Pentagon Study To Help Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Veterans' Cancer Claims

So, what’s this all about?

About YOU as a veteran, and perhaps also you as a veteran with cancers the Pentagon has identified as somehow related to aviation. We’re addressing active duty as well as Reserve Component servicemembers.

A 2024 Pentagon study identified several cancers as being significantly higher among aircrews and aviation ground support than in a similar non-flying population: What’s greater? 87% melanoma, thyroid cancer 37%, and breast cancer and prostate cancer both 16% greater. The study is attached for your review.

We’re veterans of the 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Westover ARB, MA. Our history includes flying the infamous former Agent Orange spray airplanes, the C-123 Provider. Our planes remained contaminated with dioxin. It took many years of fighting until in 2015 VA finally conceded our exposures. Our veterans (plus many other bases and units- see attached lists)) are now presumed by VA as having been exposed and our claims for the various Agent Orange ailments are finally being honored. So much so, in fact, that over $80 million in medical care, compensation and survivor Agent Orange benefits have been won for C-123 veterans.

However, Agent Orange is now pretty much in the “rear view mirror.” Our concern shifts to you if you were in some way associated with military aviation and now suffer one of these cancers. We want to help you understand the importance of the Pentagon study and its value to a VA claim – and the great value to your physician who we hope will cite the study as persuasive in a nexus opinion supporting your VA claim for what VA terms "direct service connection."

VA has typically denied Reserve Component exposure claims (except ours) insisting Reservists weren’t on active duty when exposed: no active duty = no benefits. They also insisted active duty veterans experiencing these cancers only many years after service weren’t injured with exposures and their claims were also denied.

The Pentagon study is our solution. It established that something associated with aviation is causing significantly greater risk of cancers, with worrisome percentages cited above. Now Reservists can claim an exposure injury and have the study (and their physician’s letter citing the study) as strong supporting proof. An exposure injury makes a Reservist a veteran per VA regulations. The same with active duty – if you flew, the study gives a link between flying/maintaining and the cancers. Being a Department of Defense report, the VA finds it damn hard to dispute, particularly because they contributed to it!

There are four claim packets in our Pentagon report. For each named cancer, we’ve writing a brief introduction, attached a VA Form 526EZ disability claim form, the VA physical exam form for each specific cancer, and a VA Form 10-10210 statement of support. The 10-10210 explains to the VA claims agent why the Pentagon report constitutes powerful evidence supporting your claim. In fact, other veterans have already won claims and appeals by citing the report – it works! Share it with your VSO!

Good luck with your claim and let us know how you did.

Wes Carter, 74AES, C-123 Veterans Association.  

rustysilverwings@gmail.com

c123kcancer@blogspot.com

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Claims packets for flight crews and aviation ground support veterans: Melanoma, thyroid cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. All four are in one file to simplify distribution. Each has an intro, the VA Form 526EZ to initiate a claim, a cancer-specific VA veterans benefit questionnaire" for a physical exam, and a VA statement form with an explanation about the Pentagon study's importance to aviation-related disability claims.

Here is information on the Pentagon study.