VA Reneges on Promised C-123 Agent Orange Study!

Once again breaking faith with veterans, the VA's Public Health organization caved to political pressure and brought dishonor to their organization by canceling arrangements for an Institute of Medicine study of C-123 TCDD contamination. Promised to leaders of the C-123 Veterans Organization at their April meeting hosted by Senator Burr's staff, the study was to assess the contamination of C-123 aircraft and the exposure by aircrew, maintenance and aerial port personnel.

But last week the VA's Senate Liaison Office (Mr. Carter Moore) informed senators that the study is canceled in view of the very mild conclusions reached by the recent USAF School of Aerospace Medicine study. That study claimed that, while many tests established C-123 contamination by Agent Orange, somehow veterans weren't exposed to "enough" TCDD to cause long-term health damage. This is despite tests establishing "heavily contaminated" aircraft which scientists testified were "a danger to public health."

Lucky veterans. Perhaps the VA suggests our famous Nomex green bag flight suit and BDUs, like Superman's costume, stop speeding bullets as well as dioxin contamination.

War Plans from this point:
1. FOIA the VA materials re: earlier meetings
2. FOIA the USAFSAM materials in depth to establish VA-directred false results
3. Peer review of USAFSAM report by outside experts
4. Continued individual submission of Agent Orange exposure claims by all C-123 veterans followed by BVA appeals of denied claims
5. Re-visit American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America & Disabled American Veterans leaders
6. Editorial coverage (thanks, J. Harris, for MOAA article!)
7. Congressional pressure
8. Essay in Journal of the Society of Toxicology regarding VA's phony poster display in San Francisco, and twisting of the situation to prevent veterans' claims