First off I am a Vietnam ERA vet and never served in VN nor the blue waters of VN. My AO contact came from MCAS El Toro and it hit me like a time-bomb!
Currently I am 90% P&T which mostly stems to my R knee and an injury I received in the Corps. However I have had issues that are now surfacing that are not from my knee, but I believe because of my contact with TCE.
I was the 'first' woman flight crew capt., although I had the duties, women did not have an 'official' MOS as such. Never-the-less I came into contact with cleaning solvents for jet parts. As well it is widely known that we sprayed the flight decks with AO to get rid of vegetation.
Hypertension was diagnosed by the VA in 1998. In 2009 I started having heart issues, and had to have a stint. And again in 2012 another stint. In late 2017 I had a heart attack and early in 2018 I had a disc go out and render me helpless causing my drop foot.
The V.A., allowed me to see an outside cardiologist, who concurred I had the heart attack and scheduled me for a stress test, which I did not pass. Subsequently, in August, I was hospitalized and had a quad-by-pass. Just this month, the by-pass failed and I had to have 8 stints placed. This last week, because of no comms between VA and public hospital (choice), I went home without meds and had another heart attack, needing one of those stints replaced.
I have an upcoming C&P for the issues attached. I had included my heart and hypertension, due to my AO contact, who btw I was informed by a V.A. x-ray tech to check my duty stations for AO contamination ... NOT MY PRIMARY!
Since 2018 I have to have the assistance of another person to get around. I was enrolled VR independent Living Program, who sent out an Industrial Psychologist to my home who, among other recommendations suggested I needed Aid and Attendance as well as someone to come in and help with household chores.
Since my heart is new, I have had to file a Supplemental claim to these additional claims. I opened it with 'new' evidence from my cardiologist which clearly states I have Ischemic heart disease.
Curious if folks that did not serve in VN get AO connected?
Any idea where I might fall on the SMC chart? That is so difficult to figure. I have loss of use of my left foot, as I have been told that a 'foot drop' diagnosis hold that place. I have degenerative disc disease and am just now seeing a Neurologist, my accident occurred 02/2018 and left me paralyzed for two weeks and the residual foot.
I am not sure how they would rate my heart, or if they would, as I did not serve in VN.
Question
WomanMarine
First off I am a Vietnam ERA vet and never served in VN nor the blue waters of VN. My AO contact came from MCAS El Toro and it hit me like a time-bomb!
Currently I am 90% P&T which mostly stems to my R knee and an injury I received in the Corps. However I have had issues that are now surfacing that are not from my knee, but I believe because of my contact with TCE.
I was the 'first' woman flight crew capt., although I had the duties, women did not have an 'official' MOS as such. Never-the-less I came into contact with cleaning solvents for jet parts. As well it is widely known that we sprayed the flight decks with AO to get rid of vegetation.
Hypertension was diagnosed by the VA in 1998. In 2009 I started having heart issues, and had to have a stint. And again in 2012 another stint. In late 2017 I had a heart attack and early in 2018 I had a disc go out and render me helpless causing my drop foot.
The V.A., allowed me to see an outside cardiologist, who concurred I had the heart attack and scheduled me for a stress test, which I did not pass. Subsequently, in August, I was hospitalized and had a quad-by-pass. Just this month, the by-pass failed and I had to have 8 stints placed. This last week, because of no comms between VA and public hospital (choice), I went home without meds and had another heart attack, needing one of those stints replaced.
I have an upcoming C&P for the issues attached. I had included my heart and hypertension, due to my AO contact, who btw I was informed by a V.A. x-ray tech to check my duty stations for AO contamination ... NOT MY PRIMARY!
Since 2018 I have to have the assistance of another person to get around. I was enrolled VR independent Living Program, who sent out an Industrial Psychologist to my home who, among other recommendations suggested I needed Aid and Attendance as well as someone to come in and help with household chores.
Since my heart is new, I have had to file a Supplemental claim to these additional claims. I opened it with 'new' evidence from my cardiologist which clearly states I have Ischemic heart disease.
Curious if folks that did not serve in VN get AO connected?
Any idea where I might fall on the SMC chart? That is so difficult to figure. I have loss of use of my left foot, as I have been told that a 'foot drop' diagnosis hold that place. I have degenerative disc disease and am just now seeing a Neurologist, my accident occurred 02/2018 and left me paralyzed for two weeks and the residual foot.
I am not sure how they would rate my heart, or if they would, as I did not serve in VN.
Thoughts?
clarity
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Top Posters For This Question
9
5
4
4
Popular Days
Dec 31
7
Mar 13
7
Dec 30
5
Jan 7
2
Top Posters For This Question
WomanMarine 9 posts
Berta 5 posts
broncovet 4 posts
Dustoff1970 4 posts
Popular Days
Dec 31 2019
7 posts
Mar 13 2020
7 posts
Dec 30 2019
5 posts
Jan 7 2020
2 posts
Popular Posts
toddt
I am unable to answer your questions, however, here are three references you can use regarding agent orange and El Toro. Best of luck to you https://www.bva.va.gov/docs/VLR_VOL4/AuthorsCopies3-A
Dustoff1970
In addition to your possible contamination exposure to Agent Orange there are veterans who have been exposed to some of the other chemicals you have mentioned used to clean aircraft parts and are kno
Dustoff1970
Ok WomanMarine I just did a 10 minute search of Board of Veterans Appeals decisions from 2010 to present day and there are many hundreds of decisions granting veterans service connection for disease d
Posted Images
26 answers to this question
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now