Certain Thailand Vets

[Berta]

"It is now clear that all dog handler and security police claims based on exposure to herbicides at Air Force bases in Thailand are to be sent to C&P Service for review. "

From Colonel Dan-

due to VA Fast Letter 09=20-

and the extreme efforts of Kurt Priessman, hadit member and SVR member,

-this is a victory for some Thailand vets who have AO claims pending.

Also Marilyn Oliver, SVR guest tonight ,was helpful to Kurt in getting this Fast Letter prepared by the VA.

August2009C_PBulletin.pdf

[WILIAM SCOTT NELMS]

I think a major issue with Thai Vets and Agent Orange is the latest Agent Orange CRS (Congressional Review Summary) which is what members of congress read to get a summary of a topic under discussion does not have the word in its approx 25 pages.  Plenty of Info on Navy Blue water but no mention of Thailand.  Congress is totally uninformed-This report was written in Nov 2014 or about 5 years after the VA acknowledged tactical herbicide use supposedly ONLY on or NEAR the perimeters of Thai bases.  With no definition of NEAR.  It could be 5 feet or a mile or something else.  Here is the link to the Agent Orange and Vets CSR:

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43790.pdf

[Berta]

The VA rests heavily on the veteran's Thailand service MOS.

Yes- I agree that the word "near" is problematic, and also used in the Korea AO DMZ regs and also explained as "in close proximity to" in the 2010 PTSD regulations.

We have plenty of info here on Thailand AO .

If a vet's MOS was Security Police, dog handler, etc obviously they had perimeter duty and could have been exposed to AO.

James Cripps, first AO CONUS vet, had a different MOS...but be sure to check out his stuff here too.

 

[Berta]

Here are a few posts....many more here on AO outside of Vietnam to include Thailand:

http://www.hadit.com/james-cripps-was-the-first-conus-ao-claim-winner/

http://community.hadit.com/topic/68442-cck-uncovers-memo-used-by-va-to-wrongly-deny-ao-claims-of-thailand-veterans/?page=2#comment-421720

http://community.hadit.com/topic/64243-thailand-vet-agent-orange-denial/?page=6

Matt Hill , who I believe might have replied to one of them ( he was reading the CCK post a few weeks ago here but the site went down..)

is a lawyer who represents veterans and is involved in the AO issue.

 

[Berta]

One more point:

http://community.hadit.com/topic/68445-ao-usaf-andton-son-nhut/

The spelling is wrong in this link...It is Tan Son Nhut and this possible stopover to Thailand or from Thailand for some vets was incountry---- Vietnam.

I think Tan Son Nhut is near Saigon (HCM City)

I guess most vets would want to visit a head or something when planes made a pit stop,and you only need one boot on ground, Vietnam, to be exposed to AO.

(99% have 2 boots on ground but one of my vets had only one boot, we proved it, and he reversed a proposed reduction of his AO comp)

Nothing is impossible!

I

 

Edited December 24, 2016 by Berta (see edit history)

[Berta]

Please  read the post I made this AM re: Thailand AO CAVC Presedent decision.

[MikeHunt]

The VA says service documents (Discharge, rating, etc) must say they served on the perimeter.

While there's lots available on Royal Thai herbicide use, and I'll add FM3-3 (p5-5 IIRC), they ignore all that, and demand the absurd;

These types of documents would never describe you sitting on a vehicle on Udorn's perimeter everyday waiting to rearm incoming aircraft. That's not their purpose.

(please note, JRRC says tactical herbicide was only used on Royal Thai posts early in the war. Red Herring. Presumptive was granted because of the amount of commercial herbicide applied at full strength)

They'll, unfortunately, do the same with the precedent. Just demand proof you did land at Tan Son Nhut. Excellent find, Berta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will say there are many, many Veterans asking for herbicide presumptive from service on Royal Thai posts. There had to be something going on. Very sad.

Edited December 24, 2016 by MikeHunt (see edit history)

[rthomass]

Berta looks a lot like divide and conquer to me. The AO spray that supposedly settled in a neat path on either side of the perimeter fence is a crock! If you have ever seen monsoon wind and/or rain you would realize that containing it to the perimeter is a joke. It contaimminated a great deal of Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Force Base since the base was hacked out of the jungle just across the Mekong River and Laos. I was stationed there from August 1969 to August 1970. My Air Force Specialty Code was 65190 Procurement and Contracting. In this job we were often all over the base and that included projects adjacent to the "perimeter". I think the whole damn base was contaiminated....there was very little vegetation inside the wire. VA is trying to minimize their liability...."Damage Control". First it was never there; then it was on the perimeter only....talk about deception; VA is a master at it.

I have had a claim for AO exposure since January 2005. Within the last two months my claim was before the BVA for the second time and no mention of Fast letter 09-02 or the August 2009 Compensation and Pension Service Bulletin. Claim is now at the CAVC for the second time. Court was not happy with the BVA the last time so I hope they plant a big ole boot in their rear area.

Edited August 28, 2009 by rthomass (see edit history)

[chiefhouse00]

Greetings

The VA has confirmed that I have DMII (currently being treated with Metformin 1500 mg AM / 1000 mg PM and Glyburide 10 mg since 2006) and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities but have not rated them service connected. My last major TIA, when I was admitted to the hospital emergency center) my blood sugar was 399. The VA concluded that my DMII may have been the sole cause for my micro stroke but still denied my claim. As mentioned earlier, I have an appeal for DMII and severe joint space loss with subchondral sclerosis, cystic change and marked marginal osteophytosis at the first MTP joints which also were denied in an earlier claim. As a gas passer (no fun intended) I delivered fuel everywhere (perimeter, flightline, chow halls, hospital support tanks) at NKP and Korat base in Thailand from 1970 to 1973, but that cliam was also denied by the VA. As you can see, I have a long fight ahead to win my cases. Your listening ear and advice are very helpful.

Best Regards

Chiefhouse

[Computer Tech]

Chief House:

Like you I work near the perimeter, in my case it was at the Auto-Din building on the perimeter of Camp Friendship, so far all of my claims for exposure to AO have been denied but I keep appealing them. In a May 2010 bulletin the RO were told not to refer any Thai vet's claim to the C&P service but to decide the case at the local level, Air Force Security Police and Security dog handlers were to be granted exposure on a facts found basis. Any other Air Force vet that could prove that his duties put him on the perimeter could also be granted AO exposure on a facts found basis. If you can submit sworn buddy statements with your claim as well as copies of your performance reports which might describe your duties and where they were performed, also any picture of you working on the perimeter. I just appealed my diabetes and glaucoma claim that was denied in Sep of 2010, the RO ignored evidence that I had submitted, I'm still waiting to hear on my IHD claim which was submitted in Nov 2009 and I've recently submitted a claim for PN secondary to my diabetes. I am prepared to take my claim as far as I have to.

Good Luck

Rick

Compensation_Pension_Sevice_Bulletin_-_May_2010.doc

[wdroberson]

It contaimminated a great deal of Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Force Base since the base was hacked out of the jungle just across the Mekong River and Laos. I was stationed there from August 1969 to August 1970.

Edited October 9, 2011 by wdroberson (see edit history)