diabetes Non Agent Orange Source Of Dioxin/polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins

[augoldminer]

On March 17, 1973, during Operation Endsweep Haiphong harbor North Vietnam the minesweep I was on(USS Enhance) suffered a major engine room fire.

This was our main generator room and the fire burned most of the wireing in the engine room to a crisp. almost everyone on board took in some smoke from this fire.

and i was a electrician and spent months working in the burned out engine room during the rebuilding process.

Some of this wireing dated back to when the ship was built (October 1952)and would have had PCB containing in the insulation on the electrical cables.

from the research i have done these cables would have released large ammounts of dioxin/Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins as they burned.

Since 2002 in have had two rare autoimmune disorders Castleman's disease and Sarcoidosis.and plus a heart attack and diabetes from what i have found all could be linked to dioxin/Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins exposure years ago.

Sarcoidosis is classed as a Occupational Disease among firefighters.

And they would have been exposed to burning PCB containing wiring in older buildings.

Now how do i file for service connection to dioxin/Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins exposure not linked to agent orange.

[Berta]

Regarding PCB claims:

In this fairly recent BVA remand it states:

"It does not appear that an attempt has been made to obtain information on the type, nature, and degree of PCB exposure. (The Board presumes that any information concerning PCB levels in the Veteran's blood would be contained in the service treatment records.) Because this information has been specifically identified by the VA examiner as relevant to rendering an opinion on these claims, the Board finds it necessary to remand these issues for this development. See 38 U.S.C. §§ 5103 5103A (West 2014); 38 C.F.R. § 3.159 (2014). "


"the Veteran testified that he was exposed to PCBs "when I was stationed in [Goose Bay] Labrador in the early '60's as an Electrical Power Production Repairman." See DRO Hearing Tr. at 3. He noted that he "worked with transformers. Transformers has an oil in there I've since learned is called PCB's, [and] it's no longer on the market and it has a link to diabetes." Id."

http://www.va.gov/vetapp15/Files1/1507290.txt

This case surprised me, because I did not know PCB could be found in blood levels:
In part:
"In a letter dated November 2010, Dr. F.K. stated that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were a group of more than 200 different chlorinated chemical compounds, each of which was known as a PCB congener. He stated that several studies of NHL and PCB blood serum levels have shown an increased risk of NHL for patients whose PCB levels for seven specific congeners typically found in the general population in the US, were at or above the 75th percentile for the population. Dr. F.K. noted that, therefore, any PCB level at or above the 75th percentile for the Veteran's age group was elevated. The report indicated that blood test results showed that the Veteran had elevated levels of PCBs of 153, 180, 187 and 194."

And:
The VA examiner opined that chromium exposure, to the extent that a Veteran would have been exposed to the metal during service at NWSE, less likely than not led to the subsequent development of the Veteran's NHL. However, Dr. A.G. contended that based on the evidence of record and assuming that the Veteran was assigned duty to NWSE and did have exposure to metals including chromium, it was at least as likely as not that the Veteran's exposure during service contributed to the development of his NHL. Dr. A.G. supports this conclusion through reference to both the EPA article confirming the existence of chromium at some areas of the base, and medical literature in the American Journal of Public Health indicating an association between chromium exposure and NHL. The Board finds this medical opinion to be well supported and is therefore afforded great probative weight. Further, Dr. F.K. submitted blood test results showing the Veteran had elevated PCB levels, which, as the representative pointed out, are associated with exposure to oil-based paint, another contaminate listed in the EPA article. Dr. F.K. indicated that elevated levels of PCB congeners in the blood have been associated with NHL. The Board finds the evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's NHL is related to service. In light of the foregoing and resolving the benefit of the doubt in the Veteran's favor, service connection for NHL is warranted. 38 U.S.C.A. § 5107(b) (West 2014); Gilbert v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 49, 55 (1990).


ORDER

Entitlement to service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is granted.
http://www.va.gov/vetapp14/Files7/1456604.txt

In this case:
in part:
"A VA examination was also performed, and an opinion obtained as to whether the Veteran's Parkinson's disease is related to exposure to chemicals such as PCB's while stationed at Fort McClellan. See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79, 83 (2006). In the examination report,"

The veteran was denied.

However Parkinsons is an AO presumptive, and this vet succeeded with an AO award, exposed at Fort McClelland.:

http://www.va.gov/vetapp14/Files1/1411398.txt Carlie posted that award

and here is one I found:

"The Veteran contends that he was exposed to herbicides while stationed at Fort McClellan, Alabama, in 1969. Personnel records verify his presence at the base from May 1969 to December 1969, as a photographer.

He states that while photographing a training exercise during Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at a "Tiger Village" mock-up of a village in Vietnam, he repeatedly walked through an area that had been cleared using Agent Orange. He additionally alleges that Agent Orange was in widespread use around the base for weed control and landscaping, such as at the golf course. Finally, he states that Agent Orange (as well as Agents Blue and White) were present and being tested in the same building where he worked.

In a May 2010 response to VA inquiries, the Department of Defense (DoD) has certified that a "review of the DoD documentation does not show any use, testing or storage of tactical herbicides, such as Agent Orange, at any location in Alabama, to include Fort McClellan." The DoD also stated, however, that records would not reflect "small scale non-tactical herbicide applications" such as routine base maintenance activities like range management, brush clearing, or weed killing.

This certification excludes the possibility that Agent Orange was being tested in the same building where the Veteran worked; while other chemicals and compounds may have been used, it was not the required herbicide.

However, the DoD certification leaves open the possibility that herbicides may have been used in the manner described by the Veteran, to clear brush and weeds around the Tiger Village. Both the Veteran and his direct supervisor have stated that he was exposed to herbicides when photographing a training exercise. The basis for the supervisor's knowledge is unknown, but the Veteran relies upon reports made to him at the time by the officer in charge of the exercise, who told him Agent Orange had just been sprayed and they should stay out of certain areas.

"ORDER

Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted.

Service connection for bilateral PDR is granted."

http://www.va.gov/vetapp11/Files1/1108696.txt

My point is that veteran who believes their disability comes from PCB exposure might also want to raise more theories of entitlement, to include possible AO exposure.

[RSG]

_{Well if this is the case with the PCB's/dioxins causing diabetes...I have found that Treasure Island in San Francisco was a Toxic waste dump on the north side of the island..The Navy removed 750 cubic tons of contaminated material and all the schools, and Barracks wee built right on top of that dump...I have documentation proving it was there as well.. A 3 ring binder full and approx. 1 1/2" thick.. RSG}

[TALON II FE]

In Uzbekistan, at "K2", they had the Base located on an old Russian Nuclear Waste Site. I honestly think "someone" "somewhere" with a calculator figures out if it is cheaper to pay for use acceptable land or to get something contaminated for rock bottom dollar and pay death gratuities later on xx% of the military population cycling thru.. Cold-blooded, but you can't "accidently" find all these contaminated locations and put Bases on them accidentally, IMHO. It was also predominantly Guard and Reserve C-130 units there and people transitioning in and out of the box, which I would think would make SC even harder for folks. I flew thru there quite a few times, but only based out of K2 for about a month or so to help shut it down when we didn't want to pay the "rent hike" that the locals were requiring. It's all suspect.