28 March 2016

A Message from Bob McDonald, Secretary of Veterans Affairs: on the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War

Our nation is currently commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a long overdue opportunity to honor our 7.2 million living Vietnam Veterans and the 9 million families of those of us who served from November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. The Department of Veterans Affairs and more than 9,000 local, state and national organizations have joined the Department of Defense as Commemorative Partners in this important commemoration. 
For us, this partnership holds special significance in light of our mission to serve those who “shall have borne the battle,” their families and their survivors. Embracing our Vietnam Veterans and their families is in keeping with the intent and spirit of our MyVA transformation, focusing on our customers and improving their experience with the VA. 
Please take advantage of the opportunity this commemoration presents to express your gratitude for the service and sacrifice of this generation of American Servicemembers. Thank a Vietnam Veteran and welcome them home!

10 March 2016

Out of the blue - a VA staffer said her husband is a C-123 vet and was helped by our blog!

On Tuesday I spoke briefly at Colorado's United Veterans Committee about disabled veteran taxes. After, as we were all leaving, a wonderful VA lady came up to say her own husband is a C-123 vet, and he now has his claim progressing. They've been following the blog, and I hope got some useful resources for their claim.

I hope she'll write in!

The C-123 Benefits Struggle – Five Years On

Five years ago, after hearing of my cancer diagnosis, I phoned Paul Bailey and learned of his similar report. That's when our struggle with the VA really began, as we tried to find out why so many of us were ill. Paul lived to see VA approve his own Agent Orange claim, but died before the fuller victory of VA giving us presumptive service connection...the final victory.

Today I searched "C-123" on the VA web site, and what a miracle from VA's total brick wall of denial that we first faced. Today, the entire first page and most of the second were all about us. Listing after listing show the five years of research by us veterans, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, and the VA itself have turned VA's brick wall of denials into a deeper and more honest explanation: our aircraft were toxic and we were exposed and harmed.

Check out these as resources to better understand this vital issue.
www.benefits.va.gov/​compensation/​agentorange-c123.asp
C-123 Aircraft In response to the Institute of Medicine s report on Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft
View results from Veterans Benefits or related Benefits sites
www.blogs.va.gov/​vantage/​21889/​va-begins-awarding-compensation-for-c-123-agent-orange-claims
by calling 1-800-827-1000. If your situation is dire, don t wait! Tags: agent orange compensation C-123 c123 VA C-123 Agent Orange claim Post
View results from Blog or related National Program sites
www.blogs.va.gov/​vantage/​21889/​va-begins-awarding-compensation-for-c-123-agent-orange-claims/​?
by calling 1-800-827-1000. If your situation is dire, don t wait! Tags: agent orange compensation C-123 c123 VA C-123 Agent Orange claim Post
View results from Blog or related National Program sites
www.blogs.va.gov...xposed-to-contaminated-c-123-aircraft
C-123 aircraft VA expands disability benefits for Air Force personnel exposed to contaminated C-123 aircraft Media Relations 13 Posted on Thursday,
View results from Blog or related National Program sites
www.publichealth.va.gov/​exposures/​agentorange/​locations/​residue-c123-aircraft
C-123 Airplanes and Agent Orange Residue Public Health C-123 Airplanes and Agent Orange Residue Fairchild C-123K Provider U.S. Air Force Some
View results from PUBLICHEALTH or related Health Program sites
www.va.gov/​opa/​pressrel/​pressrelease.cfm?id=2714
to herbicide exposure on C-123s may call VA s special C-123 Hotline at 1-800-749-8387 (available 8 a.m. 9 p.m. EST) or e-mail VSCC123.VAVBASPL
View results from Public Affairs or related National Program sites
www.benefits.va.gov/​compensation/​claims-postservice-agent_orange.asp
through 1986 and regularly and repeatedly operated, maintained, or served onboard C-123 aircraft (known to have been used to spray an herbicide
View results from Veterans Benefits or related Benefits sites
www.ebenefits.va.gov/​ebenefits/​homepage
to manage your health Benefits News C-123 Agent Orange Claims Airmen who were exposed to agent orange while serving on contaminated C-123aircraft
View results from eBenefits or related Benefits sites
www.benefits.va.gov/​benefits/​factsheets.asp
Automobile and Special Adaptive Equipment Grants Download Posted 02/2015 C-123 Aircraft and Agent Orange Exposure Download Posted 6/2015 Disability
View results from Veterans Benefits or related Benefits sites
www.publichealth.va.gov/​exposures/​agentorange/​locations
on land in Vietnam or on a ship operating on the inland waterways of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 C-123 Airplanes and Agent
View results from PUBLICHEALTH or related Health Program sites
www.publichealth.va.gov/​exposures/​agentorange/​publications/​institute-of-medicine.asp
and herbicide use. Recent reports IOM released Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft on Jan. 9, 2015. VA has
View results from PUBLICHEALTH or related Health Program sites
www.visn6.va.gov/​features/​va_expands_disability_benefits.asp
with specific benefit questions related to herbicide exposure on C-123s may call VA s special C-123 Hotline at 1-800-749-8387 (available 8 a.m.
View results from VISN6 or related VA Hospital sites
www.connecticut.va.gov/​contact/​phone_directory.asp
932-5711 Ext. 4318 Business Compliance Office 950 Campbell Avenue RoomC-123, Bldg 5 West Haven, CT 06516 203-932-5711 Ext. 5888 C CAT Scan (West
View results from CONNECTICUT or related VA Hospital sites
www.manchester.va.gov/​services/​agent_orange.asp
were tested and stored outside of Vietnam. Veterans who were crew members on C-123 planes flown after the Vietnam War. Veterans associated with
View results from MANCHESTER or related VA Hospital sites
www.va.gov/​opa/​pressrel/​includes/​viewpdf.cfm?id=2714
WI 53547-5088 Individuals with specific benefit questions related to herbicide exposure on C-123s may call VA s special C-123 Hotline at 1-
View results from Public Affairs or related National Program sites