diabetes Agent Orange Fw: C-123K/uc-123K Aircraft

[allan]

VeteranIssues] Agent Orange FW: C-123K/UC-123K aircraft

Date: Jul 2, 2011 3:04 AM

Attachments: 2009-09-18_DISPOSAL_OPTIONS_FOR_18_UC-123K_AIRCRAFT.pdf 2009_02-24_AL_Young_Memo_Re_Ben_&_Orion_Decision_Memo_on_UC_123K_Aircraft.pdf 2010-08-06_General_Busch_Thanks_to_Dr_Young.pdf

http://www.nal.usda....ange/series.htm

From: Ralph Stanton [mailto:rstanton@stjoelive.com]

Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 9:22 PM

To: Ralph Stanton

Subject: FW: C-123K/UC-123K aircraft

From: Paul Sutton [mailto:ssgtusmc6169@yahoo.com]

Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 2:56 PM

To: Paul Sutton

Subject: C-123K/UC-123K aircraft

Additional documentation and narrative from Wes Carter, who is now uncomfortably aware of our dear friend Dr. Alvin Young (USAF-Retired).

Hill AFB managed the destruction of the remaining C-123K/ UC-123K aircraft stored at Davis-Montahn, with much of the Air Force concerned about the Agent Orange contaminated status of the fleet. Using a Navy contract to shred the aircraft, they were able to meet state & federal guidelines for avoiding declaring the aircraft "contaminated hazardous waste" because shredded metal falls outside that EPA classification,

and paid the Navy $1000 per aircraft to melt them into scrap

ingots..."for the automobile industry." I guess that means your next Jeep is an Agent Orange Jeep, although, of course, the dioxin would not survive the smelting process.

One amazing memo by Dr. Alvin Young, a retired colonel and Consultant on Agent Orange to the Office of Secretary of Defense referred to an article by

Mr Ben Quick in Orion Magazine,

wherein Ben was touring Davis-Monthan AFB and his public affairs host described the fenced-in C-123/UC-123K aircraft as "toxic." Young's memos pressed the need to

keep the destruction of the aircraft a non-event, low-key, and for everyone involved to be sensitive to the possibility of media exposure...or as he called it, "misinformation." Misinformation, I expect, is anything not released in a DOD press release. Thus, he told Hill officials to have their Public Affairs people carefully word the announcement of dioxin-contaminated aircraft which had sickened hundreds of flyers (that's us, folks), "the media specialists at both Hill AFB and Davis-Monthan AFB should be involved in discussion of the

actions and should prepare carefully-worded statements for the media", and merely describe the destruction of the C-123s as routing elimination of old Vietnam-era airplanes...nothing special. And very, very carefully

worded!

And then, dear friends, Dr Young shoots us in the heart with his recommendation:

"Although the Orion Magazine story received little media coverage, any new publicity on the aircraft may trigger a "storm" of articles that will eventually involve the health effects of previous aircrews and mechanics. The Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) now provides "presumptive compensation" for exposure to Agent Orange and other

tactical herbicides used in Vietnam. This "presumptive compensation" is no longer focused only on Vietnam veterans, but veterans who can claim exposure in other situations, e.g., testing of the herbicides or aircraft spray systems involving the tactical herbicides in CONUS and

OCONUS locations. What this means is that a whole new class of veterans may claim that their exposure was due to the fact they were members of aircrews or mechanics associated with the contaminated aircraft that returned from Vietnam and are now located at Davis-Monthan AFB. The DVA provides presumptive compensation for such common conditions (in older men) of diabetes and prostate cancer, regardless of cause and effect."

His advice was well-received. Major General Andrew Busch wrote him a kind letter of appreciation for his hard work, saying "your commitment to excellence is a model example of character and leadership, as well as reflects greatly

(sic)

on the USAF and Department of Defense. Again,

please accept my appreciation for a job well done--you are truly one of "America's Best."

Gosh, I guess it takes America's Best to keep the sensitive

information about us flying dioxin contaminated aircraft kinda quiet. I guess it takes one of America's Best to remind the Air Force that media coverage about the contaminated aircraft might mean a whole new class of veterans

(that's us)

who might claim that their exposure was due to the the fact they were members of aircrews" etc. Gee, the guy loves

aircrews, doesn't he? Really cares about alerting us to our exposure.

Really cares about our families. Really cares about how much cancer and heart disease hurt. Really takes America's Best to care about COVERING IT ALL UP!

LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR: The Air Force had dioxin-contamianted Providers which we flew for a decade in storage at Davis-Monthan. They had to get the issue of their contamination resolved, and shredding and melting

was the option selected. The Agent Orange Consultant to the Secretary of Defense weighed in with his suggestions, and reminded everyone involved that the Orion article about the C-123K toxicity might resurface in new media attention...and in veterans claiming exposure. He was more concerned about exposed veterans coming forward than he was

about those veterans needing to be told they might have been exposed. And for this, he gets a lovely thank-you note from a Major General of the United States Air Force. Young expressly stressed the need to manage the public affairs issues to prevent veterans learning about the dioxin

situation and coming forward to the VA with their legitimate claims.

And

we

get the shaft when we turn to the VA for our Agent Orange claims.I can't believe the Secretary of the Air Force SAF/IG officials knew about this when they dismissed my recent IG complaint.

Wes Carter

Paul Sutton "Dominus Fortissima Turris"

Patriotism: Supporting your Country ALL THE TIME; and, your government when

it deserves it - MARK TWAIN

IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS,

PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM !!!

"Freedom is not free . . . but the U.S. Military will pay most of your share."

Pacifism is a luxury paid for by warriors!!

America Does Not Deserve Her Military!

__._,_.___ "Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.../VeteranIssues/

http://www.facebook.com/dan.cedusky

Edited July 2, 2011 by allan