Treasure Island Naval Training Center

[SDVIKING]

Greetings,

Was diagnosed with B cell prolific lymphoma in 2005. That progressed into full blown ALL IN 2010. Survived that after almost a year at Mayo.

A fellow told me I should apply for disability so I started doing a little research this past week. I see that there was radioactive material on Treasure island including Cs137. One of my oncologists told me my chromosomes were damaged and that is why I contracted leukemia but he did not know why they were damaged. I see that Cs137 can cause chromosome damage. I was never exposed to agent orange but was stationed on TI 1970-1971.

Wondered if anyone had any input on this.

Thanks

[Berta]

Cs 137 ( celsium) shows up as one of other chemical exposures this vet had exposure to while at Fort McClelland:

"According to his death certificate, the Veteran died in January 2010 at the age of 49. The death certificate lists the cause of death as cardio respiratory failure, due to pulmatory metastasis, due to recurrent osteosarcoma.

The appellant contends that the Veteran's osteosarcoma was the result of chemical exposure during active service at Fort McClelland, Alabama."

" Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) report, dated January 2001, shows that random soil samples taken from the Fort in 1996 contained radioactive waste, to include cesium 137 and cobalt 60. The cobalt 60 concentrations varied between 1.6 and 187 pCi/g for surface samples and from 0 to 330 pCi/g for sub-surface samples. Acceptable levels of cobalt 60 are below 2.3 pCi/g. Cesium 137 samples varied from 0.2 to 179 pCi/g for the surface samples and from 0 to 12 pCi/g for subsurface samples. Acceptable levels of cesium 137 are below 9.2 pCi/g."

ORDER

Service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

http://www.va.gov/vetapp14/Files5/1439338.txt

The claim included many opinions from the veteran's private doctors, and also a VHA review concurred with the cause of his demise.

I think there are over 100 military bases, installations on the Superfund list.

The firsr AO CONUS vet is a member here and has done many radio shows here at hadit, James Cripps, AO Fort Gordon, and also Kurt Priessman , the first AO Thailand veteran, also is a member here, whose research and advocacy for Thailand vets has helped many of them prove AO exposure.

He is directly responsible for the Thailand AO Directive from the VA.

Both of these vets did considerable research to win their claims.

Research and strong IM0s, helped me to succeed on my AO DMII death claim.and my FTCA case.

No diagnosis and no treatment in my deceased husbands medical records.of DMII.

I proved he had DMII, it contributed to his death, and I got an IMO to support that from Dr Craig Bash..

You might well have been exposed to Agent Orange as well as C 137.

Can you prove your exposure to C s 137?

Did the doctors at Mayo give any idea of the etiology of your cancer?

Do you have copies of those private medical records?

Would they be willing to prepare an IMO that conforms to the IMO criteria here at hadit?

Proving you have this disability due to chromosome damage, and with any literature from good Med sites, presented to a private oncologist,you would have a good chance of succeeding in my opinion, as I note that already you are researching your condition.

Our motto ,Knowledge is Power, is what makes claims succeed.
The more we research, on situations like yours, the more Evidence we find.

This type of nexus is beyond the grasp of any VA C & P doctor.

You will need a strong IMO and a copy of your SMRs and Personnel (201 file) records, to make sure VA cannot question your exposure to Cs 137.

There might be more similar claims like the above BVA decision at the BVA web site.

Absolutely file the claim.....the forms are new for initial claims and that info is here at hadit.

our member RUREADY posted info today that many vet orgs have sued VA over these new claim forms.

In it's effort to make the claims process go faster, VA has probably snafued the process even more, and will no longer accept the traditional forms, or even a letter that requests VA SC compensation.

The new forms will probably add to the backlog.

Edited March 29, 2015 by Berta

[SDVIKING]

Thanks, I will follow up and file......

[Chuck75]

Greetings,

Was diagnosed with B cell prolific lymphoma in 2005. That progressed into full blown ALL IN 2010. Survived that after almost a year at Mayo.

A fellow told me I should apply for disability so I started doing a little research this past week. I see that there was radioactive material on Treasure island including Cs137. One of my oncologists told me my chromosomes were damaged and that is why I contracted leukemia but he did not know why they were damaged. I see that Cs137 can cause chromosome damage. I was never exposed to agent orange but was stationed on TI 1970-1971.

Wondered if anyone had any input on this.

Thanks

Depending upon where you were on TI, and your training and duties, you may or may not have been exposed to Dioxin, the troublesome ingredient of AO,

as well as other contaminants.

EPA Superfund data concerning TI started disappearing from the web once TI was being sold off to developers. Some remediation still continues.

There is no "safe" level of Dioxin exposure. I was always suspicious about the VA's recognition of certain birth defects in offspring of only female veterans.

To the best of my knowledge, the VA also has yet to recognize that AO caused metabolic disorder can result in IHD, DMII, and other various and serious conditions.

[SDVIKING]

Regarding this topic, have done more research and found much more information regarding the contamination on Treasure Island. I have found others reporting cancers and other maladies that lived or were stationed on TI. Was planing on sending a package to Dr. Bash to have him run with this, but am having second thoughts. I think this might be a bigger issue than my personal issues. I think it falls in the same category as Camp Lejeune, NC. Any more thoughts out there? Any thoughts on which way I should proceed or where I might find assistance?

[georgiapapa]

SDVIKING,

Sounds like you need an IMO from an oncologist/toxicologist or an oncologist with a strong toxicology background. It would not hurt to have more than one IMO. Perhaps your Mayo oncologists, as Berta suggested, would provide you with IMOs. If not, see if they know of an oncologist with a toxicology background they would recommend.

If all else fails, Google "oncoligist/toxicologist independent medical opinion" or similar terminology and you will see several websites pop up for expert medical opinions, etc. You need to find an expert who has experience writing independent medical opinions acceptable by the VA. The expert you choose will need to review all of your relevant medical records and state they have reviewed the records in your IMO. The expert must prepare an IMO containing certain terminology and meeting the criteria for IMOs as shown on the Hadit website. The opinion of the expert must be supported by reasonable medical rationale stated clearly in the IMO.

Good luck to you

GP

[SDVIKING]

Thanks GP.....