VA Continues Denying C-123 Vets' Agent Orange Claims–Merely Changes Their Wording

(please see today's next posting correcting the JSRRC actions which were perfect, as this error rests with the Huntington WV VARO)

It never stops.

Post Deployment Health in VA's Veterans Health Administration said no C-123 claims would be honored on their watch, and they continue to call the shots by ordering Compensation and Pension Service to make sure all such claims are denied.

Today we were copied on a VA Regional Office decision on one of our flyers. Like Paul Bailey and Dick Matte's earlier claims for Agent Orange exposure aboard the C-123 fleet at Westover, this NCO flew the same C-123s during the same time period. Unlike them, his claim remains denied. And will stay denied until reviewed by a Decision Review Officer or the BVA.

What is particularly weird here is the Joint Services Records Center response about the veteran's exposure claim. As far back as March 2014, JSRRC began confirming Westover's C-123 veterans' Agent Orange situation, yet here JSRRC denies it. So, VA refuses to accept JSRRC confirmation on other claims, but when JSRRC responds (incorrectly) in the negative, VA leaps at the opportunity to sink another deserving veteran's disability claim.