Agent Orange & PTSD
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8/02/22 VVA Applauds Passage of PACT Act of 2022. The bill adds hypertension, or high blood pressure, and Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) as a presumptive diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure.
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Agent Orange Newsletter
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Benefits overview:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/index.asp
Health care:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/health-care.asp
Agent Orange registry exam:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/registry-exam.asp
eBenefits (24/7 access to VA and Department of Defense benefits): https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage
Compensation for Agent Orange exposure: https://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-agent_orange.asp
Survivor benefits: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/survivors.asp
Benefits for Veterans’ children with birth defects: https://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-agent_orange.asp
Telephone resources
Health care: 1-877-222-8387
Benefits: 1-800-827-1000
TDD (hearing impaired): 1-800-829-4833
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/index.asp
Health care:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/health-care.asp
Agent Orange registry exam:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/registry-exam.asp
eBenefits (24/7 access to VA and Department of Defense benefits): https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage
Compensation for Agent Orange exposure: https://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-agent_orange.asp
Survivor benefits: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/survivors.asp
Benefits for Veterans’ children with birth defects: https://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-agent_orange.asp
Telephone resources
Health care: 1-877-222-8387
Benefits: 1-800-827-1000
TDD (hearing impaired): 1-800-829-4833
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The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can Dial 988 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.
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Vets to Get Free Emergency Care During Suicidal Mental Health Crises
Starting January 17, 2023, veterans experiencing an emergency suicidal crisis will be eligible for no-cost care, including inpatient treatment, at any Department of Veterans Affairs facility or non-VA hospital, regardless of whether they are enrolled with the VA.
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September Is National Suicide Prevention Month
Want to be there for Veterans and Service members? Visit the new Suicide Prevention Month website to learn how your actions can make a difference
Want to be there for Veterans and Service members? Visit the new Suicide Prevention Month website to learn how your actions can make a difference
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Blue Water Veterans and Agent Orange Exposure
VA maintains a list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships associated with military service in Vietnam and possible exposure to Agent Orange based on military records. This evolving list helps Veterans who served aboard ships, including "Blue Water Veterans," find out if they may qualify for presumption of herbicide exposure. This ship list link was updated as of July 2016.
VA maintains a list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships associated with military service in Vietnam and possible exposure to Agent Orange based on military records. This evolving list helps Veterans who served aboard ships, including "Blue Water Veterans," find out if they may qualify for presumption of herbicide exposure. This ship list link was updated as of July 2016.
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Interactive map helps ‘blue water’ Vietnam veterans locate ship positions
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Legislative Alert Vietnam Veterans of America
The April 10, 2014, Faces of Agent Orange Educational Briefing on Capitol Hill, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America National Board of Directors, the Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Exposures Committee, and the Government Affairs Committee was an overwhelming success. Veterans, Congressional staffers, and the families in attendance were moved by the presentation of three daughters who, along with their fathers who served in Vietnam, gave brave and heartfelt testimony on Capitol Hill about why S.1602, which VVA fully supports, needs to become law.
Please go to http://capwiz.com/vva/home/ enter your zip code and send the prepared message to your Member of Congress asking that they co-sponsor S1602 the Toxic Exposure Research and Military Family Support Act sponsored by Senator Richard Blumenthal, CT.
VVA is the only congressionally chartered national Vietnam Veterans service organization. Although we are dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and our families, we advocate on issues of importance and relevance to veterans of all eras in accordance with our founding principle, “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”
The April 10, 2014, Faces of Agent Orange Educational Briefing on Capitol Hill, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America National Board of Directors, the Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Exposures Committee, and the Government Affairs Committee was an overwhelming success. Veterans, Congressional staffers, and the families in attendance were moved by the presentation of three daughters who, along with their fathers who served in Vietnam, gave brave and heartfelt testimony on Capitol Hill about why S.1602, which VVA fully supports, needs to become law.
Please go to http://capwiz.com/vva/home/ enter your zip code and send the prepared message to your Member of Congress asking that they co-sponsor S1602 the Toxic Exposure Research and Military Family Support Act sponsored by Senator Richard Blumenthal, CT.
VVA is the only congressionally chartered national Vietnam Veterans service organization. Although we are dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and our families, we advocate on issues of importance and relevance to veterans of all eras in accordance with our founding principle, “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”
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Faces of Agent Orange briefing in Washington DC and YouTube link to testimony. Our President Richard Cox attended this briefing on Capitol Hill. It was very heart wrenching.
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AGENT ORANGE ON OUR SOIL
Agent Orange Crops - The USDA is having discussions regarding approval of using 2,4-D for a new (Genetically Modified Corn, Soy and Crops ) GMO. If it is approved more Agriculture Operations will use 2,4-D resulting in up to a 25-fold increase in the amount sprayed on agricultural fields. This will result in increasing our exposure and creating more pollution harming both people and animals. GO TO mbegin@fwwatch.org and click on the link to send your message to the USDA.
Agent Orange Crops - The USDA is having discussions regarding approval of using 2,4-D for a new (Genetically Modified Corn, Soy and Crops ) GMO. If it is approved more Agriculture Operations will use 2,4-D resulting in up to a 25-fold increase in the amount sprayed on agricultural fields. This will result in increasing our exposure and creating more pollution harming both people and animals. GO TO mbegin@fwwatch.org and click on the link to send your message to the USDA.
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DoD Announces New Outreach Efforts to Veterans Regarding Discharges and Military Records
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WAR STORIES
A very interesting article regarding PTSD
Courtesy of Owen Oliver and as first published in the Northwestern University Alumnus Newsletter. Thanks Owen.
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NATIONAL CENTER FOR PTSD -
Moral Injury in Veterans of War
Please read the attached article regarding PTSD. It is very interesting, informative and presents a "different" perspective regarding PTSD.
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INSOMNIA
TROUBLE SLEEPING? READ THE INFORMATION BELOW FOR SOME CLUES. (Courtesy Ron Eich - Chapter 1071 Member)
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PTSD
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(Article first published in the Westsider)
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Agent Orange
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Veterans waiting longer for aid as health problems persist
Unlike warmly welcomed veterans of earlier and later wars, Vietnam vets got the parting gift that keeps on giving: Agent Orange — a plant defoliant that mistakenly included the carcinogen dioxin.
Nearly 40 years after the war’s end, disability claims for often-deadly ailments caused by the ubiquitous toxic spray continue to mount, as do wait times for disposition of disability claims.
Though it would be difficult to confirm with government statistics, the number of veterans suffering Agent-Orange-related afflictions almost certainly exceeds the more than 358,000 U.S. military personnel killed or wounded in combat with the enemy during the Vietnam War.
Tyne said the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs has 7,000 pending disability claims, with an average wait for disposition of 18 months.
“This is the longest wait period since I’ve been here. Ten years ago it was 90 days,” Tyne said.
http://thegazette.com/2013/03/27/agent-orange-still-haunts-iowa-vietnam-vets/
Waiting for an Army to Die by Fred Wilcox OPEN LIBRARY: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL23256961M/Waiting_for_an_army_to_dieSee More
New Book on Agent Orange
A new book chronicles the history of using Agent Orange in the Vietnam War.
Western Michigan University history professor Ed Martini also deals with the
aftermath of the herbicide in his book Agent Orange: History, Science and
the Politics of Uncertainty. Martini says American
scientists started paying closer attention to the effects of dioxin as the war
escalated. He says the Nixon administration eventually ended the use of Agent
Orange over the objections of military commanders. Martini says despite
extensive research, much remains unknown about Agent Orange. For more
information on the book, visit the University of Massachusetts Press
website.
For more on military-related books, visit the Military.com Off-duty Center
(Article first printed on Military.Com website)
A new book chronicles the history of using Agent Orange in the Vietnam War.
Western Michigan University history professor Ed Martini also deals with the
aftermath of the herbicide in his book Agent Orange: History, Science and
the Politics of Uncertainty. Martini says American
scientists started paying closer attention to the effects of dioxin as the war
escalated. He says the Nixon administration eventually ended the use of Agent
Orange over the objections of military commanders. Martini says despite
extensive research, much remains unknown about Agent Orange. For more
information on the book, visit the University of Massachusetts Press
website.
For more on military-related books, visit the Military.com Off-duty Center
(Article first printed on Military.Com website)
(Click on the Site Logo)
This is a very interesting site that provides maps of the agent orange spray areas by area of operation. In addition, the site provide numerous links to other sites including Veterans Administration links and many
others.
others.
The American Cancer Society site has this particular page that discusses Agent Orange and many of the diseases that are linked to Agent Orange
The History Channel site provides information regarding Operation Ranch Hand, Health and Legal Issues and the effects of Agent Orange on Vietnam.
The Military.com website provides a narrative on Agent Orange and links to the Agent Orange Handbook, Veterans Benefits for those exposed to Agent Orange, Veterans Health Initiative Agent Orange and several other pertinent topics.
This website is from the Institute of Medicine and provides the Veterans and Agent Orange updates that are created every other year. It also has several other Reports of Interest such as the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange Exposure Report issued on May 20, 2011.
This Public Health page of the Department of Veterans Affairs website is functional and has a wealth of information regarding Agent Orange including related diseases, benefits, exposure locations, research studies and more…..
Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance website has a primary focus on the children and grandchildren of Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. They have a considerable amount of information related to Agent Orange issues.
