Procedures About Shad Claims

[Jerrel]

September 26, 2002

In Reply Refer To: 101/212B

Fast Letter 02-24

Director (00/21)

All VA Regional Offices and Centers

SUBJ: Information and Procedures about SHAD

In May 2002, the Department of Defense (DoD) released the latest facts about Project SHAD tests conducted during the 1960’s. This release included information, which caused Congress and the veteran community to focus attention on DoD’s process to declassify additional tests and VA’s actions to provide outreach and assistance to SHAD participant veterans.

What Is The Purpose Of This Letter?

The purpose of this letter is to ensure that all employees involved with processing SHAD claims understand the procedures.

What Are The Claims Processing Procedures?

*Defining A SHAD Claim: *Consider a claim to be a SHAD case if the veteran alleges disease or injury as a result of participation in chemical or biological testing. Project SHAD involved service members from the Navy and Marine Corps and a small number of personnel from the Army and Air Force. We now know that Project SHAD was part of the larger Project 112; some tests were ship based and some tests were land based. However, we are including all such claims under the SHAD umbrella. Notify VACO of *all *SHAD claims.

* *

*Notify VACO: *It is important that you notify* *VACO of *all* SHAD claims. We are using the information you provide to look for patterns in the disabilities being claimed by SHAD participants and to track decision outcomes. Please send the following information to the SHAD mailbox, *_SHADMANAGER@VBA.VA.GOV._*

· The veteran’s full name, VA file number, social security number, and service number (all DoD records are based on the old 8 digit service number).

· Available test information (e.g., the name of the test, ship, location, and dates.)

· The nature of the disability(ies) being claimed.

*Verification of SHAD Participation:* Verification of SHAD participation can be obtained by sending an e-mail inquiry to the above SHAD Mailbox. C&P Service has, what we believe to be, comprehensive ship rosters for declassified tests. C&P Service also has a procedure in place with DoD to verify participation in tests not yet declassified.

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Director (00/21), All VA Regional Offices and Centers

*End Product Control:* In addition to the traditional EP control (e.g., 010, 110, 020), use EP 683 to control SHAD claims. The EP 683 will remain pending until the SHAD claim is resolved and the claimant is notified of the decision. Because of the keen interest oversight groups and service organizations have shown in the number of claims pending and their status, it is very important that EP 683 be used only for SHAD cases.

*VA Examinations:* SHAD veterans should be scheduled for appropriate examinations. All examinations should include a request for a medical opinion regarding any relationship between the current disability and exposure to agents, simulants, tracers and decontaminants used in the test(s) involved. If you know the name of the test(s), include in the comment section of the examination request a list of the agents, simulants, tracers and decontaminants listed in the DoD Fact Sheet(s). The fact sheets can be found at the web sites listed below. Additional fact sheets will be added as DoD declassifies more tests. The enclosure to this fast letter also provides information about the first twelve declassified tests.

Many veterans were involved in multiple tests. Medical examiners need information about all tests for which claimants may have been involved. Additionally, service connection should be considered on direct and presumptive bases where applicable. *All* SHAD claims must be rated in RBA 2000.

*Electronic transference of Rating Decisions*: We need to know the outcome of all SHAD claims. Please e-mail all SHAD rating decisions (under the subject name “SHAD Rating: Claim number XXX-XX-XXXX”) to SHADMANAGER@VBA.VA.GOV.

Where Is Information About SHAD?

There is an established Internet web site that includes the links to all the VHA Information Letters about SHAD, SHAD Questions and Answers, and the DoD web site which includes the fact sheets for all declassified tests.

*· *The VA web site is _http://www.va.gov/SHAD/._ **

· *The Department of Defense web site is *_http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/current_issues/shad/shad_intro.shtml._

· Veterans involved in Project SHAD with health related questions or concerns can receive information and assistance by calling toll-free (800) 749-8387.

/S/

Ronald J. Henke

Director, Compensation and Pension Service

Enclosure: Summary of 12 SHAD Test

Jerrel svr

[Jerrel]

This sure is nice to know now..How many Project 112/SHAD Veterans'

have a Q claim now because the RO did not follow the proper procedures.

All Project 112/SHAD Veterans' should look into this..

Jerrel svr

[jbasser]

Jerrel,this obviously ties their hands so I am anxious to see them do the right thing for these Shad/112 vets. They arent too many of them left.

John

[Testvet]

that may have been one of my greatest problems the Columbia VARO never did identify my claim as a SHAD claim as they were told to in this fast letter I know I claimed exposure to drugs and chemical weapons due to Edgewood from the first time I wrote Principi in Nov 2002......oh well I won in the end