Lawyer Decries Air Force Response to C-123 Veterans

USAF AO Shame

(published Friday, September 6th, 2013)

Jim Fausone, Veteran Disabilty Lawyer

Those veterans who flew on C-123 airplanes dropped more than 10 million gallons of Agent Orange to destroy enemy cover and crops during the Vietnam War.  

After the war between 1972 and 1982, about 1,500 men and women served aboard 34 C-123s that were previously deployed in Operation Ranch Hand, a large-scale defoliation mission in Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. VA does not recognize AO exposure onboard the C-123s during or after the Vietnam war. If the veteran can prove boots on the ground during the war he can establish AO exposure.  However, those who were exposed outside the country or after the war by residuals from the C-123s are not as fortunate.  

Spreading the word among scientists, veterans and politicians and posting evidence publicly at c123kcancer.blogspot.com is one way to keep this in the public eye even as veterans pass away.

Just as the Navy and VA have shame for how they treat Blue Water Navy vets, the USAF has shame for its treatment of C-123 crews.

(note: Mr. Fausone is with the Michigan-based firm Legal Help for Veterans PLLC)