Executive Summary The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed key aspects of VA’s spina bifida program in response to wide-ranging concerns raised by Senator Michael K. Braun and by Vietnam Veterans of America. The concerns were about whether eligible individuals are receiving the compensation, health care, home services, and other related benefits to which they are entitled.1 Regular monthly payments under this small but critical program serving more than 1,000 beneficiaries with disabilities exceeded $20.8 million in 2019, and medical reimbursements topped $45 million. Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when a fetus’s spine and spinal cord do not form properly. An individual with spina bifida may suffer from nerve damage, paralysis, and bowel or bladder problems.2 Children born with spina bifida may receive benefits from VA if one of their biological parents is a veteran presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during the Vietnam War.3 Benefits can include monthly payments, vocational training and rehabilitation, and health care with services such as home care and case management. 4 The spina bifida program is jointly managed. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) determines eligibility for benefits and issues monthly payments. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) covers all medically necessary health care, which includes all medical services and supplies, not just those related to spina bifida. The OIG assessed how effectively VBA and VHA carried out their respective responsibilities in managing the spina bifida program.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Parkinson’s Foundation, VA Host Online Symposium for US Vets on March 20
A free virtual symposium about U.S. veterans, their families, and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is on tap for Saturday, March 20.
Those interested in taking part must register at www.parkinson.org/sevets or
by calling 770-450-0792.
The symposium’s goal is to make veterans with Parkinson’s
and their loved ones better aware of the latest in therapeutic advances, as
well as of resources available through the VA and the foundation. Healthcare
professionals and the broader Parkinson’s community are also welcome to attend.
“We understand that most people with Parkinson’s develop
symptoms at 50 years of age and older. As the population ages, so will the
number of Americans living with Parkinson’s, including veterans,” said John L.
Lehr, president and CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation, in a press
release.
“Serving those who have served our country is a priority of
the Parkinson’s Foundation and we’re honored to partner with the VA to provide
this online program to help veterans live better with Parkinson’s disease.”
Of the estimated 1 million people with Parkinson’s in the
U.S., some 110,000 are veterans. Of those, about half are
at least 65. While what specifically causes Parkinson’s is unknown,
scientists think a mix of genetic and environmental factors are likely
culprits. Some research also suggests that a Parkinson’s diagnosis is
associated with Agent Orange or other herbicide exposure from a veteran’s years
of service, particularly during
the years 1962 to 1975.
U.S. Bases in Thailand During the Vietnam War and Agent Orange
courtesy Dr. Wayne Dwernychuk, The Hatfield Group, Retired
Vietnam-era veterans who served in Guam were exposed to Agent Orange, report says
Updated research aims to help Vietnam-era veterans who served in Guam ill from Agent Orange exposure obtain disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Last year, two veterans groups published a white paper
citing research to support that "as likely as not," veterans who
served on Guam from 1962 to 1975 met the legal standard for exposure to Agent
Orange and other "dioxin-containing herbicides." Now, the groups --
National Veterans Legal Services Program and Veterans Legal Services Clinic at
Yale Law -- have released updated research expanding that timeline to include
veterans who served on Guam from 1958 to 1980.
"The conclusion was based on an exhaustive review
conducted over nearly two years of government, private, archival, and oral
history evidence of herbicide use in Guam during the Vietnam era," the
groups said in a news release about the research. The February update includes
new developments and information on herbicide use in Guam gathered after the
original paper was published in May 2020, including "an EPA-directed soil
sampling report published in July 2020 and recently issued decisions of the
Board of Veterans’ Appeals."
Veterans Affairs has approved 22,500 – 34% – of all Blue
Water Navy claims filed after 14 months
Tens of thousands of American troops served on Guam during
the Vietnam War and, at the height of bombing operations during the conflict,
more than three-quarters of all U.S. B-52 aircraft available for operations
were based in Guam. The rapid buildup of U.S. airpower in Guam, along with
climate conditions on the island, housing and water shortages and other
challenges, prompted military leaders to work to prevent fires and control
tropical growth using the herbicides.
“This white paper confirms the reports of countless veterans
who served in Guam but whose claims the VA has wrongly rejected,” Bart
Stichman, executive director of NVLSP, said at the time of the initial report's
release. “It is time that the VA acknowledge the strong evidence of toxic
herbicide exposure in Guam and care for veterans exposed.”
Legacies of war, ironically, have brought Vietnam and the US closer together
By Chuck Searcy
Last month, completion of dioxin cleanup on a 5,300-square-meter tract of land at Bien Hoa airport marked a significant milestone.
Officials of both the Vietnamese and U.S. governments could
derive satisfaction from knowing that the Agent Orange/dioxin legacy of war is
now being addressed, after a troubling post-war history of misinformation and
controversy, accusations and doubts.
Not just public officials, but veterans and ordinary
citizens of both countries can take pride in looking back over the remarkable
transformation that has taken place in the past two decades, from early years
of mistrust and recrimination to a positive, working partnership between
Vietnam and the U.S. today.
That relationship is now built on mutual trust and respect.
A cornerstone of our dramatically improved relationship is a
clear, shared commitment between the people of both countries to address the
legacies of war, Agent Orange/dioxin, explosive ordnance (EO), and wartime
Missing In Action (MIA) personnel from all sides, in an open and honest manner.
We now recognize that the humanitarian component of these challenges rises
above politics and demands a concerted, selfless effort of all concerned.
How did we come to this point?
Twenty-five years after Vietnam and the U.S. normalized
diplomatic relations on July 11,1995, is an appropriate moment to observe and
reflect.
I have been a personal witness to this history: first, as a
U.S. Army soldier in the war, in 1967-68, then as a veteran who returned to
Vietnam in 1995 to try to contribute to the rebuilding, recovery, and
reconciliation that was being painfully pursued by the Vietnamese. Working at
the Swedish Children’s Hospital and Bach Mai Hospital in Ha Noi to provide
orthopedic braces for disabled children, one of the first projects funded by
USAID, I learned of the terrible toll in deaths and lifetime disabilities among
ordinary people throughout Vietnam as a result of wartime bombs and mines still
remaining in the ground.
I was shocked to discover that more than 100,000 Vietnamese
had been killed or injured by explosive ordnance since the end of the war in
1975. When I and other Americans discussed this humanitarian tragedy with U.S.
Embassy staff and other government officials, there was cautious agreement that
this grim challenge needed to be addressed, yes, and it was an area in which
the U.S. could provide assistance.
Experiencing Sexual Assault Doubles Odds That Troops Will Leave Military, Report Finds
U.S. military personnel who have experienced sexual assault are twice as likely to leave the military within 28 months of an attack, according to a new Rand Corp. report.
"Sexual assault and sexual harassment are associated
with a wide range of harms to individual service members, but this study
highlights another negative impact of these crimes -- higher rates of attrition
and associated harms to force readiness," Andrew Morral, senior behavioral
scientist at the nonprofit think tank and lead author of the report, said in a
Rand news release on Tuesday.
"We estimate that sexual assaults and harassment of
service members that occurred in a single year were associated with the
premature loss of at least 16,000 person-years of service over the following 28
months."
The report, "Effects of Sexual Assault and Sexual
Harassment on Separation from the U.S. Military," showcases the findings
of the 2014 Rand Military Workplace Study, which the organization conducted for
the Pentagon. Completed in 2019, the Rand document was "recently cleared
for publication by DoD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office,"
according to the news release.
VA's Complicated Vaccine Priority System Causes Disparities, Confusion
The Department of Veterans Affairs may be out ahead of many states and federal entities in vaccine administration, but the complexity of deciding who is eligible for the vaccine and when has still left many confused and frustrated.
So far, the VA has administered 1.26
million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine; 305,197 veterans and employees had
received both doses as of Monday.
To decide who has priority for the limited vaccine supply,
the VA uses an algorithm to sift through its databases and prioritize veterans.
But it also considers other factors, such as local availability of vaccine
doses, clinical resources and requirements at each hospital or clinic, and the
number of COVID-19 infections in an area.
VA officials say the approach has allowed the department to vaccinate a large number of individuals in a relatively short period of time.
Some veterans, however, say they don't understand why they
haven't been contacted, despite being what they believe is considered
"high risk."
"My husband, a Vietnam vet, has not been contacted to
get the vaccine. ... He is 77 with health issues," said a veteran's spouse in the Dallas-Fort Worth
area who asked that her name not be used because she wanted to keep her
husband's identity private.
He eventually got an appointment through the City of Dallas,
not the North Texas VA Health System, she said.
"He had to wait in a car in line for four hours in
Dallas to get his vaccine. It was grueling," she added.
Others cited similar problems in other parts of the country.
A new era for Veterans Affairs, and the committee that oversees it
The Veterans Health Administration is marking its 75th year. Now that Denis McDonough is confirmed as the new veterans affairs secretary, what will his overseers on Capitol Hill be most concerned with? For some answers, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Montana’s Jon Tester (D-Mont.).
Tom Temin: Senator, good to have you on.
Jon Tester: Tom. Thank you.
Tom Temin: Alright so, we do have a confirmed VA
secretary now and you are now the new chairman of the committee in the Senate.
What are your expectations writ large for VA in the next couple of years?
Jon Tester: Well, I think first of all, it’s
good to have Denis McDonough as secretary of the VA. He’ll be a point of
contact that everybody can use in Congress, they’re able to make sure that the
VA does the best job possible of getting the vaccines and getting them in the
arms of the veterans around this country. I think that’s really critically
important. They’ve done a good job so far. But there has been a holdup in the
amount of vaccines as has been across the country.
Friday, February 12, 2021
In Memory Program 2021 Deadline Fast Approaching
What is In Memory?
The plaque on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
site in Washington, D.C. that honors these veterans was dedicated in 2004 and
reads: In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam
War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their
sacrifice.
In Memory was created in 1993 by the group –
Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. VVMF began managing the program and
hosting the ceremony in 1999. More than 4,700 veterans have been added to
the In Memory Honor Roll since the program began. To see all
the honorees, please visit the In
Memory Honor Roll.
Friday, February 5, 2021
U.S. to pay billions to Marines affected by contaminated drinking water
WASHINGTON — After years of waiting, veterans who were exposed to contaminated drinking water while assigned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina may now be able to receive a portion of government disability benefits totaling more than $2 billion.
Outgoing VA Secretary Bob McDonald determined that there was
“sufficient scientific and medical evidence” to establish a connection between
exposure to the contaminated water and eight medical conditions for purposes of
awarding disability compensation.
The estimated taxpayer cost is $2.2 billion over a five-year
period. The VA estimates that as many as 900,000 service members were
potentially exposed to the tainted water.
“This is good news,” said retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry
Ensminger, whose daughter Janey was born in 1976 while he was stationed at
Lejeune. Janey died from leukemia at age 9. Ensminger now heads a veterans
group, The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten, which advocates for those seeking
disability compensation.
“This has been a hard, long slog,” said Ensminger, who argues
the government must go further in covering additional diseases. “This is not
the end of the issue.”
The new rule being announced Friday covers active duty,
Reserve and National Guard members who developed one of eight diseases: adult
leukemia, aplastic anemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer,
multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Parkinson’s disease.
COMMENT | Who were the victims of Agent Orange in Malaya?
COMMENT |
“It is a national tragedy that we
had to wait until the lifting of the 30-year secrecy rule in Britain before we
realised the scandal that our country (Malaya) was the first country on earth
to fall victim to Agent Orange.”
In 1984, the British journal New
Scientist revealed that the British army had used a herbicide identical to
Agent Orange during the emergency in Malaya (1948-60). But it was not an
“exclusive” – four years before that, when the Soviet Union was being accused
of using chemical warfare against the Afghan people, the French Le Monde
Diplomatique had revealed that the British army had also done the same in
Malaya during the emergency.
In my article, I pointed out that
it was criminal that British officials, ICI (the chemical company involved) and
Malayan officials had kept all this health hazard from the public. Until 1984,
only those records relating to events up to 1952 had been revealed and they
showed that at least 20 sites in west Pahang had been sprayed with this toxic
herbicide.
Ottawa Should Apologize for Role in Agent Orange Use in Vietnam
A French legal battle offers an opportunity to revisit Canada’s role in chemical weapons use and whether Ottawa owes something to its Vietnamese victims.
On the weekend activists gathered
in Paris to support a court case launched by a woman exposed to Agent Orange in
Vietnam. The group Collectif Vietnam Dioxine is supporting French-Vietnamese
woman, Tran To Nga, who is suing 14 companies that sold the powerful defoliant
dioxin to the US military.
As a member of the Vietnamese
Communists (Viet Cong) Nga breathed Agent Orange in 1966. She told the
Associated Press “because of that, I lost one child due to heart defects. I
have two other daughters who were born with malformations. And my
grandchildren, too.” Spread between generations through breast milk, food and
the water supply, Agent Orange victims’ children and grandchildren are often
born with serious disabilities.
The toll the cancerous chemical
had on Vietnam is staggering. Some three million Vietnamese were exposed to a
defoliant that can cause immune deficiencies and damage one’s nervous system.
Between 1962 and 1971 US forces sprayed 11 million litres of Agent Orange in
southern Vietnam.
