Over $20,000,000 in benefits won thus far by C-123 veterans!
That's great, but the best part of our gaining VA acknowledgement for Agent Orange exposure is medical care, always our primary objective for the estimated 2100 C-123 aircrew, aeromedical, life support and maintainers.
Last week's news included a flight nurse's appeal won for squamous cell carcinoma, and a widow's claim for her husband's Dependents Indemnity Compensation (DIC.) Her late husband died twelve years ago, well before the VA date of 19 June 2015 for recognizing our exposure, but VA accepted the fact of his lung cancer as an Agent Orange illness. I've contacted the few widows I could reach and they've also won DIC benefits (about $1300/month tax-free) but I'm afraid most have never heard of their entitlements. Can you help get the word out?
Other welcome successes include a couple Rickenbacker maintainers' claims honored by VA. I've seen some Pittsburgh veterans' claims being honored but as a group, these folks have been invisible to us...no communication other than one senior NCO. And no help from them, either, but it would be so very welcome to help get their folks informed. If ever they need a seminar on Agent Orange and the C-123 issues, all they have to do is ask!!
So far, out of about 2100 potentially eligible C-123 veterans, about 210 have had their VA Agent Orange claims honored. Sadly, as time goes along, more and more of us develop one or more of the Agent Orange presumptive illnesses and add to this number. Some retroactive awards have been well over $150,000, and our military retirees have also benefited from either Combat Related Special Compensation or Concurrent Receipt of Special Compensation.
Let me know if I can help with anything. I'm looking forward to joining with other old 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron members at our October 12 dinner in Springfield, MA. Care to join us??
Meanwhile, loving my Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle...best car I've ever had! I'm proud that the USA can invent, build, market and support a car that has earned Tesla the top safety award, goes 315 miles between "fill-ups," and is so cool.
[T]he government’s interest in veterans cases is not that it shall win, but rather that justice shall be done, that all veterans so entitled receive the benefits due to them.” Barrett v. Nicholson, 466 F.3d 1038, 1044 (Fed.Cir.2006)
I submitted my paperwork but got no results as I was not assigned to the 74th AES , although I flew as a patient (simulated) and as med crew member aboard C123ks . Problem I can not get tdy records etc to show my days at Westover, Rickenbacher and youngstown. I ordered alll my records but no TDY or annual tour Records have came just other personnell type paperwork , awards etc. I had prostate cancer, kidney cancer etc. presently on Dyalysis . My unit was the 37th AEG at Macdill afb, FL, St louis does not have any tdy records etc.
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