NEWS: Blue Water Navy, Agent Orange, Vietnam Veterans, Cancer, Leukemia, Million Veteran Program, Claims Backlog

Bikers rev up for Vietnam veterans

Jim Waschko organized the event with the Laurel Mall to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the moving wall's appearance at the mall.

"Also to honor Agent Orange victims, for disabled American veterans, including Vietnam veterans, soldiers that have passed on and the Gold Star mothers and wives who are also victims," Waschko said.


"It's to remember those who died in Vietnam," DeFazio said.




Cancer study backs NZ veterans' fears
 
Research showing that a type of leukaemia is diagnosed among New Zealand's Vietnam War veterans at an elevated rate confirms what former soldiers have long known about exposure to Agent Orange.

"It comes as no surprise whatsoever," said John Jennings, 69, who was sprayed with Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant, when he served in Vietnam in the late 1960s.

"From my knowledge, too, they have also got twice the rate of prostate cancer and are twice as likely to have children with congenital abnormalities."




Study backs vets' Agent Orange claims

A new study appears to back Vietnam vets claiming health problems because of they're exposure to Agent Orange.




Pulse of The People: Blue Water Navy veterans are still fighting

Two veterans’ advocacy organizations have sued Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki for failing to provide benefits to Vietnam War veterans who served aboard ships off the coast of Vietnam. The federal court filing claims more than a 100,000 of these Blue Water Navy veterans were exposed to Agent Orange through their drinking water while providing gunfire support, air support and logistic support in the territorial seas off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam between 1962 and 1975.

The suit noted that the VA just ignored the evidence of exposure via drinking water. them. Agent Orange take an a average of 15 years off a life and many veterans are dying leaving their families without benefits.



Vietnam vets stir interest in convention

Next year, the national convention for the Vietnam Veterans of America is scheduled to be in Wichita.

Arden "Kolb" Kobler, Hays, and Larry MacIntire, Natoma, attended this year's convention, which was last month in Jacksonville, Fla. They hope to have more members of the Hays chapter -- which serves northwest Kansas -- by next year's convention, and also have a town hall meeting on the effects of Agent Orange.



Higher cancer risk for Vietnam vets

The study noted veterans deployed in the Nui Dat area of Phuoc Tuy province experienced a toxic environment because of the widespread use Agent Orange, which contained the carcinogen dioxin. However, the study did not have specific data on herbicide exposure of individual soldiers.

Dr McBride said the findings were not at odds with evidence needed for compensation from Veterans Affairs New Zealand for ill-health caused by service in the Vietnam War.

He said the pattern of lower overall mortality was known as the 'healthy soldier effect' which was related to the fact the soldiers would have been selected for health and fitness.



Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, increased cancer risk - study

Many of the veterans deployed experienced a "toxic environment" and were exposed to Agent Orange.

"The study also shows a doubling of the risk of mortality from cancers of the head and neck, as well as an increase in oral cancers of the pharynx and larynx," lead author Dr David McBride said.

"Lung cancer contributed the greatest burden of deaths in both New Zealand and Australian veterans."



Leukaemia threat to Vietnam vets

New Zealand Vietnam veterans deployed in a "toxic war environment" were exposed to a significantly higher risk of leukaemia, a newly released Otago University study finds.

The study found veterans who served between 1962 and 1971 have double the rate of chronic lymphatic leukaemia compared to the general population, lead author David McBride said.

McBride is an associate professor in the university's department of preventive and social medicine.



MILLION VETERAN PROGRAM  

Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Million Veteran DNA Sampling
My brother-in-law is a 100% PTSD disabled Vietnam veteran. Yesterday, he brought home a Million Veteran Program Baseline Survey from the VA. As far as I can tell, this program is designed to collect blood for DNA samples from a million veterans. For more information about the MVP, go to www.research.va.gov/mvp .  

While this information could be useful in determining which veterans are most susceptible to the effects of certain toxic exposures on the battlefield and military bases, there are questions to be asked about how in the time of “sequester”, the VA can afford what must be a multi-million dollar study and could DNA data backfire into a “blame genetics not the exposure” scenario. Finally, how can the government spend this kind of money on DNA sampling of a million veterans and not be able to fund a Center to discover why veterans’ children and grandchildren. have birth defects and disabilities?

With best regards,

Betty
Betty Mekdeci
Executive Director
Birth Defect Research for Children
http://www.birthdefects.org/
976 Lake Baldwin Lane, Suite 104
Orlando FL 32814
407-895-0802 VA Secretary stops in Waco to address backlog problems "Today veterans including those here in Texas wait too long to receive the benefits they earn. This has never been acceptable that's why we put together an aggressive plan to fix what is a decades old problem. Eliminate that backlog in 2015. Not manage it better, not reduce it, but eliminate it," says Shinseki.

The VA says they knew backlog claims would peak this year because more vets are eligible for benefits than ever before.

 

Friendly fire: Vietnam

The Department of Veterans Affairs has concluded presumptive exposure to Agent Orange can cause health hazards that may be crippling and life threatening. The Institute of Medicine reports Agent Orange can cause serious diseases. This undermines previous statements by the Department of Defense stating agent orange is relatively nontoxic to man, a deliberate conclusion, therefore took no precautions to prevent exposure as stated by the US Comptroller General, November 1979.

With that said, tactical herbicides a chemical weapon was authorized and deliberately used causing illness and death among our troops on land, at sea and air.  This is not friendly fire, but deliberate fire by chemical weapons use engulfing our troops.

Our Congress needs to recognize this responsible accountable action passing a non-loophole law affording care and compensation to all Vietnam veterans who are infected with Agent Orange dioxin poisoning.




Del City Vietnam Vet Gets Home Makeover

Bean served in the Army's 101st airborne as a war correspondent and combat photographer 43 years ago. Exposure to Agent Orange back then has taken its toll in the form of massive health problems.

 "Not really giving up. I had just sort of lost any hope of things getting better," said Bean.

Keller Williams realtor Gary Culver chose Joel Bean to be the subject of what's called Keller Williams annual "Red Day" Project. Culver was a combat medic in Vietnam. Caliber and Mullarky roofing and others are donating supplies and labor to restore Joel Bean's house. Someone even donated a vehicle. Joel hasn't been able to afford one for years.

"There's a whole new life. Hopefully my health will improve. And just being able to drive the Blazer to 7-11 is a wonderful adventure for me. There's something about not having the freedom of movement that can really break your spirit.  And these people have restored it all," said Bean.

Denials of defoliant at former U.S. base site in Okinawa fly in the face of science

Realistically, at this historical juncture, the contents of the Kadena drums, whether Agent Orange, Pink, Green or whatever, is almost irrelevant. The inescapable fact is that the U.S. military, on land then part of Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, disposed of “unknown” materials in drums containing 2,4,5-T , a wartime herbicide/defoliant, and the most toxic component of the dioxin family, TCDD, known to be associated with the manufacture of such herbicides. There have been other allegations of the disposal of U.S. military herbicides on Okinawa, these being in 2011 at Chatan and in 2012 at Futenma, as reported in The Japan Times and The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus.

The general public inhabiting areas in close proximity to Kadena Air Base, and frequenting the area for recreational purposes, should demand from local authorities a geographical and chemical breakdown of the burial field, and rapid implementation of remedial measures where applicable. In addition, locals should be properly informed about potential health concerns resulting from possible contaminant exposure.

Continue Learning:   http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/26/voices/denials-of-defoliant-at-former-u-s-base-site-in-okinawa-fly-in-the-face-of-science/#.Uh_pgX-t1Rz

Suspended and Unlicensed VA Physicians Receive Pay Bonuses

One physician practiced with an expired license for three months, but still received more than $7,600 in performance pay -- despite being “reprimanded” by his employer -- because having a current license was “not a factor that was considered” in determining whether to make the payment. Another provider repeatedly refused to see patients in the emergency room because he believed they were falsely admitted. That doctor failed on 12 of his 13 performance goals, but still received more than $7,500 in performance pay.

GAO found one VHA radiologist “failed to read mammograms and other complex images competently,” but still received more than $8,000 in incentivized pay. A VHA surgeon left a surgery during the procedure and allowed his residents to continue unsupervised. The doctor was suspended for 14 days without pay, but still received more than $11,000 in performance pay.

Yet another physician received a three-day suspension for not responding when on call and creating “an atmosphere of fear and poor morale” through outbursts of yelling. The doctor received a performance payment of more than $10,000.

Continue Learning:  http://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2013/08/suspended-and-unlicensed-va-physicians-receive-pay-bonuses/69320/?oref=dropdown

Health Benefits for Families at Camp Lejeune 1957-87

Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 08/13/2013 10:41 AM EDT

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

VA will be able to reimburse Veterans’ family members for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses for 15 health conditions after we publish regulations. 

Prepare in 3 steps:

1. Call 1-877-222-8387 to be added to VA’s Camp Lejeune database.
2. Gather documents showing your relationship to a Veteran who served at Camp Lejeune and that you lived on base for 30 days or more between 1957-87.
3. Keep receipts for health care expenses you paid for a covered condition on or after March 26, 2013.

Learn more. 
Visit www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures to learn about other military exposures and VA benefits.

Toxic Vets - The Poisonous Legacy of Ft. McClellan

The majority of the women veterans suffered a mind numbing, soul crushing six, eight, ten or more miscarriages. The children they were able to bear full term, or at least to a live birth, more often than not suffer a horrifying, yet predictable range of abnormalities, disabilities and medical conditions. Because many of these toxins work on the chromosomal level, nearly as many men fathered children who went on to bear children of their own with abnormalities, disabilities and medical conditions known to be caused by exposure to these chemical agents.

Exactly how many service men and women, much less their offspring, have been affected remains unknown. This is due to the current policy of not informing those who served at this base of their exposure. Word of mouth, veteran to veteran, has been the primary source of information. Many have banded together on social media, started webpages and even put up videos on YouTube, in an effort to advise their fellow Ft. Mac survivors.

Continue Learning:   http://www.chicagonow.com/uncommon-sense/2013/08/toxic-vets-ft-mcclellan-08072013/

VA Workers Bag Millions in Bonuses Despite Record Disability Backlog

The Department of Veterans Affairs doled out millions of dollars in bonuses to workers for "excellent" performance despite the fact that the number of veterans waiting for disability compensation has increased 2000% under President Barack Obama.

A review conducted by News21 found that in 2012 nearly three out of four appealed veteran claims were incorrectly processed.

Veterans say the massive delays and VA backlogs have added economic pain to their injuries.

Continue Learning:   http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/08/26/VA-Workers-Bag-Millions-In-Bonuses-Despite-Record-Disability-Backlog

NEWS: AGENT ORANGE OKINAWA

U.S. consultant: No agent orange on Okinawa

Young said Agent Orange, the defoliant used as a weapon during the Vietnam War, was shipped there under tightly controlled conditions. He said none was stored on Okinawa.

Japanese news media have reported stories by U.S. veterans of burying Agent Orange on Okinawa decades ago. Tests appeared to show the presence of dioxin but Young said the tests probably detected plastic residue from burning waste at low temperatures.



Expert: Chemicals found on Okinawa likely not Agent Orange

Chemical barrels recently unearthed on former U.S. military land on Okinawa most likely contained military maintenance shop and hospital waste, not Agent Orange as many feared, according to an American expert on the herbicide.

However, Japan’s Ministry of Defense said Wednesday that it still believes test results from last month showing the presence of a key Agent Orange ingredient are correct despite Young’s opinion. The ministry and Okinawa City say the tests prove a type of herbicide is present, but have stopped short of saying that it is U.S. military tactical defoliants.

"It is difficult to say anything decisive at this time. What is for certain is that the sampling tests detected 2,4,5-T"” said a spokesman for the ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau.

Okinawa dump site may be proof of Agent Orange: experts:  Dioxin spike raises fears of local health risks

The recent discovery of 22 barrels buried on former U.S. military land in the city of Okinawa could be posing the same level of risks to local residents as dioxin hot spots in Vietnam where the American military stored toxic defoliants during the 1960s and 1970s, according to two leading Agent Orange specialists.

Richard Clapp, professor emeritus at Boston University School of Public Health, and Wayne Dwernychuk, the scientist previously in charge of identifying defoliant contamination in Southeast Asia, recently cited the risks to Okinawa residents and urged the immediate cleanup of the land to limit the threat to human health.

Levels of Agent Orange ingredients found in Okinawa City exceed Environmental Quality Standard

The Okinawa Defense Bureau detected dioxin and other harmful ingredients inside the barrels found at a soccer ground on land returned by the U.S. military in Okinawa City. The levels found exceeded the Environmental Quality Standard set by the Japanese government.

The Okinawa City Government released the results of their investigation on July 31.

They detected dioxin in fouling material at a level 8.4 times the normal standard for soil, and in the water it was 280 times the standard for groundwater. They found the key ingredient of Agent Orange in the barrels. The city government asked Nansei Environment Laboratory Co. to carry out the investigation.

NEWS: AGENT ORANGE VIETNAM VETERANS VETERANS BENEFITS VETERANS CLAIMS VA CLAIMS BACKLOG

President Obama Promises Disabled Veterans Aid, As More Seek Compensation For Agent Orange Exposure

Agent Orange: The Culprit In Service-Related Disability
The backlog amassed in part because of a recent liberalization in policies related to disability claims that allowed for more Veterans to file for illnesses related to exposure to Agent Orange, an herbicide used widely during the Vietnam War.
The herbicide was transported and sprayed on foilage, by military personnel, in order to destroy forest cover that guerilla fighters would otherwise use to hide. Since the war, Agent Orange has been associated with several diseases, including various cancers, type II diabetes, Parkinson's, and ischemic heart disease. One of the most toxic byproducts of the compound, dioxin TCDD, has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as a known carcinogen.



Veterans and Prostate Cancer – Part 1

Like dioxin, the TOTAL long-term effects will not be known for perhaps decades because diseases like cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's Diseases, Alzheimer's, and countless others take time to develop. The birth defects we have witnessed in the off-spring of Vietnam Veterans and in the population of Vietnam are as concerning a horror as any mind can image. With early warning signs from clinical studies indicating exposure-related fetotoxicity, reduced fetal body weights, external and internal malformations, increased incidence of developmental variations, and decreased fertility were observed using laboratory rats (Domingo, 1989a,1989b), it really does look like we are headed down the same road with depleted uranium.


Scotty Allison: What are you doing to protect your benefits?

Much of what we have concerning veterans benefits was only provided after some tough legal and political fights. Look at Agent Orange in regards to Vietnam veterans. How long were they denied benefits even though many of them were sick and some ultimately died from the effects of those chemicals? The fight regarding Agent Orange is not over as any "Blue Water" Navy veteran from Vietnam can attest to. What about Gulf War Syndrome, burn pits, TBI, PTSD, Camp Lejeune, depleted uranium, radiation exposure, and asbestos to name a few on-going veterans concerns? How can you help keep the right focus on our veterans and their struggles?


Agent Orange’s aftermath

Tactical herbicides as chemical weapons were authorized and deliberately used, causing illness and death among our troops. This is not friendly fire but deliberate fire by use of chemical weapons. 

Our government should be held responsible and accountable for its actions.

Congress needs to recognize this by passing a non-loophole law affording care and compensation to all Vietnam veterans affected by Agent Orange poisoning.

Wisconsin Vietnam veteran's tribute reaches 25-year milestone

On Saturday, September 14, The Highground Veterans Memorial park in Neillsville will be commemorating the 25th Anniversary of “Fragments”, the Vietnam Veteran’s Tribute. The story of “Fragments” and The Highground began as a promise made on a battlefield in Vietnam on December 18, 1965. Tom Miller held his dying fellow soldier, Jack Swender, and made a promise that Jack’s death and all those who gave their lives in Vietnam would not be forgotten. “Fragments” is the tribute that upheld that promise.


Dredging Begins To Remove Toxic Mud From Lyndhurst Section Of The Passaic River

Work has begun to remove approximately 20,000 cubic yards of highly contaminated sediment from a half-mile stretch of the Passaic River that runs by Riverside County Park North in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.

The cleanup is necessary because high levels of contaminants, including dioxin, PCBs and mercury, are present in the sediment and can have serious impacts on people’s health.

The EPA says the $20 million cleanup is being paid for by 70 companies considered potentially responsible for contamination of the lower Passaic River. The cleanup will be conducted by the companies with EPA oversight.
 


William and Mary Law School’s Puller Clinic Joins Fully Developed Claims Community of Practice

"We’re delighted to have the Puller Clinic join the effort to increase the number of Veterans filing fully developed claims,” said Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “It’s indicative of the expanding national partnership assisting in the timely delivery of Veterans benefits"”

"This is a win-win-win: Veterans receive benefits to which they are entitled, the VA receives more claims that are accurate and complete, and William & Mary law students develop new skills as well as an appreciation for pro bono service,” said Sen. Mark R. Warner. “I could not be more pleased with this significant announcement from the VA"”



Our View: Agent Orange's legacy lingers in Maine

The timeline in Paul Bailey's disability case is telling: In February, his claim for disability benefits was denied. In April, he appealed the decision. On Aug. 3, The Washington Post published an article mentioning the denial of his claim. On Monday -- two days after the Post story ran -- Bailey learned that the VA was granting him full disability benefits.

Whether this is a coincidence is beside the point: Desperately ill people shouldn't have to go to great lengths for care. And it shouldn't take national media exposure for the VA to do its job and do right by those who have done so much for us already.

 

Agent Orange ingredient in proposed new GMO crops prompts USDA halt on Monsanto, Dow



If the Federal government had approved Monsanto's and Dow Chemical's new genetically modified crops, the Center for Food Safety said it would file suit. The Center for Food Safety has won several lawsuits against the government. USDA is supposed to issue an EIS (environmental impact statement) in the event an government regulation, like approving a new GMO crop, may potentially affect man's natural environment.

The herbicide resistant crops, proposed by Dow, (soybean, cotton and corn crops) contain a substance ( 2,4-D, or 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid). This is found Agent Orange. Agent Orange is cited as a cause for a neurological and other ailments suffered by those who came in contact with it during and after the Vietnam War.

The USDA has refused to approve the new GMO crops until 2015 at the earliest. USDA says it has to conduct environmental impact statements (EIS) before it can approve GMO crops that potentially affect the environment and quality of life for the people who live in it.

European countries, and Asia, broadly prohibit GMO crops. Fears of GMOs effect on humans and the affect GMO cultivated crops have on organic foods, prices and farmers were concerns voiced by American people to the Obama Administration particularly in the past few months as Congress passed the Monsanto Protection Act.

Monsanto and Dow executives were surprised at USDA's decision to disallow conversation about the crops until 2015.

Currently, GMO foods do not require labeling. American consumers can assume that when purchasing canola oil, corn and soy, that they're likely purchasing GMO unless the brand specifically states "organic."

Continue Reading

The Leech VN

(C) James J Alonzo

In southeast Asia, most times the climate is hot, and humid. There is an 8 month monsoon season in Viet Nam, followed by a dry season. Both seasons have one thing in common, it's hot as Hell! If you didn't was a rash or what we called jungle rot of the crotch, you learned to use powder and not wear underware. Because when you sweat so much your underware has high levels of moisture and ammonia. Hence the rash or jungle rot.

The unit I was assigned to patrolled what was known as the "Iron Triangle" and was located in the Delta.

This story is about one day in the Delta the 101rst Airborne was patrolling parts of the Iron Triangle, that was swampy, hot, and humid. As I was crossing a stream of slow moving rotten smelling water, I felt something crawling up my ankle, inside my pant leg.

"Swell!," I thought, "Just what I need, leeches!"

I knew when we stopped, I 'd have to drop my pants, lite a cigarette, and burn the leeche's ass off to get him to drop off. Leeches carried diseases, so it was best to get them off before they filled up with my blood and dropped off on their own. However at this time we had to be careful for we were in a hot area of Viet Cong.

Just as those thoughts were completed we received small arms fire from the VC, and dove for cover. As I was diving for cover, my attention was torn between getting shot or the leech, which despite the gun fire, was crawling up my thigh heading towards my manhood!

The higher we climbed up the hill, the higher the leech climb the inside of my leg, the less I was concerned about getting shot! That leech was pretty high up my leg by the time I got up that hill.

We had spotted a handfull of the Viet Cong who had been shooting at us while taking this hill, returning fire at the enemy, our Platoon Sergeant radioed the company for a artillery fire mission.

During a lull of small arms fire I bent over and desperately dropped my pants, my backside facing our troops as they were climbing the hill. I had lit a cigarette by this time and was in the process of burning the little bastard off. I was in the nick of time for the leech had gotten as close as an inch away from my manhood. Meanwhile the small arms fire started again.

While performing this task, other soldiers had passed me by and were shooting at the retreating enemy, I am sure they were confused at what I was doing when they came in view of my backside.

In true Airborne Trooper spirit under fire, the first trooper to see me fighting the leech, Terry Yater, on spotting my backside, never broke his stride passing me, climbing the hill shouted back at me,

"Jesus! Jim, it is bad enough that I'm getting shot at but do you have to moon me too?!"

Mission accomplished, The leech was finally removed, I pulled my pants up, adjusting my gear, and continued on to the top of the hill. I was pissed, for I knew I wouldn't hear the last of this.

© Copyright 2011 James J Alonzo All rights reserved.
James J Alonzo has granted Agent Orange Legacy its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.

Billy Dunn VN 1967

(C) James J Alonzo

The first time I laid eyes on Billy Dunn, I thought to my self, "Shit, now they are sending us California surfers!"

As he walked towards me i saw a 6' tall, blond hair, 18 year old that had the swimmers thin body. He had been sent to me by the first sergeant to replace a man we had lost a couple of weeks ago.

"Dude, you the squad leader?" , he asked.

"The names Sarge, and yeah i am," i said, "your bunk is over there."

"Groovy man!!" he said.

Billy Dunn had the California vocabulary that at times could be annoying to me, using words like groovy, Dude, far out, easy, Coool, etc, etc.

However, Billy Dunn turned out to be a jovial character, singing songs of the 'Beach Boys', and other surfer tunes. He became popular with the rest of the squad, because of his lay back ways.
Also, because he had a lot of girls back home writing to him and even sending him "goodie packages", stuffed with cookies, candy, cakes, and other incidentals that we couldn't get here in the Nam. And he always shared.

Mail to and from Viet Nam took a week each way, so when a goody packaged arrive some of cookies might be a little stale. Letters were another thing, by the time your girl got your letter and responded, you forgot what you wrote her about.

Mail call was always a happy occasion, especially when it involved Billy Dunn, because he got a lot of letters and packages, i couldn't figure out how he kept track of those letters. But it was the photos that really made him popular. He used to get letters and photos from all his girls, this too he shared, especially the photos of semi nude and nude girlfriends.

After he had been in country for a six months he went to Hawaii for five day R & R. (rest and relaxation) some of the men chose Hong Kong, or Australia, or Thailand. Billy chose to meet his favorite gal in Hawaii, and his best friend was coming too.

When he got back he announced that he bought with cash a brand new 1967 Corvette, and that he got married too! A beautiful girl named Maria. We all were in shock, especially how he elaborated on his sudden marriage, purchasing his new vehicle, and giving his new wife his "power of attorney."

"What about your other girlfriends," someone asked.

"I dumped them", Billy Dunn responded laughing proudly, "This is truly the one!" Billy then went back to telling his buddies about his new corvette and his equally lovely wife Maria.

A month later, at base camp, it was the monsoon season, and raining heavy, Billy Dunn got a letter, and they had a name for this type of letter. It didn't matter if your name was Billy, Tom, or Daniel, this letter covered them all. Billy got a "Dear John" letter.

It seemed his new bride decided that being married to Billy was not as great as living with Billy's best friend. Billy's new bride included divorce papers, and a "oh by the way", she sold his new Corvette and is keeping the money.

Billy Dunn was no longer a jovial character, he told no one about his Dear John letter. He just sat around for throughout that rainy day, and kept reading the same letter. One of his buddies saw him sitting in the rain, and asked,
"Dude, what's up? You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm easy man", Billy would respond, "Every thing's cool dude! Just leave me alone."

Billy Dunn went into the latrine that night, and with his squad leader's 45 calibet pistol, blew his brains out!

Billy Dunn's new wife, and war widow, when notified that he died, immediately asked about the widow's benefits, and Billy's life insurance.

(true story, named change to protect the innocent and guilty)

© Copyright 2011 James J Alonzo All rights reserved.
James J Alonzo has granted Agent Orange Legacy its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.

WE R THE 2ND GENERATION Danielle K. Reyes

WE R THE 2ND GENERATION: Danielle K. Reyes I am the 2nd Generation Agent Or...:

DANIELLE K. REYES I AM THE 2ND GENERATION AGENT ORANGE VICTIM DIOXIN SURVIVOR This is a pretty accurate account of what happened to my ...

The Viet Nam Experience (Trying to Understand PTSD)

(C) James J Alonzo

I want to share this mostly with those who have not been there. I want to tell you things, and see in your eyes the sudden realization of the experiences of war. Then maybe you will understand.

I am merely trying to let you know what it was like for the Viet Nam combat soldier.
You had a family member that experienced these things. I hope to somehow let you know what it was like for them.

Vietnam was a savage, in your face war where death could and did strike from anywhere with absolutely no warning. No lines, no safe area, no green zone, every inch of soil a potential combat zone. The brave young men and women who fought that war paid an awful price in blood, pain and suffering. Those that survived were also exposed to Agent Orange, the then unknown killer that would complete it's mission years later.

I want to take you to this place, in a far off land, 10,000 miles away from home. The home of our youth, that we in Nam referred to as "the world". And while we were in Viet Nam, we called Viet Nam names like " Nam", "the land of Oz", "Gookland", and other unmentionable profane names.

While in Viet Nam, they saw the denigration of mankind's morality, chaos, ugliness, shocking sites. It is difficult in thinking of ways how to describe it.

I can try to describe the smells, but nothing smells like Nam. The combination of rotting jungle, leeches, snakes, booby traps, both man killers and man maimers, garbage, the rust metal smell human blood and animal and human wastes, gun smoke and cordite, and the smell of rotting bodies.

I can try to write about the colors, but there is no way to show comparison to the many shades of green foliage, the rust red clay soil, the color of blood, all in vivid bright colors.

The weather? Well it was the tropics, wet and hot, humid, heavy rains. Rains that sometimes fall out a cloudless sunny sky. The weather is hot, beyond hot and humidity as high as the temperature.

It is like wearing a plastic sweat suit and pouring hot Maple syrup down inside of it.
After a few days in country You finally give up wiping the sweat off your face and arms because it does not do any good. You have, mixed with the sweat, anti bug juice, that smells like OFF Repellent, but stronger (60 percent DEET), another carcinogenic. You learn to own it, the heat and humidity, the stickiness.
Own it and become it. Then it is bearable......almost.

The sounds, gunfire, explosions, the buzzing zing of a bullet passing your head, so many things. But my heart knows that unless you were there my writing about those things would only be words to you and you had to be there to experience them in a real way.

Vietnam, a place yes, but more then that. The Vietnam War was not just a place on a map
it was another planet, a different universe and yet, still is part of our very being.

So they came home, not to an appreciative country, but to hippies against them and the war, called baby killers!.

But to their loved ones, they are received happily. However, their loved ones see a quiet person, unemotional, almost cold. The loved ones see the thousand yard stare, but yet behind that stare was the clear sharp alertness, always ready to react. In that stare is sights that can not be talked about, sights of what they had witness. The doubt of the present, And further doubt of what his future held for him, if anything.

War takes the soldier to the very edge, where they must stop all reason, emotion, all caring, all feelings, to survive the experience. They had become desensitized to pain, suffering and death.

They had assimilated war's horror and continued on, having experienced too much death, seen too much destruction, Old men in young boys bodies, who will never…be quite the same,

You take his hand and sit for hours, just being there for him, hoping this will bring him back. You are trying to let him know you care. You hope the touch of your hands is all the words that need to be said. But you are confused, you really don't understand. This is not the warm, fun loving, and sweet person that left you for his Viet Nam duty. It is a stranger.

You tell him how much you love him, and hope hearing that will make him heal, and the hand in yours tightens a little, but is it from love or for understanding, for approval, or is he asking for forgiveness?

A Son Is Born (Agent Orange)

(C) James J Alonzo

After I got home from the Army and Viet Nam, in 1969, my wife Nanci, Sherri, our baby, (who was born while I was in Viet Nam) had to regroup, and start a new life in the civilian world.
I got a job as a store detective, and in turn, Nanci got pregnant. Back then, they did not use sonograms, or other tests that they have today. So one didn’t know ahead of time what the sex of the child would be. They also didn’t allow the father to be in the delivery room, like they do now. However, I was happy and I sure that this child would be a boy.

All during her pregnancy, people would tell me what it was like, and that some deliveries take a longer time than others, so I would have to be patient when the time came. Nanci’s pregnancy was normal as any pregnancy could be; in fact, she was overdue for delivery by the best estimates of one week.
So one day in the ninth month, we got a call from Doctor Fago, and he suggested that since our baby was overdue, and we were getting close to the end of December, why don’t we induce labor, and then we’d have a new tax dependent. Nanci was ready, and so we agreed to go to the hospital the next day.

At 12 noon, when we were settled in the birthing wing, they hooked Nanci up to the IV tubes, check pulse, blood pressure, and started the chemical to induce labor. With out going into the long dissertation on contractions, labor pains, and all the monitoring, and procedures, it was a hectic birthing. They kicked me out of there, because back then fathers were supposed to go wait in the designated “waiting room”. So my experience was very limited, since I wasn’t there when my daughter was born, I bowed to the advice of others. Everyone that had experience would tell me,
“Don’t worry Jim, it takes time, the nurses will kick you out and you may have to wait quite awhile before they call you. “
So I walked down to the waiting room, and sat down. There was a TV, magazines, and two other prospective fathers in the room. They both were passing up and down in the room, passing each other midway. Dress these men in uniforms, and rifles, and one would think it was a military march. After sitting there for 15 minutes, I said to myself, “Screw this, I’m going to get something to eat.”
I took the elevator and went down to the floor the cafeteria was located at. When I got to the counter, the woman asked,
“What you have?”
“Give me a tuna, and a chocolate milk shake to go, please.”
“One tuna and chocolate shake coming up!” The counter woman said, as she walked away.
As I stood there waiting, I glance over at a guy that was sitting at the counter, and was dress in hospital whites,
“Yeah, my wife is upstairs, they are inducing labor.”
“First baby? “ He asked with a smile.
“No the second, but I wasn’t here when my first child was born. I was in Viet Nam. “
“Yeah, Viet Nam, huh. Well don’t tell too many people; most people around here don’t like you guys. It seems you guys got a bad reputation.”
“That all I ever hear“, I said angrily, “you got a problem?”
“No, I don’t. I was just giving some friendly advice, because there are a lot of other assholes that do. Listen pal, Good luck on the baby today, and don’t be impatient“, He advised, “It takes time for the baby to come out.”
Christ, everyone says this. What do I have to do, camp out upstairs in that bloody waiting room?

I paid for the sandwich and shake, and headed back to the baby ward. When I got upstairs to the Baby ward, I saw at the end of the hall, Doctor Fago walking towards me, and asking,
“Where were you? I was looking for you, your baby is born.”
I raised my hands holding the milk shake and sandwich, and said, “I went to get lunch.”
“Well do you want to see your baby?”
“Sure,” I said, looking for a place to place my sandwich and shake. As I followed the doctor I placed my sandwich and drink on the nurse’s station counter.
“I can’t believe you left the floor. Do you want to even know if it is a boy or girl? “ Doctor Fago asked me.
“Yeah, But it’s a boy Doc.” I laughed.
The doctor directed me to the birthing room where they put a mask on me, and a nurse handed me the baby. I smiled at Nanci, and said, “I love you baby.”
She gave me a weak smile. For the induction of labor, and the quick cycle of heavy contractions caused a very speedy birth.
It was a boy, and he was rated 9/10, whatever that meant, but the rating was supposed to be good. Nanci had picked out the name Todd, I wanted Jason, but the girls, Nanci, and my mother in law overruled me. What I saw looking at this new born baby in my arms, was that he had a red scrunched up face, funny pointed shaped head, and scrawny little legs, and he looked more like a toad than a Todd. But that was alright, I was in love with my new son, and never prouder.
They took Nanci to her room, and the baby to the baby room. Before I left, I stay with Nanci for a half hour, and told her how proud I was, and that she did good, that I will make the calls and let everyone know that we have a new healthy baby boy.
Nanci reminded me to also call our pediatrician Dr. Ober, who volunteered to come over and check on our Todd, and his new patient. After telling her again to get some rest, I would be back in a few hours, and that I loved her.
(I also have to get some of those cigars, which have “It’s A BOY” wrappers, and some Jack Daniel’s too)

I left the baby ward and Nanci so she could get some rest, and when I got to the lobby I went to the pay phone. So with a hand full of coins, I made all the necessary calls.
I then went to my mother’s house and had lunch. We talked about children, and after an hour or so, I left. I went to the Flower shop to get Nanci a nice Bouquet for her.
When I got back to the Baby ward floor, I walked to where you can look through the window at the baby beds, and they were lined up, some wrapped in Pink blankets, and some in blue. As I glanced around trying to figure out where my son was, I saw in the rear of the room, Doctor Ober. He was standing with other medical personnel, and next to a large square thing, with Plexiglas like windows on all sides. I would learn later, it was called an incubator. Inside the incubator was a baby, breathing very fast and hard, only he was bluish in color! I looked at Doctor Ober, and his eyes caught mine, and I saw something in his eyes, that brought pain to my heart.
No!! My mind screamed!

I then knew with out even asking, that it was my son! I backed up from the window, and tears were running down my face. I step back from the window, backing up till my body touched the wall behind me, and it seemed my legs couldn’t hold me up. I slid down the wall to the floor, my eyes could no longer see through the tears.
All this war, all this killing, wounded soldiers, maimed people, all these images out of hell called Viet Nam, did not prepare me for my blue child.
I did not hear my mother in law, Dorothy, approach, but knew by her voice that she was there. She was a middle aged, tall, medium built, attractive, classy woman.
“James, James, are you alright?”
“No!” I kept shaking my head in disbelief
“Listen to me Honey,” she was kneeling next to me, with her arm around my shoulders,
“It’s going to be alright. Doctor Ober arrived, and saw Todd was having trouble breathing, so he ordered the incubator. They are going to take Todd to Children’s Hospital. It’s going to be alright, just a minor problem he says. James, do you hear me?”
I nodded, and started to rise up, “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I spoke to him, and he told me it was just a minor problem.” She assured me.
“I want to speak to him,” I demanded, and went to the entrance and knocked for the nurse to come to the door. As I waited, Dorothy handed me a hanky to wipe my eyes. When the nurse, came,
“I’d like to speak to Doctor Ober.”
“Listen James,” Dorothy said, “Doctor Ober is a great pediatrician. He will know what’s best for Todd.’
“I know that. But I want the truth, not some watered down version or bullshit! When I tell Nanci, I am not going to lie to her!”
When Doctor Ober came out, they were wheeling the incubator to the elevator, to put Todd on an ambulance to rush him to Children’s Hospital. He explained it could be anything but it was only minor, and that I shouldn’t have to worry.
“Listen Doc, I don’t want to lie to my wife, and when I tell her, I am going to tell her the truth, so just give me the truth, no bullshit, understand?”
“Yes Of course.” he replied. “If you wish, I will tell her?”
“No, I’ll talk to her,” I insisted, “So just give it to me straight.”
“It is nothing more than a little fluid on the lungs, or Hyland membrane disorder. Nothing more. Your son is getting straight oxygen now, and should be alright in a few days.”
“Ok, doc, I’ll go talk to Nanci.”
As I watched him walk away and escort the incubator to the elevator, I began preparing myself to speak to Nanci, when I heard my mother in law say to me,
“Come on Honey, I’ll go with you.”
We went and told Nanci, and together we cried some more. Nanci and her mother were very strong in their faith in God, and of Doctor Ober, and his words. I on the other hand had seen too much blood, tragedy, and death, and was cynical of anything said when it came to my son. I may have been paranoid or damage from the war, but I had such a bad feeling.
We visited for a couple of hours, and Dorothy left after the first hour, when her husband Lee showed up. After they left, I told Nanci, I was going to go home, but on my way, I was going to stop at Children’s Hospital, and see how baby Todd was doing. Baby Todd, my son, our son. Every time I thought of when I saw Todd, that poor blue colored baby, I teared up. I’ve heard of blue babies, but they weren’t joking on how blue they are, with the lack of oxygen and all.
When I left I went directly to Children’s Hospital, which was about 5 miles away from the Hospital where Nanci was.
(Back in the 1970’s, a woman that had a baby was usually a guest for a few days at the hospital before they released her and the baby. But presently, the hospital sends you home the day after birth.)
When I arrived at the hospital, I checked with admissions, and filled out all the paper work for Todd. The clerk told me baby Todd was in Intensive Care on the 4th floor.
When I got to the intensive care floor, I checked in, and they pointed the way to where Todd was being treated, and that I could see him through an observation window.
Once there, what I saw was a lot of nurses and a couple of Doctors including Doctor Ober, hovering around little baby Todd. The baby had a funny looking cap on, and tape was over his eyes? He had tubes running from the incubator into his little body, some for fluids, and medicines, and one for oxygen. It didn’t take an idiot to realize this little guy was having a lot of problems, and he was in trouble.
I knocked on the class to let them know I was here, and another Doctor came out, that identified himself as the ICU department head, and his name was Doctor Scheiffle. I asked how my son was, and he told me,
“Well Mr. Alonzo, Your son is in critical condition. The prognosis doesn’t look to good; however we are doing everything we can. “
“What the fuck you talking about? Doctor Ober told me it was nothing to worry about! “
“I don’t know anything about what Doctor Ober told you, Mr. Alonzo, they had to shock him in the ambulance, because he stopped breathing and his heart stopped. When Baby Todd got here, we had to shock him again. We almost lost him a couple of times.”
“Tell me why Doctor. What is wrong with my son?”
“We have not seen this before, but your son’s lungs are premature, even though your son is full term.”
The doctor questioned me if Nanci and I were drug users? He asked if we worked around or in chemical facilities, or nuclear facilities? I said no to both, and asked why. He said,

“If Todd is a full term baby there is no reason that we can think of, that he’s have preemie Lungs.”
(Premature babies have this problem, and is called Hyaline Membrane Disease of Newborn Premature Lungs)
“Why would this be?” I asked, “He is a full term baby, in fact the Doctor Fago suggested inducing labor?
“We don’t know, but we are going to do the best we can.”
Todd eventually came through all this after a stay of 6 days at ICU ward at Children‘s hospital. I fired our pediatrician for lying to me. I had to go back and tell Nanci about our son, his critical condition, and that we may loose our son.
A year later, I began hearing about Agent Orange, Viet Nam Veterans, child birth defects, handicap children and some of the problems from it.

Meanwhile, there was a lot of media coverage of Love Canal, and Dow Chemical, Olin Chemical, and dioxin. That in Western New York, There was a big lawsuit and trial about Love Canal, and it pollution of a whole neighborhood, causing cancer and birth defects. Nanci and I made a decision not to have any more children. A decision I now regret to this day.
To this day, my son Todd is not the healthiest person, and had trouble running when he was a child. He chose not to be a jock, but did become a drummer in the High School Band. Now he is a Chemical Engineer, and manager of a State Environmental Department in the South.

A Brother and a Friends Farewell ( To Wayne Priester)

(C) James J Alonzo
Wayne, I know you are now in the Great Beyond or as you would say heaven. Well now that you and God are buddies, tell him that I'm still down here and need his help. I've known you a little over 40 years before you suddenly died. We grew up together in the neighborhood, the slums. But yet we still managed to get out to the farm lands and the forests. We camped, we fished, oh how you loved to fish. We hunted, and drank. And as years went by I would manage to visit you at your home in northern Idaho, we laughed a lot, cried a little and shared our Nam experiences like the brothers from different mothers we were.

We've both shared our PTSD struggles, our illnesses from Agent Orange, and helped each other. Your courage has always given me inspiration to fight my health problems. I wish that I could of spent more time together with you that last year, but we then, at 56 years old, we didn't know it was your last year.

When your wife called me and told me you were found deceased at your favorite fishing spot in the Rockies. I was shocked and yet i had to smile, because you did love fishing. Your passing has saddened me deeply, You never told me you had terminal cancer, you told your wife you didn't want the family and friends to treat you differently.

I think about my other Nam brothers over the last 30 years that have died years before their time, due to agent orange. Our government sent us over as "Brave young men", but little did we know we would leave a part of our souls over there. Little did we know my brother that we were killed by our government's chemical warfare, only to died here at home, and to contaminate our children.

And yet our government would think of us,"as faceless, expendables." Well my brother, you're past this now. You are still my brother, my hero, and soon we will fish together.

Agent Orange Legacy is looking for guest authors for this blog

Agent Orange Legacy is looking for guest authors to contribute to our blog.

Our blog, this site, has been visited by 120 countries from around the world. We also have been receiving well over 20,000 hits/30 day period. Today we had over 1,000 hits.

Your work will be read by many and you will enjoy a significant amount of exposure worldwide.

AO Legacy is interested in reporting about the following subject areas:

1. Agent Orange
2. Dioxin
3. Pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, ...etc.) which contain chemicals which are known as endocrine disruptors, POPs etc.
4. Genetically modified organisms
5. Veterans health care
6. Veterans benefits which include their survivors
7. PTSD
8. TBI
9. Alternative medicine as well as ways in which we can detoxify our lives
10. Autoimmune and rare diseases
11. Autism
12. ADHD and other learning disabilities
13. Spina bifida
14. Birth defects related to chemical exposures
15. Superfund sites which include military bases contaminated and our veterans struggle to get medical assistance as well as their families
16. Veterans at continued risk of hazardous and toxic chemical exposures such as Gulf war illness, etc.
17. DODs Chemical-Biological Warfare Exposures/Programs including Project 112/SHAD etc.

Please email me at aolegacy@gmail.com if you are interested. Sharon Perry, Founder

Please note that all guest authors will be required to abide by AO Legacy's guest author guidelines. Thank you for your interest.

Sharon Perry, Founder