Ailing veterans point to Vietnam-era cargo planes, Agent Orange contamination

Carter, an Oregon resident, and his comrades in the C-123 Veterans Association say postwar crews should be eligible for the same compensation for Agent Orange provided to those who served in Vietnam. He has filed complaints with the Air Force and VA, and collected many documents via Freedom of Information requests, which he provided to The Washington Post and posted online.

A 2011 Air Force epidemiological study of the crews that sprayed Agent Orange — “the most heavily exposed veterans of the Vietnam War,” according to the report — found no link between Agent Orange exposure and their diseases.

But a number of outside medical experts have concluded the veterans were likely exposed to dangerous levels of dioxins. In November, 14 prominent toxicologists sent the VA a letter saying the department’s scientific conclusions are based on “erroneous assumptions.”

“It’s not right,” said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Bailey, a New Hampshire resident who served with Carter aboard C-123s and is gravely ill with cancer. “We were exposed, we can prove we were exposed, but they’re saying it doesn’t matter.”

Continue Learning:  http://www.heraldandnews.com/news/oregon/article_65fd4dcc-fe63-11e2-abb0-001a4bcf887a.html

Planes linked to post-Vietnam Agent Orange exposure were stored in Tucson Spray planes alleged to have harmed fliers after Vietnam conflict:  http://azstarnet.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/planes-linked-to-post-vietnam-agent-orange-exposure-were-stored/article_93f78949-45bb-5041-a915-5673221ebc47.html


Agent Orange’s reach beyond the Vietnam War:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/agent-oranges-reach-beyond-the-vietnam-war/2013/08/03/803e57c0-e816-11e2-aa9f-c03a72e2d342_story.html