diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Secondary To Agent Orange Exposure

[danang_1969]

I have a high school friend that I grew up with and he is now in bad health as is myself. After high achool we both joined the military and both ended up in Nam in 67-68-69 but we were at different locations and branches of service. He was discharged at 10% SC on his bad knee but has now he has type 2 diabetes and is being given medication for it by the VA for the type 2 . He has a SC claim in on the type 2 for awhile.My friend asked for and inquiry from his state senator's office and they him a letter saying that all Agent orange claims were on hold until after the lawsuit against the VA was over. Is this correct information? Is Type 2 not a presumptive and shouldn't he be getting sc'd on this with no problem on this? He also has COPD and is on oxygen and has all the same medical conditions I have. Coincidence we have most of the same stuff you think.

Danang_1969

[bob_abad]

Danang/Berta,

Can't he just do the following ASAP?

1. Write a letter to VARO with this subject line ==>Re-evaluation of Service Connected Disability Rating. Basically re-opening his file. I believe he is 10% SC already?

2. Summarize/breakdown his health status/illness which is related to AO long term exposure. DM-II should not take that much time. That's reverse info for me where I live(SF Bay Area) as I have even been asked to pass it around(since my 1st visit to VA in Y2004) to surviving VN vets that has DM-II/high blood-hypertension, numbness, & many others. They are qualified for C & P. Lot's of ill VN vets are still not aware or well informed at all. It is not on hold!!

3. Acquire copies of his medical records if available. If none, go now to VA clinic primary care and explain his health status. Better that he takes care of item #1 right away.

** I recommend that he see a VARO service rep directly(could be faster), have him/her enter in the systems about this re-opening case filing. The service rep will fill in VA FORM 21-4138(Statement in SUpport of Claim) for your buddy, and they will make a copy with date stamped for him. The rep will add this doc as the front page of his letter. They did this for me.

Again, Berta & few others are the knowledgeable ones. Just helping out.. Thanks!

[danang_1969]

I have been urging him for months to check into all this injustice and ask some questions. He is represented by the DAV, but he doesn't know what his reps name is. He is also being treated for and given medication for depression at the VA, which is no doubt PTSD, not to mention the type 2 diabetes. I have offered to help him but he just can't seem to get him motivated. He was stationed at the Danang airport with the Marine Corps a big part of the year in 67 and 68. He left about the time I got to Danang. I thought about him, when, I think it was Bertha that a gave post about the dioxin levels at Danang airport being higher than previously reported by the government. I told him to call the DAV and give his file number and ask some questions. So many vets in this same boat.

Danang_1969

[danang_1969]

Thanks everyone for the input. Thanks for the tip on the shortcut. I called him and talked to him tonight about all this and he does have INTERNET access. I sent him had-it.com link and ask him to register. I will go over to his house this week sometime, if I can muster up enough strength and go over and see if I can motivate him and help him. He only lives 13 miles away. He was not fairing very well tonight when I talked to him. He lives by himself and probably shouldn't.

He still has all his military records in his possession. He told me he even still has his original orders to Nam. He said a service rep told him once at the VSO that unless he has an individual award, no cigar, he might as well forget any compensation. I afraid he has gotten lost in the shuffle, like I did for 10 years and I did have an individual award and a year of service the ground. They just read the award to be during Blue-water time even though the dates said differently. I believe he is considered by the VA somehow and someway to be blue-water Navy, instead of a Marine with his feet on the ground a year, although they have records saying differently. Marines are a department of the Army even though they don't like to admit it. Many bars fights have been started over that subject.

Danang_1969

Danang_1969

[danang_1969]

Man I wish we had an edit button I could just go edit that department of the Army to Navy without making a new post. How'd I do that?

[Berta]

"Marines are a department of the Army even though they don't like to admit it."

SAY WHAT!

The United States Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy.

The Chief of Naval Operations of the Navy- ranks in Naval Command structure as equal to the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.

Not starting a 'bar fight'here- I just finished years of instruction primarily from the USMC-

You do raise a good point- the VA could have him listed as USN and should have him as USMC too- my husband was both USN and USMC-

but they did SC him based on his USMC service.

He needs to get this straightened out.Thanks for trying to help him.

Edited November 7, 2007 by Berta