rufus1

Yes you are right because I am cancer free and receive nothing for that. Good point!

Sorry if I made you think different but YES the 40% is a total of everything associated with my cancer. I do not know how it is broken down but it sexual dysfunction , urinary leakage ect. etc. and the cancer itself. Thanks for your comments.

Thanks for all the input folks and I will head forward and all your insight is very helpful. I know very little about all the processes but am greatful there are folfs like you all that I can read and heed from in all the articles and research. I will go to see the VSO tomorrow and get the long process started - Being PTSD and stay isolated it will take me some doing to get into this. Yes ,as far as the water situation I am scheduled to get my medical survey shortly from the ASTRA or something like that who studies the effects of all those things on our health. I hope that there is not much more bad news to come down the pike as far as things I have been exposed to and the government to deny and then turn us down for attention we need for our medical problems. I will always be a Proud Marine and Proud to have served my Country!!!!

We I went to my C&P which was done by a contract audiologist she done the hearing test. I told her that the ringing was 24 hours a day and that my wife yelled at me all the time because I did not hear what she says. I turn the T.V. up real loud so I can hear it and that causes conflicts. That I worked around the jets and sometimes in Vietnam we had no time to get our hearing protection in the rush to launch planes. Also had several rockets and mortars that landed very close to me. I was rated 10% and issued hearing aids by the Va. When I went to my C&P which was done by a contract audiologist she done the hearing test. I told her that the ringing was 24 hours a day and that my wife yelled at me all the time because I did not hear what she says. I turn the T.V. up real loud so I can hear it and that causes conflicts. That I worked around the jets and sometimes in Vietnam we had no time to get our hearing protection in the rush to launch planes. Also had several rockets and mortars that landed very close to me. I was rated 10% and issued hearing aids by the Va.

Yes I did look at it for scars and it does look like it applies. Yes most people think I got low balled but I do not have anything else to present. I have been placed on two medications since my C&P for PTSD. I do work a full time job and go to the Veterans Service Officer that is furnished by the state of North Carolina but I done all the paperwork and she filed it and had no problems getting the ratings on all three (AO Cancer, PTSD and Hearing). I also get some SMC for residuals due to the Agent Orange cancer. Thank God I am still cancer free also but have a number of other health issues - GURDS, high blood pressure,COPD to mention a few. I was in the old barracks at Parris Island that had asbestos in them and the F4J had asbestos brakes along with asbestos insulation in the engine compartment, black exhaust dust and exposure to the JP-4 fuel , lubricants,exhaust for long periods of time along with the smoke abatement additive used in Vietnam. I checked with my VA doctors about if my Gurds and/or high blood pressure was as likely or not caused or made worse due to my PTSD and they said NO. I also asked about the Copd and exposure and he said no - it was due to smoking. If you have any further guidance please let me know what you suggest. From what I have read in all the post that you answer you give out very solid advise. Thanks!!!!

I had the surgery June 2009 and it was due to Service connected condition approved due to Agent Orange (Cancer). I had the surgery at the VA Hospital in Asheville,North Carolina so it is documented. I was paid at 100% for about 13months and then they dropped it to 40% with 10% PTSD and 10% ringing in the ears 49% loss in left and 19% right.

If I apply for disability due to pain from the foot long scar from AO surgery on my lower stomach area will I have to go to another C&P exam or will they just take it from my medical records where they can see the staples and will they grant it to me since the surgery is already documented? I also have a service connected scar on my chin from where I fell off an F-4J Fighter aircraft that I usually cut open when I shave due to the raised portion of it. Should I also file it in the claim. Thank you for your assistance.

I was in DaNang, Vietnam and Namphong, Thailand so I got a double dose. Should I sent in documentation to my VA file of both exposures. Have already filed claim for cancer under agent Orange from Vietnam?

Been without mine now since June 15 2009 due to Agent Orange. It really changes your life and the way you do things. It is good to know these things because you do not hear a lot from the VA. I will keep a close check since you let us know about the mutation even after the cancer surgery and they say you are cancer free.

With this being said now by the VA does it open up a better chance of the people with COPD to use this to say that the government accepts that the PTSD as likely or not made them smoke more and it was harder for them to quit so it is directly a result associated with their service connected PTSD.