Thailand Ao Vets Important New C & P Bulletin

[Berta]

This change in policy could warrant a better EED for some AO Thailand veterans.

Source of pdf: Kurt Priessmann

Thailand new C& P & Bulletin Jan 2012.pdf

[arm1487]

My husband has been diagnosed with Stage 4-Squamous Cell Lung Cancer in which the left bronchus is blocked due to this cancer. He served during the Viet Nam era in Thailand, Ubon RAFB beginning in November 1966 through November 1967. His job was Cryogenic Fluids, making oxygen for the planes that flew missions to Viet Nam. He worked near the perimeter. We have filed a claim with VA for benefits and are being asked for factual information. Not sure what they are asking for. Can you help?

[Berta]

I regret no one answered your question. Some of us have been away from the board due to vacations, etc.

Obviously your husband has a disability that is presumptive to Agent Orange for incountry Vietnam veterans, those who fulfill the Korea AO criteria, and those veterans who fall under the AO Thailand Directive which is found here at the beginning of this topic.

I hope he also claimed the involvement of the bronchus, as also due to the Squamous cell cancer, as a secondary disability.

The problem of course is proving his exposure to Agent Orange in Thailand.

The following Veterans may have been exposed to herbicides:

U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand, 1972

The National Archives

• U.S. Air Force Veterans who served on Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang, near the air base perimeter anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
  
• U.S. Army Veterans who provided perimeter security on RTAF bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
  
• U.S. Army Veterans who were stationed on some small Army installations in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975. However, the Army Veteran must have been a member of a military police (MP) unit or was assigned an MP military occupational specialty whose duty placed him/her at or near the base perimeter.
  
• 
  
• http://www.publichea...ge/thailand.asp.
  
  
  He needs to prove, via his SMRs, or 201 Personnel file, how his MOS put him on or very near the perimeter of the base.
  What branch of service was he in? As you can see USAF MOS in Thailand is less restricted then the Army criteria.
  He should certainly try to find someone he served with in Thailand for a “Buddy statement”.
  
  
  A Buddy statement from some one, with his same unit, same time frame of Thailand service, and either same or consistent MOS as he had could write a letter to VA, to testify that he ,your husband, did work on the base perimeter.
  
  “Cryogenic Fluids, making oxygen for the planes that flew missions to Viet Nam. He worked near the perimeter. “
  This does not necessarily mean he worked in or near the perimeter.
  His Unit surely has a web site and he might find a Buddy there he could contact (or maybe simply google the names of anyone he served with in Thailand,) and then he could obtain a statement that would support his claim as to the Thailand AO criteria.
  
  The buddy statement should cpontain te buddy's MOS ,time in Thailand, etc and exactly how he knew of and witnessed your husband's duty on or very near the base permeter. The buddy should get his statement notarized if possible (banks often do that for free)and give the VA his complete contact info, to include phone number and email addy.
  
  
  In this BVA case the veteran claimed pancreas disability due to exposures and his MOS was described thus:
  
  “The veteran served on active duty in the US Air Force for
  approximately four years. The veteran's military
  occupational specialties during that time were 54430 -
  cryogenics fluid production specialist - and 63111 - fuel
  specialist. “
  http://www.va.gov/ve...es4/0833346.txt
  
  
  
  
  This claim reveals the problem BVA had ,at time of this remanded decision, getting a definition of his MOS from NPRC.
  I hope your husband does have copies of his complete military records.
  If not he can obtain them via NARA at
  
  
  http://www.archives....ervice-records/
  He will need to print off the bar coded thing, after he fills out the SF 180 ( I advise looking the form over first to make sure he has the info they need, sign it, copy it, and then mail it with proof of mailing to where the site directs him to.
  Or he can print off the SF 180 and the bar code thing , prepare the form off line and sign,copy, and mail it to NARA.
  
  He needs to get proof of mailing anything he sends to NARA or the VA.
  
  Google has images and maps of this USAF base on line and perhaps he could find a map that he could highlight to show exactly where he worked on the perimeter but it would still take corroboration either from his military records, or from a buddy, and both types of corroboration would be the best bet.
  
  
  
  
  My last NARA request took about 5 or 6 weeks. These days it is difficult to know how long that would take.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The following Veterans may have been exposed to herbicides:
  
  
  U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand, 1972
  The National Archives
  • U.S. Air Force Veterans who served on Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang, near the air base perimeter anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
    
  • U.S. Army Veterans who provided perimeter security on RTAF bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
    
  • U.S. Army Veterans who were stationed on some small Army installations in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975. However, the Army Veteran must have been a member of a military police (MP) unit or was assigned an MP military occupational specialty whose duty placed him/her at or near the base perimeter.
    
  • 
    
  • http://www.publichea...ge/thailand.asp.
    

Edited June 26, 2012 by Berta

[azbill58]

This information is outstanding, I'm just waiting for the DVA to finish processing my claim from 1989 under the review process and my most current claim from December 2010. Keep the information flowing. Thanks, AZBill58

[FormerMember]

One thing most AF Vets focus on regarding Thai AO exposure is having an AFSC of Security Policeman or their hootches being close to the perimeter like they were at Udorn. The big new "barns" they put up in 1970 to replace the old hooches were jammed right up (within 100 feet) of the Northwest perimeter. What some forget is the Communications guys who did telephone maintenance or cable splicing in the perimeter areas. VA has not even touched on that group. Here's a good list of the affected Comm Squadrons and a few Army/Marine places http://asknod.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/thailand-ao-exposure/ In fact, here's a picture of Detachment B, 7th Radio Research Field Station about 10 klics from T-11 (Chiang Mai Airport). This place was nuked the whole time I was there from Oct. 70- May 72. Nothing grew there-period. The black and white is from the Lima Site 20 A's parking apron for the Hmong T-28s. They tried to plant grass there for a volley ball court but it died after a week. The place was hosed with it. Third pic is from 1500 looking NW at Long Tieng and you can see all the bare dirt around the runway and taxiways. The Hmong kids used to spread AO and A Blue with cut off bleach bottles undiluted right out of the barrels. After two years, I came home coughing up blood and thought it was due to Red Marlboros. I switched to lights! I'm rated 40% for PCT on that. Hope the pictures help.

[FormerMember]

Here's another piece of the puzzle that will help Thai/Cambodia/Laos Vets. The truth is out there.

http://www.viet-remf.net/The%20Exclusion%20of%20Thailand%20Veterans%20Report.pdf

We sleep at night with one eye open at asknod.org. VA doesn't want this out of the bag because it would put them and Uncle Sam in the poorhouse. The military wasn't about to let on that they were running C-123 spray aircraft out of Udorn and NKP. The King of Thailand forbid it. The fact is , it was closer to the trail flying from up-country than from Bien Hoa. Check out the pictures for your claims.

[Berta]

Yeah....Wes Carter, Major, Retired, USAF gave testimony on Jan 16th 2013 to the IOM regarding the C 123s I think I posted the link here in January...Havent had a single minute to get back to him.

www.c123cancer.org. Is his web site with the testimony there.He had prepared an excellent argument on the modified transports ,circa 1972-1982 that flew

and sprayed the AO.

He referred to the GSA and USAF 2011 reports regarding the "lingering contamination by military herbicides" to the planes....

That's right folks the 2011 reports...........the Weapon of Mass destruction, AO, keeps on giving....and is still a fluid subject for USAF and the GSA

By 2010 ,any C 123s left, were destroyed and put into landfills, per Carter's research.

He does mention those left as historic artifacts in museums. I am sure I saw one at Lackland AF Base when my daughter graduated from BT there. 1997.

They had a Blackbird on display I stood in front of for photos but none of our cameras could get the whole thing into one shot.........talk about great stuff the Mil has....

I digress........ the food on the base was great too...Every parent got a video their airman child was in.....my daughter was in the first 'integrated' graduation wing ? squadron? I forget....meaning the female airmen did everything the male airmen did,in BT .......and they did it all very Well!!!!

She said one of the MREs in a bivouac was shrimp or lamb........????? whatever they were ,she said the MREs were delicious.

I digress..............this is an important topic here....

Edited February 6, 2013 by Berta