The Media And Ao

[john999]

I read an article in the St. Pete Times today that was carping about Vietnam vets getting compensated for DMII resulting from AO exposure. They point to the vet who spent 3 hours in RVN and now gets compensated for DMII as if this is typical. This is the run up to the opposition to RVN vets getting compensation for IHD. The idea is, of course, that the aging vet population would have died anyway from AO presumptive diseases. The media and the public never get tired of kicking Vietnam vets even when they are sick. For years we were portrayed as psychopathic baby killers and losers and now we are freeloaders who live high on the hog due to AO compensation. The only good vets are the Greatest Generation vets and current vets of OIF/OEF. The rest of us are sucking the government teat and just refuse to die fast enough. Sorry! I do get sick of hearing "Welcome home OIF/OEF vets" when I call the VA. Pretty soon it will be "Welcome home vets except for free loading Vietnam vets who are not dead yet".

[Dak To II ATC]

I read an article in the St. Pete Times today that was carping about Vietnam vets getting compensated for DMII resulting from AO exposure. They point to the vet who spent 3 hours in RVN and now gets compensated for DMII as if this is typical. This is the run up to the opposition to RVN vets getting compensation for IHD. The idea is, of course, that the aging vet population would have died anyway from AO presumptive diseases. The media and the public never get tired of kicking Vietnam vets even when they are sick. For years we were portrayed as psychopathic baby killers and losers and now we are freeloaders who live high on the hog due to AO compensation. The only good vets are the Greatest Generation vets and current vets of OIF/OEF. The rest of us are sucking the government teat and just refuse to die fast enough. Sorry! I do get sick of hearing "Welcome home OIF/OEF vets" when I call the VA. Pretty soon it will be "Welcome home vets except for free loading Vietnam vets who are not dead yet".

On my better days I can feel this charitable.

[N4XV]

As I was reading the final rule published in the Federal Register I noticed on page 53206 under E. Negative Comment =-there is only one negative comment out a total of 670 comments and the comment was pointed directly at IHD. One news article at this time about how the VA handles the AO issue at present is what I would call to little to late. There will be no interest stirred by this article to the general public other than maybe Vietnam veterans affected by AO and tomorrow it will be yesterdays news.

[stillhere]

I think I know the guy that posted that negative comment??

[rotorhead]

As I was reading the final rule published in the Federal Register I noticed on page 53206 under E. Negative Comment =-there is only one negative comment out a total of 670 comments and the comment was pointed directly at IHD. One news article at this time about how the VA handles the AO issue at present is what I would call to little to late. There will be no interest stirred by this article to the general public other than maybe Vietnam veterans affected by AO and tomorrow it will be yesterdays news.

N4XV, you are right on. The cow is out, the train has left the station, ect. There may not be anymore presumtives, but this one is a done deal.