The VVA Veteran May/June 2010 : Page 8GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS continued from page 7 action that would help solve this prob- lem,” Grassley said. “However, it is clear that devoting more taxpayer dollars alone is not the answer. Clearly, theVAneeds to undertake a serious effort to improve the operation of its benefit claims approval system.” It isVVA’s understanding that theVAis moving forward with a quartet of pilot programs to address the problems that have been plaguing the claims processing system for far too long now. Let’s hope that some of them prove worthy of sys- tem-wide implementation. WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a HomeVietnamVeterans Day. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) introduced the resolution, which encourages commu- nities across the nation to honor those who served in Vietnam and to welcome them home. Why March 30th? Because that was the date, in 1973, when the last opera- tional combat units exited SouthVietnam. TOXIC, TOXIC, TOXIC In Vietnam, we were exposed to dioxin, to pesticides, to organophosphates, and to a slew of other chemicals. During the Persian Gulf War, a toxic cloud wafted over more than 100,000 troops, resulting in a series of debilitating illnesses dubbed, however mistakenly, Gulf War “syn- drome.” Now, in Iraq and Afghanistan, items ranging from plastics to chemicals to body parts are affecting the health of troops working or living in the vicinity of so- called burn pits. Naturally, the military denies that anything unhealthy is resulting from the burning fires. That’s not, however, what some of the troops are saying. That’s not what their health is showing. To get a handle on this, Rep. Tim resolution making March 30thWelcome Bishop (D-N.Y.) introduced, for himself and for Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.), the Military Personnel Toxic Exposure Registry Act, H.R. 4477. If passed, this bill would require the Secretary of Defense to establish a medical surveil- lance system to identify members of the armed forces exposed to chemical hazards resulting from the disposal of waste in Iraq andAfghanistan, and prohibit the dis- posal of waste by the armed forces in a manner that would produce dangerous levels of toxins. A troop would know, when she or he was deployed, the approximate distance of the living and working quarters from a hazardous disposal site; the length of expo- sure to the site; and any symptoms experi- enced while deployed that might have been related to exposure to the hazardous mate- rials at the site. The troopwould be entitled to a complete physical examination; con- sultation and counseling with respect to the results from the exam; and the assurance was compiled by the VA’s Compensation and Pension Service for the pur- pose of providingVA regional offices with information to help develop dis- ability claims of Navy veterans based on herbicide exposure. According to an article in the Salem, Ore., News: “To date, theVAreceived Ships Exposed ToAgentOrange The following ships are considered by the Department ofVeterans Affairs verification from various sources showing that a number of offshore ‘blue water’ naval vessels conducted operations on the inland ‘brown water’ rivers and delta areas ofVietnam.” The article goes on to note: “TheVAalso has identified certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways. If a veteran’s service aboard one of these ships can be confirmed through military records during the time frames specified, then exposure to herbicide agents can be presumed without further development.” “All vessels of IFS (Inshore Fire Support) Division 93 during their entire Vietnam tour: U.S.S. Carronade (IFS 1) U.S.S. Clarion River (LSMR 409) U.S.S. Francis River (LSMR 525) U.S.S. White River (LSMR 536) “All vessels with the designation LST (Landing Ship, Tank) during their entire tours. These are WWII ships converted to transport supplies on rivers served as barracks for brown water Mobile Riverine Forces. “All vessels with the designation LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) during their entire tours. “All vessels with the designation PCF (Patrol Craft, Fast) during their entire tour. These are also called Swift Boats, operating for enemy interdiction on close coastal waters. All vessels with the designation PBR (Patrol Boat, River) during their entire tours. These are also called River Patrol Boats as part of the Mobile Riverine Forces operating on inland waterways.” Other affected ships: U.S.S. Ingersoll (DD-652) (operated on the Saigon River, October 24-25, 1965) U.S.S. Mansfield (DD-728) (operated on the Saigon River, August 8-19, 1967, and December 21-24, 1968) U.S.S. Richard E. Kraus (DD-849) (operated on coastal inlet north of Danang, June 2-5, 1966) U.S.S. Basilone (DD-824) (operated on Saigon River, May 24-25, 1966) U.S.S. Hamner (DD-718) (operated on Song Lon Tao and Long Son Tao Rivers, August 15-September 1, 1966) U.S.S. Conway (DD-507) (operated on Saigon River, early August 1966) U.S.S. Fiske (DD-842) (operated on Mekong River, June 16-21, 1966) U.S.S. Black (DD-666) (operated on Saigon River, July 13-19, 1966) U.S.S. Providence (CLG-6) (operated on Saigon River three days in January 1964) U.S.S. Mahan (DLG-11) (operated on Saigon River October 24-28, 1964) U.S.S. Okanogan (APA-220) (operated on Saigon River July 22-23 and 29-30, 1968, and August 5-6, 1968) U.S.S. Niagara Falls (AFS-3) (unloaded supplies on the Saigon River and Cam Ranh Bay, April 22-25, 1968)Ω that documentation of any potential expo- surewould be placed in the medical record to be maintained by the Department of Defense and, eventually, by theVA. This bill makes eminent good sense. Go back with themost experienced Vietnam Veteran Tour Leaders! 2010 VIETNAM TOURS 2 - 14 Jul - Recon Ops I Corps “Chu Lai to the DMZ” 12 - 24 Aug - 45th Anniv Operation Starlite, Combat Engineers & Combined Action Platoons in I Corps 27 Aug - 10 Sep - Helo Ops from the Delta to the DMZ 3 - 15 Oct - I Corps “Chu Lai to the DMZ” 27 Feb - 12 Mar 2011 - Tet Offensive & Hue City 26 Mar - 7 Apr 2011 - “Scouts Out” Armor in I Corps Plus MHT signature tours to Korea, Midway Island, D-Day: Normandy, Atomic Missions - Tinian, Guam, Peleliu, Egypt, Guadalcanal/Tarawa, German POW & Concentration Camps, Wake Island & WWI AEF Battlefields! 13198 Centerpointe Way, Ste 202 Woodbridge, VA 22193-5285 703-590-1295 * 800-722-9501 www.miltours.com mhtours@miltours.com 8 THE VVA VETERAN Right: Tour Leader Ed Garr with 70+ returns, answers questions in Hanoi! We hope the House has the collective, bi- partisan wisdom to embrace it, endorse it, and pass it, and that the Senate does the same. Because it’s the right thing to do. OMNIBUS HEALTH SERVICES ACT FOR VETERANS AND CAREGIVERS Act, isnowlaw.This landmark bill, authored by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, will establish an unprecedent- ed permanent program to support the care- givers of wounded warriors, improve health care for veterans in rural areas, help the VA adapt to the needs of women vet- erans, and expand supportive services for homeless veterans. S. 1963 passed the House and Senate unanimously in April. S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus andVeterans Health Services VVAthanks and salutes Sen.Akaka for his strong leadership. The bill’s caregiver support provisions will fulfill VA’s obligation to care for the nation’s wounded veterans by providing their caregivers with training, counseling, supportive services, and a living stipend; provide health care to the family care- givers of injured veterans under CHAMP- VA; and require independent oversight of the caregiver program. The bill will also provide many other improvements for veterans by expanding health care services for women veterans; by reaching out to veterans living in rural areas; by improving VA’s mental health care programs; and by removing barriers to care for catastrophically disabled veter- ans. Additionally, it will help veterans by enhancing a variety ofVA medical servic- es; strengthening VA’s ability to recruit and retain a first-class health-care work- force; and improving and increasing serv- ices to homeless veterans.Ω to have been exposed to Agent Orange during theVietnamWar. The list Military Historical Tours, Inc. |
