Mr. George Collins was assigned to the Aero Space Ground Equipment (AGE) unit in U-Tapao for seven months beginning in 1969 and ending in 1970. Historical reports establish that a squadron in 1971 began spraying chemical herbicides on the troublesome plants. In 1972, the leadership at U-Tapao sought to expand use of herbicides in clearing 100 feet from the perimeter fence and invoking an aggressive program on vegetation control. Together, the Airmans statement and historical reports demonstrate consistent use of herbicides in which the Air Force utilized internal equipment to accomplish defoliation. With the GAO report, DoD compelled to come up with a more comprehensive list, not go back and revise what they already confirmed.. It stands to reason that this remaining herbicide was used at other bases since 21,000 gallons was far more than necessary for a single base. Phong is determined to finish top of the podium next month. Herbicides were also used to kill crops to diminish the enemys food supply. Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. Are walking blood banks coming to a field hospital near you? The use of herbicides on NKP was noted in the 1973 CHECO report and in a soldiers sworn statement. "I'm spending out of pocket . She enjoys working with the Veteran population and keeping them up to date with information they need the most. The name came from the orange identifying stripe used on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored. Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 specifically: 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; and picloram. (Emphasis added.) If you have recently received a favorable decision from the VA on your Agent Orange claim, you may think that the long fight with the department of veterans affairs is, If you were wounded or injured or became sick as a result of your military service, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation. Agent Orange exposure is associated with a number of medical conditions, some of which are serious. Agent Orange Exposure in Thailand - Hill & Ponton, P.A. Important Agent Orange Information for Those Who Served in Thailand Benefits Overview for Agent Orange Exposure - Public Health I was with a group that arrived 3 days before the cbs. Los Angeles, CA: 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 1101, Los Angeles, CA 90025 However, these stayed claims did not involve claims due to herbicide exposure around Thailand bases or their perimeters. The similar exposure situations between Vietnam and Thailand merit equal protection, to include the presumption of exposure, for all Vietnam-era veterans who served in Thailand. VA Disability Rating for Agent Orange & List of Presumptive Conditions VA should afford the same presumption of exposure to Thailand veterans that it affords to Vietnam veterans because the same herbicides agents were used in Thailand. It is also another indicator that herbicide use was prevalent and supports statements from Airmen regarding the use of herbicides throughout Thailand. That leaves 21,000 gallons of herbicide unaccounted for with their last known location in Thailand. VAs regulation38 C.F.R. So that takes care of the event and service. I was part of the mobile construction battalion 5 (mcb 5) seabees that built the rose garden. Thats why I introduced legislation to eliminate existing barriers to benefits for veterans who served in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Contact Us This suggests that the defoliant improvement projects occurred after the herbicide testing (1964-1965). From start to finish. I say I was exposed in Thailand due to direct contact with the contaminated equipment form Da namg in 1972 at Nam Phong I have been turned down and I filed a Notice of disagreement and submitted new proofs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Troops exposed to Agent Orange outside of Vietnam could be in line for Good luck and thank you very much for your service. Vietnam (Vietnamese: Vit Nam, [vt nm] (), commonly abbreviated VN), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country in Southeast Asia.It is located at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of 331,212 square kilometres (127,882 sq mi) and population of 99 million, making it the world's fifteenth-most populous country. I served in the Rose Garden in 1972 and suffer with Prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, onset diabetes. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Air Force documents confirm that herbicide deliveries not associated with RANCH HAND were transported to and from Thailand. Nam Phong Roster The training is an indicator that Air Force leadership took a cohesive approach regarding the application of herbicides on Thailand bases. I have been dealing with this for years now with Tricare and Medicare and I think it is time to see what I can do with the VA.Thank you for helping me brothers and letting me that I am not alone. Agent Orange was a weed killer sprayed on the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. It's been called "the worst base in Thailand, but the best base we had in Vietnam." It was the home of the 56th Air Commando Wing, renamed in 1968 the 56th Special Operations Wing. Joel. I am investigating as to whether or not I may have been exposed to Agent Orange and if so what should I do. 7 Ways to Improve Your VA Agent Orange Thailand Exposure Claims. I am hopeful that we can build on this momentum to ensure all of our veterans who were called to serve get the care they have earned. His statements corroborate documentation demonstrating the use of herbicides on U-Tapao in 1971 and 1972. But it deletes or alters at least 50 previously identified locations, removing some dates and omitting testing sites like Hawaii, where the DoD previously said field tests were conducted, Puerto Rico, where herbicides were sprayed in forests between 1956 and 1967, and locations in Korea where components were stored. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and preferences such as text size, fonts and other customizable website elements. The statement is in direct opposition to Defense Department documents that explicitly state herbicides were sprayed in Thailand in the early 1970s to protect bases from counterinsurgency attacks. Photographs of Ubons perimeter demonstrate it was pushed back and that there was a lack of foliage between the old and new perimeter. Playback: Agent Orange and Thailand Veterans - Hill & Ponton Agent Orange was a weed killer sprayed on the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. Chemical Corps described these products as expandable supply items to be available to all users, meaning they were meant for use by facility engineers as an herbicide for grounds keeping (i.e., brush and weed control).. In Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) That was the idea behind a campaign initiated by Mena, Arkansas veteran Bill Rhodes and his fellow veterans who served in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Exposure to herbicides in a location other than Vietnam or the DMZ, such as by loading, transporting, or storing them while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. We theen went to Bien Hoa for fefueling and and other things. TDD (for hearing impaired): 1 800 827-4833. The author of a 1982 article published in the Journal of Legal Medicine, titled Agent Orange: Government Responsibility for Military Use of Phenoxy Herbicides, states that [e]very American who served in Southeast Asia was potentially exposed to Agent Orange, as the herbicide was used to clear areas before construction and to defoliate compound perimeters, landing zones, and fires bases. For support, the author cites to an appendix to the 1979 hearing on Senate Bills 741 and 196. The Department of Veterans Affairs lists these conditions as presumptive. Although he worked on the detail for 10 days, he stated that the detail continued for the rest of his time there. NAM PHONG ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE BASE - (This was home to a major U.S. Marine Combat Air Wing and supporting units; U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalion; U.S. Army Green Berets; U.S. Special Forces.) Not sure what your veteran health care benefits are? 38 C.F.R. Several veterans statements also indicate herbicides were used within the perimeters of the bases. Keep up with all the changes and details. He stated that when the weather was bad, the crew would stay in Thailand at Ubon, NKP, or Udorn. Why Hire CCK for Your VA Disability Appeal? We pulled perimeter guard and walked thru the dead foliage and barbed wire. Subscribe to Military.com. San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. Cincinnati, OH: 300 E Business Way, Suite 200, Summit Woods Corporate Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45241 This delivery would have resulted in the exposure of the aircraft crew; the loading, unloading, and storage crew; the crew involved in spraying the herbicides; and the service members in and around the sprayed areas. These veterans have been left behind by the current limitations on the presumption of toxic exposure to Agent Orange. Interestingly, this was after all aerial herbicide spray missions in Vietnam had ceased. I spent 2 months there and handled equipment that arrived from NAM. PDF Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in the Vietnam War - VSPA VA representatives said the Department of Defense has provided updated information about Agent Orange use in new areas. The M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual was later amended to incorporate the perimeter policy, but the Memorandum was never corrected, amended, or removed from the Manual and VA continues to apply the outdated Memorandum to Thailand base perimeter claims. Although the SOP is not available or remains classified, the development and enforcement of the SOP highlights the prevalence of herbicide use and the concern of misuse on Thailand bases. While we still have our home base in Florida, Thailand Military Bases and Agent Orange Exposure VA presumes (assumes) exposure to Agent Orange for Veterans who served on any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976. Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976, Laos from December 1, 1965, through September 30, 1969, Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969, Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 30, 1980, Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977, Parkinsonism: A condition with symptoms of Parkinsons Disease, including, Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Copyright 2023 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. All Rights Reserved. There were 35,000 . Gallons of Herbicides Sprayed. When Congress enacted these laws, it did not limit potential benefits to those veterans who served in Vietnam. The Department of Defense has released a new list of locations outside Vietnam where herbicides like Agent Orange were tested and stored, a compilation that could provide some veterans proof of exposure needed to support their VA disability claims. Furthermore, the Memorandum for the Record contains erroneous and misleading statements. The new DoD list contains nearly 150 testing and storage locations, with updates that include specific dates of release or containment, as well as 26 additions, including places like Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, and Johnston Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean. Marine served rosegarden may 1972 allen boyden iams sick. The report recognizes the heightened risk of attacks directed against air bases because they presented the enemy with a concentration of lucrative targets. Additionally, the report states: Thailand is going through the same type of growing pains experienced in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), but the knowledge and experience gained in the development of air base defense in RVN permit a more rapid evolution in Thailand. Thus, similar tactics and procedures in base defense were used in both Thailand and Vietnam because the bases were facing the same threat with similar resources. A substance containing any of these five compounds is an herbicide agent as a matter of law, regardless of its purpose or name brand. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. In approximately September 1958, 2,4,5-T was adopted for use by the government under Specification O-H-210 and Federal Stock Number (FSN) 6840-577-4201 for a 55-gallon drum, and then later under FSN 6840-616-9159 for a five-gallon can. As stated above, prior to the passage of the PACT Act, veterans could only be eligible for presumptive service connection if they served near the perimeter of specific bases. In December 2019, DOD published its updated list of locations where Agent Orange and other herbicides were tested, used, or stored outside of Vietnam. MCAS Rose Garden - RTAFB Nam Phong Similar to the Air Force unit histories in Thailand, the 1979 hearing noted that herbicides were used around bases in order to maintain base security. Jeanne Stellman, an Agent Orange expert at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, and Fred Berman, the director of the Oregon Health and Science Universitys CROET Toxicology Information Center, along with 14 other doctors, toxicologists, and environmental scientists, signed a letter in November 2012 that refutes VAs boots on the ground approach to Agent Orange exposure. 7 Things Every Veteran Should Know About Agent Orange Video. Is there any ruling from the VA on Nam Phong? I was in Nam Phong with Army Special Forces from January 1972 through May 1972. The VA currently awards service-connected benefits for exposure to Agent Orange to veterans whose duties placed them on or near the perimeters of Thai military bases from February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975. yet assertive representation for our clients. This statement indicates that misuse of herbicides by service members led to the necessity of establishing an SOP. The legal team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD has done extensive research on the use of herbicides in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange - Public Health From February 2 to 5, 1969, RANCH HAND flew Laos missions from Udorn. I was stationed at cck in the usaf Taiwan and went tdy to nam phong tailand. Nam Phong district - Wikipedia Roger Jones was sent to serve in Thailand in 1969. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The 1986 Scientific Feasibility of Agent Orange Ground Troop Study noted that the group could not gain a clear indication from exposed verses non-exposed veterans because the records were incomplete. While attempting to fix the aircraft, he was forced to kneel in the Agent Orange that covered the floor. The Memorandum for the Record, which VA often cites in these cases, is outdated, contains erroneous and misleading statements, and was never intended for perimeter policy cases. Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 This article may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. I have a VA Dr. appointment today and will try to get these matters looked at. age 60 but have had most of these for years, Terry Good luck and take care of yourself. Before Congress granted the presumption of exposure, government records showed that determining the level of exposure was impossible. The team also focused on exposure resulting from procuring, shipping, storing, or loading herbicides. Here are the basic "rules" to get the presumption of Agent Orange exposure if you served in Thailand during the Vietnam War: 1) Service at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom (aka, NKP), Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and/or Don Muang, between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975. Agent Orange was an herbicide that the United States military used during the Vietnam War. The attorneys at Hill & Ponton are here to support you in your claim and determining your agent orange disability percentage. Surviving spouses agent orange widows, dependent children and dependent parents of veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service and died as the result of the diseases related to exposure may be eligible for healthcare, compensation, education and home loan benefits. I am fortunate to not have cancer like other guys. This information is made available for educational purposes only and to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. This means that veterans who meet certain eligibility criteria are automatically eligible for VA disability benefits. Given no more credit than those who lived stateside during same time . Elem. I understand you have to get the doctor to enter in your records that the problem could be related to herbicide or better agent orange contact. Columbus, OH: 100 E. Campus View Boulevard, Suite #250, Columbus, OH, 43235 Soldiers lived, worked, and conducted recreational activities near the perimeter and in areas well within the 500-meter drift zone. Rhodes and his fellow veterans who served in Thailand and suffer from Agent Orange-related illnesses are continuing to press Congress to take action to update the presumption policy through the orange envelope letter-writing . Due to attacks on Thailand bases, military leaders ordered the use of herbicides. The new toxic exposure bill/Agent Orange Act ( Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 ) broadens presumptions for Agent Orange exposure in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll! A bipartisan bill introduced Thursday would allow Vietnam veterans who served in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam War to qualify for disability benefits related to Agent Orange exposure. The Department of Veterans Affairs has released an updated list of locations outside Vietnam where tactical herbicides such as Agent Orange were used, tested or stored by the military. According to DoD spokesman Chuck Prichard, the new list replaces the one from 2018 and is the result of DoDs thorough review of the records for use, storage and testing of Agent Orange and other tactical herbicides outside of Vietnam.. 196, Congress considered perimeter spraying. It is imperative to note that sworn statements of Airmen referenced throughout this report predate the Air Force Historical Research Agency discovering and/or releasing documents showing movement of herbicides from Vietnam to Thailand. Information within those records was assessed against stringent joint VA-DOD criteria for what constitutes a location where tactical herbicides were tested, used and stored, Prichard said. In Thailand, Agent Orange was used to clear the jungle around bases, as a means to enhance security. National Archives records reveal that herbicides were transported from Vietnam to Takhli on April 7, 1973. I left Iwakuni Japan to go to Danang with Task Force Delta on th way are plane ran into mechanical problems and we landed in the Philippines. I was there all the time. Records from the Ranch Hand History Project show that Sergeant Richard E. Wolf, who worked on Operation RANCH HAND, received a letter of commendation for his actions in Thailand during these operations. Who is Eligible for Agent Orange Benefits? But historical documentation shows no evidence that the military made any distinction between commercial and tactical herbicides at the time of the Vietnam War. 2201 and S.1381, as both would automatically concede Agent Orange exposure for all veterans who served at military installations in Thailand during the Vietnam Era, regardless of the base, duty on the perimeter or military occupational specialty. Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Witkin stated that grounds personnel informed him they were using Agent Orange when he observed them spraying around barracks. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service may be eligible for: Agent Orange Registry health exam, a free exam for possible long-term health problems related to herbicide exposure. Restricting service-connected benefits for our men and women assigned to certain locations and career fields in Thailand during their military service is undermining the commitment we made to veterans. Agents Blue, White, and Orange all known to contain chemical agents outlined in 3.307, were also available in the federal supply system. The Nam Phong district is surrounded by Non Sa-at (in the Udon Thani province ), Kranuan, Sam Sung, Mueang Khon Kaen, Ubolratana, and Khao Suan Kwang . He wrote in a sworn statement that he was twice assigned the task of diagnosing and repairing a Buffalo Turbine fogger/sprayer unit which sprayed the base consistently for insects and defoliated the base perimeter and other areas on the base. He witnessed drums with orange, blue, or white bands being stored in a shed at the AGE facility surrounded by defoliated soil. VA has establishedpresumptive service connectionfor these veterans, meaning that VA will assume exposure to Agent Orange if veterans can prove that they served in Thailand, at any US or Thai base, between January 9, 1962 and June 30, 1976. Gretchen Whitmer Copyright 2023 Military.com. What in the world is going on, and why isnt the VA recognizing any of us? This often meant that the veteran needed to prove that their MOS required them to be near the perimeter of the base. Herbicides were used to control vegetation in Thailands tropical environment. Learn how your comment data is processed. VA created the Memorandum as part of Fast Letter 09-20. arrived at Nam Phong, asked 'someone else ' (PVT, PFC, etc.) The article Viet Cong Right or Wrong, published in the National Guardsman in 1966, notes the Defense Departments Advance Research Project Agency was moving forward with defoliant improvement projects in Thailand. Leaking barrels also directly exposed service members to herbicides. The office recommended that the Pentagon refine the list so that it was as complete and accurate as available records allow, develop a process for updating the list, develop criteria for determining locations and work with VA to keep veterans informed of the information. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Because of these risks, Congress eventually enacted laws providing benefits to those who were exposed if they subsequently developed certain diseases associated with the exposure. For example, 28,000 gallons of herbicides were airlifted by two C-130s from Phu Cat Airbase in Vietnam to Udorn prior to some of the RANCH HAND missions later launched from Udorn to targets in Laos from February 2 to 7, 1969. This legislation expands benefits to veterans who served aboard ships off the coast of Vietnam.