Ao In Thailand (Udorn)

[beeper]

A friend of mine served as a Cargo handler at Udorn and other bases in Thailand(1970-1971). He is trying to prove contact with AO, yet is having a hard time doing so. Unfortunately, he does not have Internet access, so I'm attempting to help him. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

bpayne408@yahoo.com

[Berta]

The VA changed their policy regarding Thailand veterans directly de to the work of an advocate (and member of hadit) who proved his MOS exposed him to AO in Thailand.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/thailand.asp

The actual VA Directive should be found in our Fast letter topic.

The CHECO report referenced by the VA in that link is here as well available under a search as well as the Alvin Young papers.

It boils down to-

if he has a disability on the AO presumptive list and served in Thailand during the time frame within the VA link above , and his MOS (by proven evidence) put him "near" or "on" the perimeter of any Military installation in Thailand, he can succeed in his claim.

He might need buddy statements as to how his MOS put him near or the perimeter of the base.

Thailand vets have succeeded using the above CHECO Report and other evidence and there are many Thailand vet sites on the net where he could possibly find a buddy. Lots of units who served during Vietnam War have web sites.

Has he considered using a library computer? Almost every library has PCs for public access and printers attached.

The problem with that is the usage is timed.

There is much other info on AO in Thailand here at hadit under a search.

[Berta]

One other point-does he have his SMRs and 201 files (Personnel records and maybe some arrival.destination records?

Is it possible he had a stop over in Vietnam on the way to Thailand for refueling ?

There are some Thailand BVA AO awards here in the AO forum.

[Berta]

I am not sure if I put this BVA award with the other Thailand awards in our AO forum.

This case is a good read of how the VA reviews these types of claims.

In part:

"The Veteran also submitted a document titled "Project CHECO

Southeast Asia Report: Base Defense in Thailand." The

document noted that herbicide was used to assist in

vegetation control between 1968 and 1972. With respect to

Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, where the Veteran

claims to have been stationed, "heavy use of herbicides kept

the growth under control in the fenced areas. Interior

vegetation was usually kept closely cut."

and

"Insofar as exposure to Agent Orange in Thailand is concerned,

the Department of Defense has indicated to the VA Chief

Officer for Public Health and Environmental Hazards that

there was some limited spraying of the herbicide Agent Orange

in Thailand, but this occurred in 1964 and 1965, or several

years prior to the Veteran's service in Thailand. However,

as discussed above, the Veteran submitted documents

indicating that herbicides were used to maintain clear site

lines around the perimeter of air bases between 1968 and

1972, to include Nakhon Phanom to which the Veteran claims to

have regularly transported supplies by truck. The Veteran's

DD 214 indicates an MOS equivalent to that of an inventory

clerk. The Veteran contends that he regularly transported

inventory by truck between military facilities in the course

of his duties. The Board finds that the Veteran's contention

as to regularly transporting material between facilities is

consistent with his listed MOS. Despite, the Veteran's MOS,

it is also not inconceivable that he performed guard duty for

a limited time, as he has alleged. Therefore, the Board

concludes that there is at least an approximate balance of

positive and negative evidence as to whether the Veteran was

exposed to herbicides while serving in Thailand in 1969 and

1970."

(That is the report I referred to this AM-I dont think the VA C & P Directive on AO Thailand was published when this award was made.The BVA conceded his MOS was consistent with limited guard duty)- (putting him on perimeter of base)

(Both CHECO and Alvin Young papers make the point regarding ALL military installations in Thailand had perimeter spraying)

"Thus the Veteran has a current diagnosis of diabetes

mellitus, type II, and conceded exposure to herbicides.

While the Board recognizes that the Veteran has certain risk

factors for diabetes, including his weight, there is no

medical evidence of record that the Veteran's diabetes

mellitus, type II, is attributable to some cause other than

herbicide exposure."

http://www4.va.gov/vetapp10/files3/1023272.txt

Edited February 13, 2011 by Berta

[LarryJ]

And...............Air America sprayed "copious" amounts of defoliant (AO) around, on and otherwise all over their place at Udorn................ !

Some of us them, being a bunch of young kids, figured that if a little bit was good, a WHOLE LOT of it was WONDERFUL!