Agent Orange-Old Skin Issues Claim

[KCAC]

I am a Thai only Vietnam Vet.  I left U-Tapeo RTAFB Thailand in 1973 with skin issues documented in USAF medical records.  I left USAF in mid 1973 with the skin issues worsening.  A civilian dermatologist immediately diagnoses as exposure to toxic industrial chemicals and refers me to the VA.  I had a rash and blisters on hands, they constantly peeled and also rash on face and feet and severe itching and sweating of the palms of my hands.  The VA Dr said it could be toxic exposure and I receive a 10% service connnect disability within 12 months of leaving Thailand.  The diagnosis was dermititus of hands, face and feet and hyperhidrosis of both hands.  Things continued to get worse and the issues continued to spread, by 1977 my entire body was affected with rashes, blisters, scaling skin, some pimples but constantly changing skin issues.  On another 1977 exam the VA Dr. agreed with my dermatologist that I had been exposed to something very toxic and said he would check with the USAF as to what it might be and get back to me.  I never heard back but they raised my disability to 30% and added psoriasis to the other conditions and stated it covered my upper and lower etremities, chest, back, neck and face.  Within 3 years everything disappeared.  My dermatologist said that proved toxic exposure but it must have been bad since it lasted 7 years.

Since the USAF denied ever using AO in Thailand and it was only in 2010 that the VA acknowledged it was, and in reading up I see my symtoms sound very similar to both chloracne and PCT, and I see that hyperdidrosis is a symtom of dioxin poisoning. Would it benefit me to somehow refile a claim on those very old issues? that are now gone but for scars?  This all happened prior to the first AO claim being filed.  I also see now that U-Tapeo sprayed defoliants on base in June 1972 due to an almost successful sapper attack that damaged 3 B-52s. I was there the 4th time for 90 days starting early Nov 1972.  Those defloiants were clearly sprayed just uphill of the base recreational beach directly on the perimeter where I often jogged or hung out when off duty. I noticed I would often itch after being on that beach but thought it was likely polluted sea water.  

I since had been plagued with inflamatory/auto immune diseases.  Including crohns, ulcers, inflammed appendix, prostate and gall bladder, arthritus, heart disease with stints and quad bypass, and many skin cancers of all 3 types.  .

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by KCAC
spelling

[Berta]

 

How did you get to Thailand?

Please read my post here on Son Nuit:   ( and the BS memo link)

http://community.hadit.com/topic/68445-ao-usaf-andton-son-nhut/

Also known as Tan Son Nuit USAF ....which was in Vietnam.

Many vets had stop overs in Vietnam on the way to Thailand. 

The BVA even recognized that fact in a different post I made here.

James Cripps ,hadit member, was the first Chloracne vet I know of and it was the first AO COnus award too,.

Kurt Priessman, hadit member, was the sole reason we even have the Thailand AO regulations.

You obviously have what might be additional disabilities due to AO exposure.....

Do you have your inservice personnel file and the 201 destination report? as well as your SMRs?

I have very limited flight experience. The VA would not pay for flight school.My lessons were expensive due to the insurance I had to pay while in flight with my instructor.Flying a plane by myself was FABULOUS! I even did well on take off and on the real  hard part....getting back onto the tarmac.....safely.

However I do know something about flight distance and I don't know many air  transports of troops to Thailand during the regulation  time frame that would re fuel at a stop other than one  in Vietnam......

It is something to look into.... can you recall any possible stop overs on the way to Thailand?

The name might seem to be a Thailand name but it might be a Vietnamese name....like Tan Son Nuit.....and I bet the VA does not even know the difference.Some of these raters were probably not even born during the Vietnam War . 

If you can think of any possible places in Vietnam you might have had a stop over at...just do your best to spell the name.I have a Vietnam War Map in Vietnamese and my daughter speaks, reads and writes  Vietnamese fluently ,courtesy of USAF)so we could try to figure out where the stopover actually took place.

Are you in touch with any of your unit buddys from Thailand? They too might remember stop overs in Vietnam.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by Berta

[Berta]

The link to that BVA decision did not work but here it is, a 2016 award and remand, Thailand vet with stopovers in Vietnam.......

https://www.va.gov/vetapp16/Files5/1638401.txt

NOTHING is Impossible!

[KCAC]

Berta,

I was a KC-135 pilot, I would fly a KC to U-T. Thailand  No boots in Nam. However due to Kurt, the VA in 2010 recognized Thai Vets but have the totally idiotic Thai perimeter rules that defy all common sense.  They basically say if you were on or near the perimeter of a Thai USAF base, you can qualify for AO benefits.  What is nuts, U-Tapeo is on the water, the runway ends just short of the beach which the USAF set up as a large resort type rec center so the 7500 or so personnel could relax on it any time they wanted.  They even had bars and restaurants directly on the beach perimeter.  But unless your MOS is security police they stone wall Thai Vets.

Assuming I qualify for AO benefits, since I have hard evidence of being on the perimeter are those pre AO skin claims of any benefit for me to ask that they be reevaluated?  And possibly reclassed as chloracne or PCT?  I am at a huge disadvantage due to so much time passing before the VA acknowledged Thai Vets, all of my civilian records on the skin issues were destroyed years ago.  However, when I obtained my records from the VA their 1970's diagnosis' of my skin issues are similar to what the diagnosis of AO skin diseases would be.  

Thanks for any advice.

Scott

 

 

AO VA PROCEDURES FOR THAILAND (3).pdf

[Buck52]

KCAC,

Go back and check your Documents Award letter  when they gave you the 30% 1977   see what they mention in the Reasons & Bases Sec?? for the award of the 30% in 1977

 

'' On another 1977 exam the VA Dr. agreed with my dermatologist that I had been exposed to something very toxic and said he would check with the USAF as to what it might be and get back to me.  I never heard back but they raised my disability to 30% and added psoriasis to the other conditions and stated it covered my upper and lower etremities, chest, back, neck and face.'' 

 

What did they say your skin conditions was cause by ??  Back then? to render a 30%

I can see where their coming from about being a MP on or around the perimeter or have a MP MOS , but if they used that area for RV purposes for the entire 7500..I'm sure everyone on U-Tapeo  was not a MP!!!!

A Clarification of this by your lay statement and Buddy statements as witness to the same area and date & time  should be good evidence that you were around that particular Perimenter for rest and rest & Relaxation....and also throw in you would walk over there when you had a lay over to get a bite to eat.  if you can establish you were there that's the Key.

you need to go in full detail describe the Area the best you can remember.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Buck52

[KCAC]

Buck,

They did not say what it was from.  Just dermatitis, psoriasis, hyperhydrosis of both hands.  I am reading from a form 21-6796.  The original at bottom typed in SC 38 USC 310 (INC VE) CODE 7899 AND 7817 dated from 8/2/73 first day I was a civilian.  The 1977 increase uses codes 7816 and 7817.  The original form does reference USAF May 73 records where I was treated at base hospital for rash, blisters on hands with severe itching and palms severely sweating even when it was cold.

I have my U-Tapeo Sailing Club card where it says I qualified in 2 models of Base Sailboats.There are many pictures showing the U-T resort beach with security guard towers next to lifeguard towers.  It just shows how the VA is so out of touch with the Thai perimeter rules.  At Udorn, they had enlisted barracks directly across the St from the perimeter fence, within 100 ft of the perimeter.

[Buck52]

You need to prove you were there within the preimenter , the pics are nice  but I don't think they will use them as evidence.

7817   is for a skin condition defoliants  (based oh facts found)

then herbicide exposure on a facts found or direct basis should be acknowledged for this Veteran. The difference in approach for US Army Veterans is based on the fact that some MPs had criminal investigation duties rather than base security duties. Therefore, the Veteran’s lay statement is required to establish security duty on the base perimeter. This also applies to US Army personnel who served on air bases in Thailand. During the early years of the war in Vietnam, before Air Force security units were fully established on air bases in Thailand, US Army personnel may have provided perimeter security. In such cases, if the Veteran provides a lay statement that he was involved with perimeter security duty and there is additional credible evidence supporting this statement, then herbicide exposure on a facts found or direct basis can be acknowledged for this Veteran. Evaluation and adjudication of the cases described above can now be condu