daklander

Sorry I've been remiss in keep this thread updated with what's going on as far as Blue Water Navy Sailors and Agent Orange. I'll try be more active. Commander John Wells filed the lawsuit against Secretary Shinseki in the United States District Court For The District Of Columbia today, August 02 2013. Press Release: http://bwsvw.org/forum/attachment.php?aid=51 The Complaint: http://bwsvw.org/forum/attachment.php?aid=52

I ran across this interesting website. It contains quite a lot of great information but, for Blue Water Sailors, you can track any typhoons you ran through in a given year. Obviously, the storms of interest would be the ones that traveled into and through Vietnam. There's no doubt the sea and seabed would have been heavily roiled and any dioxin laden material would have been suspended in the water for quite a long time and who knows how far it would have traveled. I wish I'd seen this site while my claim was still at the VARO, or at least, the BVA. It would certainly add ammunition to go with the RAN study and the ensuing IOM confirmation of that RAN study. There were, for instance, 26 in '70, 36 in '71 and 31 in '72, the years I spent full tours. My short stint over there in '73 had none in the 45 days I was there.

LC, that should not be a problem since the meeting is open to the public. I'd just be there early to make sure you have a seat. If you want to learn more about Agent Orange as it relates Navy Vietnam Vets, check out the documents/repositories at BWSVW.org and bluewaternavy.org. Both sites' primary goal is getting Agent Orange presumptions restored for the Blue Water Navy. Between the two sites' Documents and Libraries there are thousands of documents related to Agent Orange.

Now Over 6000. I've linked to a list of the ships listed in the NARA Archives that have deck logs uploaded. If your ship is on the list and the dates fit your needs, go to the NARA site and download the deck logs. It will save you money. Download the latest list here: http://bwsvw.org/forum/attachment.php?aid=59 Click the new tab at the bottom to see the latest additions to the last list.

The 850,000 number was the original number the DVA originally used for the number of Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans to inflate the cost of a restoration of presumption and benefits due to Agent Orange exposure. They used the 850,000 number with 100% still alive, 100% submitting claims, 100% approved at a 100% rating and a 1st year cost of about $28 Billion and a 10 year cost of about $203 Trillion. The number was later dropped to 512,000 which was still too high. Last session the two restoration acts used the number of 253,000 and while still too high is an acceptable number as long as the VA accounts for the number of Veterans who became presumed due to being on a Blue Water Vessel that traveled into brown water and the death rate. Using that number of 253,000 and using the standard percentages of claimants, approvals and ratings as well as the death rate and those who are deemed exposed due to brown water service, the 1st year cost, including any Nehmer claims is under $2.75 Billion with a 10 year cost of about $940 Billion. Here are the numbers from the DoD TOTAL ARMY AIR FORCE MARINES NAVY NUMBER SERVING SOUTHEAST ASIA** 3,403,000 2,276,000 385,000 513,000 229,000 NUMBER SERVING SOUTH VIETNAM** 2,594,000 1,736,000 293,000 391,000 174,000

Berta, according to the last video I saw from Congressman Filner, HR2254 is supposed to come out of committee this month, I believe his statement was early 2010. The main criteria for TLC Veterans is going to the the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal. SUMMARY! Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 - Includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam, for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam, such Republic's inland waterways, ports, and harbors, waters offshore, and airspace above. Includes as veterans eligible for such presumption those who: (1) served on Johnston Island during the period beginning on April 1, 1972, and ending on September 30, 1977; or (2) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal. Keep in mind many of the Blue Water Navy Veterans were, more likely than not, contaminated by TCDD via the water distillation process used on Naval Vessels at that time. The IOM has finally accepted the RAN report regarding the distillation process and resultant concentration of dioxins in ship board water.