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Agent Orange Kadena Afb Okinawa

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clynch726

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I am looking for anyone who was on Kadena AFB, Okinawa or .Chanute AFB, IL. My dad was there from Oct. 68-April 70. He has ichemic heart disease, diabetes which has resulted in the amputation of his right leg below the knee and peripheral neuropathy. We were denied in 2002 AMVETS filed a claim on his behalf for heart condition, diabetes and back problems. I refiled in December 2011 and have just received the claim statements and medical release forms. I am familiar with filling out this paper work because my husband is a combat veteran of Iraqi Freedom. I have been reading articles from the Japan times and I am a member of the Agent Orange Okinawa facebook page. Another thing that helps make my dad's case is that he was on Chanute AFB, IL and it is on the EPA Superfund list and has PCBs/Pesticides and Dioxins/Furans listed as ground and water contaminants. I welcome any advice, tips or articles that I may have missed in my own research.

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If your husband's 201 ( Military personnel file) or any other evidence, ( I am sure the lawyer also has his SMRs, -but dont know)

that he had specific duty to spray AO or he can prove it that it was used on the flight line , in proximity to him, and if he can get a strong Independent Medical Opinion that there is no other cause or etiology for his disability, then he might certainly get service connected for this.

Has he attempted to get buddy statements from anyone in his unit, who also might recall the spraying?

Nothing is impossible- but it all takes a lot of leg work.

I believe James Cripps i on our radio show tonight here.

He is the first CONUS AO veteran and he did a lot of work and research to succeed in his claim.

He proved there was AO usage at his duty station, and his MOS definitely exposed him to it.

Also Kurt Priessman ( deceased) a past member her proved that certain Thailand veterans were exposed to AO in Thailand by their MOS.

There are I believe 4 Okinawa awards for AO, and I posted them in our AO forum. But those awards are not binding on other veterans. They do contain the way the veterans proved their case. 

Nothing is impossible. I am widow of a AO veteran and I had vet reps AND lawyers tell me some of my claims were Impossible. ( Lawyers would not represent me on a FTCA wrongful death case with VA)

VA had malpracticed on multiple issues my husband had and 2 of them were Agent Orange disabilities.

His 1151 death was changed to direct service connected death- and it still might be the only claim VA ever had like that.

So far I succeeded in all of them ,did the legal and medical work myself for the FTCA case, and dumped my vet reps as they were useless, and I still have a current AO issue.

I have  an article here under a search on Buddy statements-because a detailed buddy statement can often do wonders  for a claim, but I assume your lawyer already advised that.

All of James Cripps shows are in the podcast archives.And there is a call in number for the show tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is the link to the show- James has told the way he proved his AO exposure in past shows and also his BVA decision is here under a search.

The call in # is 1-515-605-9764. After the English woman  answers the call you might need to hit 1 on your phone keypad- but last time I called in I dont think I needed to hit #1. 

Just a final thought- the past denials from the VA tell you exactly why the claim was denied and these reasons are what needs to be overcome by probative evidence.

Of course your lawyer knows that , but I posted that because many read these forums as guests and there are still many AO vets out there trying to get proper AO awards.AO has been the most important veterans issue of my life since 1991.

 

 

 

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You stated in my profile:

"We couldn't get his MD to help us. She may not even be at that hospital anymore. I appreciate all the info you sent. I'm going to try to forward it on to our lawyer. I wish we could get a good nexus letter."

Who is treating your husband for his disability.... does he have another private doctor ,since she might not be available anymore?

The most important thing he needs to do, is to prove his exposure to Agent Orange.

An IMO/IME doctor could try to establish that nexus, but I feel the IMO/IME would have no value ( and they can be costly) if the exposure cannot be proved.

I am assuming this is one reason why the claim has been denied, lack of AO exposure proof----but I dont know what reasons they denied.

There are plenty of doctors who prepare IMO/IMEs-we have a list here somewhere and also your state might have a link to IMO/IME and/or forensic oncologists/.

MANY of us have obtained IMO/IMEs for our claims.

They need to follow the IMO/IME criteria here in that specific forum.

It might be easier if his MOS and other evidence proves he was exposed to JP 4 ,that an oncologist would be able to support that type of claim, as causing his disability.

Maybe others will chime in with who prepared IMO/IMEs for them.

Two of mine were prepared by a Neuro Radiologist-

It regarded a AO diabetes mellitus claim ( no treatment, no diagnosis from VA),and by then the veteran had been dead for a decade, when I filed this claim.

but he could interpret the MRI, X rays and other significant evidence I sent to him, and the BVA awarded that claim.

 

Edited by Berta
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