This And That

[allan]

This and That

If you have not seen the Blue Water Navy Posting at:

http://bluewaternavy.org/brownpaper.htm

Please do so. This is a must read for all Veterans but especially for Vietnam Veterans.

Just some of that below:

…Veterans Affairs erroneously notes that the National Academy of Science (NAS) has been successful in the process of "incorporating science into difficult and contentious veteran compensation policy decisions.” I believe it has been clearly pointed out how very far from truth this statement is. (See Part I and Part II ). In fact, it is Brown himself that states there is no scientific basis for the very important underlying foundation to "presumptive exposure" and the exclusion of off-shore military personnel from that presumption. Generally and overall, the NAS has been blind to and evasive of viable, formal research that supports medical and scientific studies of off-shore personnel that prove their disabilities, which look exactly like those disabilities of in-country vets, are far more likely than not to have been caused by the same dioxin poisoning as the in-country veterans experience.

It appears that those specific elements which the VA requests from the NAS and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which eliminate legitimate medical research supporting the claims of off-shore personnel, is exactly what is delivered to the VA in the bi-annual updates to the Agent Orange Review.

In a word, NAS/IOM have utterly and completely failed their mission as originally given them by the Agent Orange Act of 1991. Additionally, the VA seems to have control over what medical and scientific information appears in their reports, and they continuously delete existing evidence that would prove them wrong.

Given the admissions of Mr. Brown, the VA has been caught up in a two-faced lie.

This also goes back to my contention that NAS/IOM uses apple comparisons for negative recommendations when they should be only comparing orange comparisons, which actually reflect the Veterans Legacy. Although the challenge above indicates NAS/IOM, maybe more controlled by Veterans Affairs than we or I have contemplated. The deletion of scientific data by Veterans Affairs should not surprise anyone in our elected congress or the President or any Veterans and widows of Veterans. Ranch Hand scientists faced the same issues with not only deletion of data but also the changing of concluding medical statements already cleared for publication. By the way, congressional members were presented those very facts by the scientists under oath in 2000. Still nothing was done by congress to stop that known fraudulent activity. And we can assume unless we elect someone besides those in office now, the IOM accusations above will go unchallenged by those we elected to protect us against what must be considered as “government collusion.”

I had already contended that the new definitions by IOM of what is significant sounded like Veterans Affairs mandate, not the use of scientific common sense. As the evidence grows stronger in many areas, the only thing they can do in order to deny is make the association requirements more stringent and IOM is doing that as we speak.

It is simply mind boggling and despicable that our congress can go on and on about 8 District Attorneys that were replaced, meet an entire weekend to resolve the Terri Schiavo debacle, spend all this time on baseball players taking drugs trying to kill themselves for fame and continually let the Veterans of this Nation face what is described in the http://bluewaternavy.org/brownpaper.htm on the Blue Water Navy site, much less what I have pointed out and will continue to do so.

Even more outrageous is this congress, both parties; still will want the Veterans and widows vote to keep them doing nothing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Had a lot of e-mail replies on the Veterans Union. I have no idea how to but I am thinking. I believe at first it can be run out of folks home in the different states. Nevertheless, without money to support the activities is seems it would be a long hard road.

Although even at $2.50 a head per year, we are possibly talking in the millions and that certainly eventually would have a big impact not only in DC but also at the congressional district levels and senate races.

Anyway, a state plan as well as national plan is needed and I am not sure I am the one to do that.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E-mail from Berta Simmons

My special guest for Wednesday January 16th at SVR Radio (6:30 EST) will be Robert P. Walsh, the highly regarded and well-known veteran's attorney from Battle Creek Michigan.

Mr Walsh also teaches at the University of Detroit Law School and his law practice involves VA claims as well as Social Security Disability claims.

As a veteran, Mr. Walsh was in the US Army Reserves and the National Guard-and is a Vietnam veteran who was with the 101st Airborne in-country.

He is presently representing Keith A. Roberts who has been incarcerated, in a case that got attention all over the veteran's electronic community, due to alleged VA fraud.

Also he handled the FTCA case, Brown V. Veterans Administration regarding Leishmaniasis.

He has experience in all facets of VA case law and we will be discussing CUE claims as well as other matters of importance to veterans.

Call in toll free at 1-877-213-4329

http://www.stardustent.com/ just click on SVR on the left or download the plug in to get to our chat room.

Berta Simmons Volunteer Veteran's Advocate

Might be a good chance to call in and ask legal questions as to how in the world we can fix this system since our own congress refuses to act.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you know of any Vietnam Veteran with Parkinson’s or Parkinson’s like symptoms if they have not done so please have them contact:

Steve at swfiscus@msn.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gary Henton passed away on Monday

I sent out the following to my Battalion.

2/94th Member Lost

Gary Lee Henton an original member of our 2/94th C Battery passed away on January 14, 2007 at 10:25 in Fitzgerald, Georgia. As most of you know, Gary had been battling lung cancer he developed from Agent Orange for the past 6 months.

Visitation will be tomorrow night at Paulks Funeral home in Fitzgerald, Georgia from 7-9 PM. A service will be held Thursday morning at the chapel in the funeral home at 10 AM and gravesite services will be at Andersonville National Cemetery in Andersonville, Georgia at 2 PM.

Funeral home link: http://www.paulkfuneralhome.com/

There is an online registry to sign-in or view after clicking on Gary’s Obituary.

In the fall of 1966, the Vietnam War intensified along the Demilitarized Zone. Fearing an all out crossing in force by the North Vietnamese Army a call went out from the 3rd Marines for heavy long-range artillery. Gary’s Army 175 mm Gun Battalion rerouted in route from the United States to Vietnam was given that task. Specialist Henton and the Battalion completed all fire missions assigned to them with professionalism, honor, and valor with Specialist Henton being wounded in action on 9 May 1967.

Gary was a joy at our Battalion reunions by many that served in the Battalion after Gary and he will be missed. Gary was someone that any of us would have been proud to serve with.

The Battalion sends its deepest sympathy at Specialist Henton’s loss.

We thank Specialist Henton and the entire Henton family for Gary’s service to the 2/94th Battalion, The United States Army, and this Nation.

Specialist Gary Lee Henton C Battery 2nd Battalion 94th Artillery Vietnam 1966-1967 “Rest in Peace”.

For Karen Henton and myself I again want to thank those that helped to get Gary’s claim through the system. I am quite sure without that help another Vietnam Veteran would have gone to his dirt nap with no service connection and certainly no financial support while he was still alive. This would have been just another feather in the Veteran’s Affairs cap.

Congress would rather investigate and have special investigators for baseball players rather than investigate what has gone on forever against this Nations Finest.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been asked to list some Veterans Political Issues for 2008 and am in the process of doing that.

Best to all,

Kelley

http://www.2ndbattalion94thartillery.com:8...hisandThat3.htm