Va Benifits For Ao Vet Children

[Sgt Schmidt]

Hopefully Berta can give me some info on this question and lead me in the right direction. I served in Vietnam with the 2nd Bat. 3rd Marine Division from June 69 to July 70. in the Quang Tri province and surrounding areas. When I finally left the military in 1973 and started an attemp at raising a family, my first child died shortly after birth from multiple birth defects. Webbed fingers and toes, large hole in chest, and many other defects. My second child was born with a hole between the lower two chambers of her heart and also had right bundle branch blockage. she had to have open heart surgery when she was 3 and a half years old.

I have always felt this was caused by my exposure to agent orange. I have filed a claim for IHD but who do I see or talk to concerning my daughters health problems. She should be compensated for this......

Jeff

[Berta]

The VA only compensates Spinal bifida in children born after a parent's Vietnam service and also certain birth defects in children of Female Vietnam veterans:

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/a...rth_defects.asp

There are groups and forums on the web devoted to this issue and hopefully have attempted to propose legislation to expand AO benefits for children that could have disabilities due to AO.

Also there is considerable information on the web as to birth defects and disablities in Vietnamese children exposed to AO.

Someone has to spearhead this issue to determine medical linkage and similarities of disability in children of Vietnam veterans whether American or Vietnamese children.

The Press in Vietnam also has considerable info on this on the internet.

[Vync]

My father was a Vietnam vet (1968-1969).

My mother had several miscarriages/ectopic pregnancies between 1970 and 1990. I never asked them about the details, but remember my mother barely making it out of the commissary in Korea in '89 when we rushed her to the ER.

One of my sister's children was born with severe birth defects, but her other child is ok.

I have no biological children of my own, but hope that, if I do one day, they are born healthy.

However, my father has yet to develop any significant illness, like cancer.

There has to be a link somewhere...