This could begin a new VA backlog

[Meddac]

If VA adds bladder cancer to the list of conditions presumptive to Agent Orange exposure then it could spell backlog (and Nehmer) once again for VA. Possibly a smaller backlog, but nonetheless a backlog. It's currently under review by VA once again.

https://www.propublica.org/article/vietnam-vets-push-va-to-link-bladder-cancer-to-agent-orange

I know there are many different pushes to have conditions or service areas added, but in my experience with VA they will attempt to take the smaller groups first. Go figure.

[Meddac]

Sorry Buck. I really apologize for the indecent treatment that ROs cause all Veterans.

As far as RO employees go, we are of the understanding that the registry is basically for Hines to be able to generate canned letters to veterans whenever something concerning AO breaks out publicly.

So it's not a bad thing to be in the registry. It just doesn't help the  claims process for AO Veterans.

[Buck52]

Interested in disability compensation?

The registry evaluation is separate from VA’s disability compensation process and does not confirm exposure during service.

Veterans who want to be considered for disability compensation for health problems related to Agent Orange exposure must file a claim for that benefit.

During the claims process, VA will check military records to confirm exposure to Agent Orange or qualifying military service. If necessary, VA will set up a separate exam for compensation.

I never said being in the AO Registry a veteran would not need to file a claim for A.O. Related disease  eh!

 but if a veteran is in the A.O. Registry  it makes it easier to file a A.O. Claim without having to prove he was around  A.O or  his/her service to Vietnam or else where that contains the Exposure to A.O.  the registry establish this.

My VAMC  is in Dallas Tx  the one that did the A.O Exam on me  and my RO is in Waco Tx.

I'm not sure but I believe any VAMC can do the AO Exam.  The veteran must request it.  

and in my opinion all Vietnam Veterans need to be in the A.O. Registry  boots on ground and brown-water Navy Vets as well as they are trying to get a conformation on A.O. for the Bluewater Navy Vets & inlet water canals at present.  and or boots on ground after leaving ship....this could be for 1 hour.

jmo

..........Buck

[Meddac]

Sore spot...sorry, just being honest.

[Chuck75]

13 hours ago, Buck52 said:

yes I agree a veteran still needs to file a claim for a disease caused from his exposure to A.O. while serving in the military,  that's obvious 

Here is what the A.O. Registry is for 

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/registry-exam.asp

The problem was that the so called "registry exam" was nothing more than the usual entry exam. (2002ish or so) What is actually done now, I have no idea.

Since the Navy did not keep much in the way of records that would show that an individual sailor went ashore or off the ship for short periods, there was a real problem proving "feet on ground".  Before photo-shopping was so advanced, sometimes the VA accepted pictures. These days, I'm sure that they are a bit more skeptical of such things.  I was ashore at several places in Vietnam, yet there were no formal records kept. Even beyond that, there were no records of who was on what boat crew when a boat was sent to do things like pickup and drop off mail, or shuttle officers to/from on shore meetings, etc.

When I went through the "prove it" exercise, I was fortunate that there was a record of medical treatment from an in country USAF facility that the VA accepted.  Much later, the amphibious ships I served on were finally classified as "Brown Water".  At one point, to help with the brown water classification, various crew members not only obtained critical copies of the ships logs, they got the official Navy history corrected as well. Since then several of the crew members involved in the effort have died due to A.O. related conditions. Ironically, the ship that actually spent the most time (months) physically in "brown water" (rivers) was added to the list after one that spent most of it's time in close inshore waters a week or two at a time. Finally, the VA sort of surrendered, and the entire classes of the two ships serving in the Vietnam war were added to the brown water list.   

 

 

Edited April 30, 2016 by Chuck75

[Fat]

Good topic.............

[Meddac]

The ROs handle AO exposure so differently which adds to the broken system. Even within the RO it's handled differently. 

About 6 years ago I became one of 4 people on station that reviewed AO exposure cases. As a JSRRC (Joint Services Records Research Center) rep at the RO, I would concede exposure if a vessel's Deck Log indicated that anyone went ashore. I wouldn't have evidence of who went so it was a benefit of the doubt thing. Regulatory law prevents that position from conceding anything outside of what VA conceded. Benefit of the doubt was a workaround that I used, and had evidence to support it.

Veterans serving in Korea when and after AO was used, Blue Water Veterans and Veterans in Thailand should also be granted presumption to AO.

That scares the hell out of VA because that would be a massive backlog.

BTW, now the RO has over 20 JSRRC reps (that no longer get trained correctly) so it's a sea of opinions by a lot of people that that never served. The lead rep never even served.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Meddac