Thailand Ao Vets Important New C & P Bulletin

[Berta]

This change in policy could warrant a better EED for some AO Thailand veterans.

Source of pdf: Kurt Priessmann

Thailand new C& P & Bulletin Jan 2012.pdf

[Berta]

“In Jan this year along with the CHECK, I sent a couple of buddy type emails stating that the NCO "hootches" were right by the flightline,” I think you mean the CHECO Report????

Did your MOS or NSO status put you into those hootches?

The Buddy statements need to follow a brief criteria here at hadit, I don't think the VA will accept those emails unless they involve this criteria with identifying info.

The Thailand Directive is here:

Also we did shows at SVR Radio available in the SVR archives here on this directive.

http://www.svr-radio.com/archives.html

The show with Kurt was in March 2010 regarding the VA directive (which was due to his work)

“VA Compensation and Pension Service (C&P) has determined that a special consideration of herbicide exposure on a factual basis should be extended to Veterans whose duties placed them on or near the perimeters of Thailand military bases when a Veteran with service in Thailand during the Vietnam Era claims a disability based on herbicide exposure. The Veteran must have served with the U.S. Air Force in Thailand during the Vietnam Era at one of the Royal Thai Air Force Bases (RTAFBs) at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, or Don Muang, and as an Air Force security policeman, security patrol dog handler, member of the security police squadron, or otherwise near the air base perimeter as shown by evidence of daily work duties, performance evaluation reports, or other credible evidence. VA Manual M21-1 Manual Rewrite, Part IV, ii, 2., Chapter.10.q (2010). “

From:http://www.va.gov/vetapp/wraper_bva.asp?file=/vetapp11/Files2/1111819.txt

“Please, would anyone have any insight/opinions as to what my next move should be? “

1.write to JSRRC yourself- their contact info is here and give them as many details as you can.

2. Ask the buddy's to prepare letters instead of their emails following the Buddy Statement criteria ere.

[Texvet62]

Berta, Thanks for the quick reply. Sorry for the typo "CHECK" versus "CHECO". Have been a subscriber to hadit for quite sometime, just not an active one. Shame on me. Could you please point me to the contact info for "JSRRC" including the phone number, if possible.

The area where the hootches were located were our living quarters. All NCOs lived there regardless of MOS or AFSC. Don't understand the acronym "NSO".

Since replying to the VA in Jan, I have located pictures of the areas outside the perimeters of the Takhli base. One or two were taken in the 1966/67 time frame by an enlisted guy from a helicopter ride above the base and clearly shows an environment devoid of any greenery/vegetation.

Didn't get into it, but my claim was for s/c due to being regularly pulled for a detail called FOD. Essentially this stands for foreign object damage, or walking the flightline and perimeter areas looking for and picking up objects that could be sucked into an aircraft causing untold thousands of dollars in damage and possibly lives. My MOS/AFSC did not cover this detail. Was an admin type in a command post (SAC) which was located within 100 yards or so from the actual flightline where we parked the KC-135's (refueling aircraft). Refueling was the mission of the unit I was assigned to.

Am reviewing the links you sent as well as listening to some of the SVR broadcasts.

Thanks Much Berta,

A.L. Utley (texvet62)

[Berta]

Sorry! Big Typo on my part -

I meant NCO -did you live the NCO hootches while TDY in Thailand?

JSRRC contact info here:

[Computer Tech]

Texvet;

The hootches at Korat were also near the preimeter. Is it possible for you to get buddy letters from some of the people that were at Takhli at the same time that you were and knew that you regularly pulled FOD detail, if they're in the proper format they may help. What always amazed me is that not once during the time I was at Korat was the grass around the hootches green and it rained almost every day.

Rick

[buickx]

"Dust or soil particles contaminated with TCDD can remain airborne or accumulate on indoor or outdoor work surfaces and may present a potential exposure hazard. Exposure to TCDD as a vapor will normally be negligible because of its low vapor pressure. Contact with TCDD-contaminated liquids is possible through the handling of drums or tanks containing the liquid or through dispersion of the liquid."

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/84-104/

THe above statement is part of this cdc study from 1984 under:

Nature of Occupational Exposure to TCDD

If you worked outside on any base recorded as being sprayed with AO, in Thailand, this study has been filed sucessfully by Thailand vets,for AO exposure by airborne vapor...in AO claims...

[Texvet62]

Thanks much Berta, buickx and computer tech for the info. Belong to the 355TFW Group web site and looking there also. Appears to be lots of info relating to a/o herbicides. I worked at Takhli for the entire year 12/66 - 12/67. Got Vietnam Service Medal with two stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Palm Device, etc......Thinking of gathering as much info/pictures as I can and then compiling it orderly and writing JSRRC. Saw Kurt's comment where allegedly Alvin Young coined the phrase "tactical herbicides" because it suited his purposes I assume. I will not give up the fight!!

texvet62

Takhli RTAFB 12/66 - 12/67