsv4J0ClVYsU3RemRUTSWmvTL94xyMM7Kv_9UvubLZJOF93hwjurZPQDdtVenG3ex1ZuOUYYpuAsYpFDWkojEWh=s279" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="279" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH_v29OHKqBwquFxhSMGNdWqW8LpWPKgrQz7AaTeb8svmb2W9PoP4NvSpnOFkL8SKMuL2DaDoIitiv57uJw9XHYDXcU1sT5B8SGQsv4J0ClVYsU3RemRUTSWmvTL94xyMM7Kv_9UvubLZJOF93hwjurZPQDdtVenG3ex1ZuOUYYpuAsYpFDWkojEWh=w400-h258" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Right now, veterans must proactively apply for health care
benefits at the VA. The bill approved Thursday would require the department to
instead automatically enroll veterans who meet existing eligibility criteria
for VA health care. The VA would also have to provide a way for veterans to opt
out of coverage.<o:p></o:p></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The bill, which does not change who is eligible for VA
health benefits, would apply retroactively to veterans discharged 90 days
before it becomes law. The bill must still be voted on by the Senate before
being sent to the president to be signed into law.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Supporters of the bill touted it as a common sense measure
that will help ease the transition from the military to civilian life.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"We know that the months following transition out of
the military can be very stressful and particularly risky for new veterans in
terms of mental health," House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mark
Takano, D-Calif., who sponsored the bill, said Thursday on the House floor.
"This helps simplify the process and prevents veterans from potentially
missing out on lifesaving care. It also keeps veterans from having to opt-in to
VA care later and attempt to navigate a new bureaucracy on their own."<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The bill could affect about 58,000 veterans annually who
might otherwise not enroll in VA health care, according to estimates from the
Congressional Budget Office, or CBO.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/house-approves-bill-automatically-enroll-171741452.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-34809960484456933112022-01-27T07:40:00.003-08:002022-01-27T07:40:35.556-08:00Toxic air pollution in West Virginia<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://wamu.org/story/22/01/20/local-spotlight-toxic-air-pollution-in-west-virginia/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr0p8OiVjXWG_9L78AoGPQpca2lnOsDYdUwVzJqyxm7X2_CpiVi1e4XnRcygWwmfAI_e9mLC5txs8WaKaAgLz-a03kFi-ph1HxVGND4yZVsOATLUKNlp1FHA_cs49ZlqUwL_KE8xoe3vLHN4K5HPBTTE2cdVFJiJ_OZh_M-dNOU-vDltvQCHtpc2Uo=s900" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="900" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr0p8OiVjXWG_9L78AoGPQpca2lnOsDYdUwVzJqyxm7X2_CpiVi1e4XnRcygWwmfAI_e9mLC5txs8WaKaAgLz-a03kFi-ph1HxVGND4yZVsOATLUKNlp1FHA_cs49ZlqUwL_KE8xoe3vLHN4K5HPBTTE2cdVFJiJ_OZh_M-dNOU-vDltvQCHtpc2Uo=s320" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Institute is a small town in West Virginia and one of two
majority-Black census tracks in a state that is 94 percent white. It’s home to
West Virginia State University, an HBCU whose alumni includes NASA
mathematician Katherine Johnson (who was featured in the film “Hidden Figures”).</b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>And nestled near Institute is the Union Carbide chemical
manufacturing plant, owned by Dow Chemical. And while it’s been a source for
jobs in the area for decades, many residents of Institute associate the plant
with chemical leaks and fires.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Last year, a West Virginia state health department report
found that the towns of Institute and South Charleston are seeing a spike in
cancer related to ethylene oxide, a chemical produced at the Union Carbide
plant.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In this edition of Local Spotlight, we talk to the reporter
behind an investigation into the toxic air pollution in Institute, West
Virginia, and explore how the town compares to other Black communities in the
country that face disproportionate health risks from air pollution.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://wamu.org/story/22/01/20/local-spotlight-toxic-air-pollution-in-west-virginia/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-68997464758327950702022-01-27T07:37:00.004-08:002022-01-27T07:37:32.488-08:00Reminder: Midland and Tittabawassee River area still under dioxin advisory for livestock<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Reminder-Midland-and-Tittabawassee-River-area-16788552.php"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Area residents are being reminded to not eat eggs or meat
from animals raised downstream from Midland along the Tittabawassee and Saginaw
rivers due to possible dioxin contamination.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6-a8uEUgQEN2kkB5NpuqyVdDy3M3wXavVmDGOjty99E1TXXBl2JVPXMESNlvWAo8b536kU3vEEBK3O0ZPO6JY-ZxwMS0vdRjicNF_Tzce7PYMyoTBw5iayW6s6MnlI4MNvpXM1swRoi22xOVM1xOgSUpim5jKH6AvNlqyt-GNRDHiuA_t3tWdWJXz=s271" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="271" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6-a8uEUgQEN2kkB5NpuqyVdDy3M3wXavVmDGOjty99E1TXXBl2JVPXMESNlvWAo8b536kU3vEEBK3O0ZPO6JY-ZxwMS0vdRjicNF_Tzce7PYMyoTBw5iayW6s6MnlI4MNvpXM1swRoi22xOVM1xOgSUpim5jKH6AvNlqyt-GNRDHiuA_t3tWdWJXz=w400-h275" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Representatives from Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
(EGLE), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and the
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) gave an online
presentation Tuesday night regarding dioxin contamination along the
Tittabawassee River by Midland and the hazards that come from it. These groups
advise against the raising of chickens and other livestock due to possible
health risks from humans consuming too much dioxin.<o:p></o:p></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The dioxin contamination is due to past Dow waste handling
practices, said environmental engineer specialist at EGLE, Dan Dailey. This
stemmed from burning dioxins or discharging them into the river, he said.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Dioxin chemicals can then spread from the river onto the
land during flooding events when the water picks up sediments with dioxin and
deposits them on land. Even though Dow no longer discharges dioxins, the
chemical lingers for a long time, Dailey said. High amounts of dioxin have been
measured in parts of Midland and along the Tittabawassee River.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>When asked about the destructive 2020 flood in Midland,
Arthur Ostaszewski, environmental quality analyst for EGLE, said EGLE did not
see a spike in dioxin in the area after the flood.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Reminder-Midland-and-Tittabawassee-River-area-16788552.php"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-13152683791169578042022-01-27T07:33:00.005-08:002022-01-27T07:33:44.708-08:00Chemical defoliants sprayed on Amazon rainforest to facilitate deforestation in Brazil<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/pesticides-released-into-brazils-amazon-to-degrade-rainforest-and-facilitate-deforestation/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Chemicals created to kill agricultural pests are being
sprayed by aircraft into native forest areas.</b></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Glyphosate and 2,4-D, among others, cause the trees to defoliate,
and end up weakened or dead in a process that takes months. Next criminals
remove the remaining trees more easily and drop grass seeds by aircraft,
consolidating deforestation.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Brazil’s environmental agency, IBAMA, discovered that in
addition to land grabbers, cattle ranchers use the method in order to
circumvent forest monitoring efforts.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Pesticides have been dropped from planes and even
helicopters with the aim of evading IBAMA, the Brazilian environmental agency,
for years as a method to clear remote and hard-to-reach areas of the Amazon
rainforest. That practice — used more frequently since 2018 — takes longer than
clear-cut deforestation (the removal of all existing vegetation using heavy
machinery). On the other hand, pesticide use cannot be detected via real-time
satellite imagery.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>According to IBAMA, some pesticides work as defoliants. The
dispersion of those chemicals over native forest is the initial stage of
deforestation, causing the death of leaves — and a good part of the trees. The
material is burned and surviving trees are
removed with chainsaws and tractors.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>“Although human-induced forest degradation takes a few years
to happen, the process is advantageous to criminals because chances of being
caught are very low. We can only see the damage when the clearing is already
formed,” notes an IBAMA official who spoke with Mongabay on the condition of
anonymity. “A dead forest is easier to remove than a living one. Certain (not
all of them) pesticides practically leave only big trees standing.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/pesticides-released-into-brazils-amazon-to-degrade-rainforest-and-facilitate-deforestation/"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></div></div></div>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-34943450586003285012022-01-27T07:27:00.002-08:002022-01-27T07:27:09.579-08:00VA Tests New Automated System that Could Speed Up Claims Decisions<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/now/va-tests-automated-system-could-224058682.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Department of Veterans Affairs officials are hoping a new
automated system that helps render decisions on disability claims will
accelerate the process and decrease the backlog of claims applications.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib7HxhYXZZdvMaQkrdxuxUEPS9aEJDRK76CduNE73pKJXieGiS2In7uvdNfcGj0X8YDr7b149LUoDmrrE1cqwPZHICkoE-3YYI9zFA3lcg8ID20jyZ3ZhiWwWZPQERhf-JsVc1ySyeibpw2rCsIkFOQ9BTNjrS0Wgq4nP3luYPlDN6CZ2F_7gKWyhK=s1195" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1195" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib7HxhYXZZdvMaQkrdxuxUEPS9aEJDRK76CduNE73pKJXieGiS2In7uvdNfcGj0X8YDr7b149LUoDmrrE1cqwPZHICkoE-3YYI9zFA3lcg8ID20jyZ3ZhiWwWZPQERhf-JsVc1ySyeibpw2rCsIkFOQ9BTNjrS0Wgq4nP3luYPlDN6CZ2F_7gKWyhK=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The automated system being considered by the VA has proven
to shorten the disability claims review process from 100 days to two under
certain circumstances and conditions, according to the agency.<o:p></o:p></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A pilot run of the VA Automated Benefits Delivery System,
launched in December, looked at claims filed by veterans seeking upgrades to
their disability ratings for hypertension and cut 98 days from the process for
those with complete files.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>VA officials said the program is part of a plan to address
260,000 current disability claims, including 59,000 that are older than 125
days and are considered backlogged.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"We saw an opportunity to look at our traditional
disability claims process and see how we can better leverage the data we have
... to introduce business-process automation," explained Rob Reynolds,
acting deputy undersecretary for the VA's Office of Automated Benefit Delivery,
during a press conference with reporters Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The system takes electronic or paper claims and uses
algorithms to determine whether the file contains enough data and information
to render a decision. It then weighs the information against the rules that
govern disability claims and makes a recommendation whether to approve or
disapprove the claim.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The system's recommendation is reviewed and validated by a
rating veterans service representative. If at any time the system decides that
more information is needed -- the veteran needs a comprehensive medical exam or
more data is required to render a decision -- the claim is sent to a claims
reviewer for traditional processing, Reynolds said.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/now/va-tests-automated-system-could-224058682.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-27781893211048611112022-01-19T09:19:00.002-08:002022-01-19T09:19:10.483-08:00Exposed to Environmental Toxins in the Military? A House Committee Wants to Hear from You<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/01/18/exposed-environmental-toxins-military-house-committee-wants-hear-you.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The House Veterans Affairs
Committee wants to hear from troops and veterans about their environmental
exposures while serving in the U.S. military.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Committee Chairman Rep. Mark
Takano, D-Calif., has set up an online survey for veterans asking about what
they've experienced as effects of toxic exposure.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The request for help gauging the
impact of exposure was announced just before Takano's planned roundtable with
veterans organizations Wednesday, titled "The True Cost of our Promise to
Toxic Exposed Veterans."<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The survey seeks info on the
extent of exposure, health conditions possibly related to environmental
pollutants, the VA's response and what lawmakers can do to help affected
veterans.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Your responses will help
the Committee better understand veterans' experiences with toxic exposure and
how Congress can help ensure these veterans receive the benefits they have
earned and deserve," Takano wrote in an announcement last week.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Takano is the lead sponsor of the
Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT, Act, which would
broadly expand affected veterans' access to health care disability benefits
from the Department of Veterans Affairs.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The $282 billion proposed
legislation would designate 23 diseases as presumed to be related to
battlefield environmental exposures in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>It also would expand eligibility
to veterans who have faced challenges applying for benefits, including those
who served in Vietnam and have hypertension, as well as Vietnam-era veterans
exposed to Agent Orange and other defoliants outside the war zone.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>An unknown number of post-9/11,
Persian Gulf War and Vietnam-era veterans are suffering from respiratory
illnesses, cancer and other diseases that many believe are related to exposure
to chemicals, radiation and heavy metals during their military service.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/01/18/exposed-environmental-toxins-military-house-committee-wants-hear-you.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859114155388926489.post-47242091669676121632022-01-19T09:14:00.003-08:002022-01-19T09:14:32.699-08:00Association between industrial pollutants including dioxins and dioxin-like compounds and hepatocellular carcinoma risk<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/spotlight/2022/01/phs-vopham-environmentalresearch.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>READ THE STORY</b></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The incidence of the most common
form of liver cancer (75-85%), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has increased
since the 1970s. Internationally, liver cancer is the second most common cause
of cancer-related death. HCC risk factors can include chronic hepatitis B and C
virus infection, excessive alcohol consumption, aflatoxin exposure, tobacco
use, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recent studies suggest that
the incidence of HCC could be influenced by environmental exposures due to
liver cancer’s geographic variation. Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds can be
found in environmentally toxic emissions that could have adverse effects on the
locally exposed human population. Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds include
persistent organic pollutants [e.g., polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs),
polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)]
that are produced from industrial combustion processes including waste
incineration.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/spotlight/2022/01/phs-vopham-environmentalresearch.html"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>KEEP READING</b></span></a></p>AgentOrangeZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08066626299114107485noreply@blogger.com0