Comments on: Veterans For Change Press Release Regarding Agent Orange

By: gary nickerson

gary nickerson — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:47:00 +0000

I am not a veteran, but so many of my High School pals are. It is stunning to see how you all watch out for each other! There must be a message here for the rest of humanity.

By: Steve Louzensky

Steve Louzensky — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:57:05 +0000

Barry, there is a website for Udorn Vets on Yahoo Groups. It is simply called udornresearchgroup@yahoogroups We have members who were the first Marine troops to arrive in 1961, and the last ones to leave in 1975. There is a lot of social chit-chat, but there is also a lot of good info. It is a great place to possibly re-connect with old friends, and make some new ones.
Good Luck,
Steve

By: Barry C. Leach

Barry C. Leach — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:26:33 +0000

For Steve Louzensky/Charles Brown/M.P.Brewer,
I was stationed at Udorn, Aug 1969-July 1970. In 2000 I began a ten month stay in Sheridan VAMC Hospital, Sheridan, Wyoming.  I was diagnosed with Lipoid Neprosis.   My thyroid shut down years before that. I have major depression, severe anxiety attacks, memory problems, just a lot of mental crap going on! I was a 64850afsc. Supply systems specialist.   When needed we humped color coded 55 gallon drums onto trucks. I am now wondering what those drums contained. I also am trying to contact anyone who was at Udorn who may have similiar medical problems. My kidney disease is chronic, Lipoid Nephrosis, minimal change disease. Something like 2 out of 10,000 get it. The Doc’s don’t know why. The Hypo-thyroid, anxiety attacks, severe depression, and Agoraphobia, I didn’t have before 2000. It all came on almost overnight. I have even developed an extreme distaste for politicians now…..I used to just lovem!! I just want to compare my illness with others who were on the same base.  I’d like to knw if others have the same illnesses.   I would hope we could learn something from locating others from Udorn….or, other Thailand bases. Am I making sense???    Anyway………
    I am on 100% disability now, have been since 2001. I have spent a lot of time in VA Hospitals. My life now consists of doing what I can to help any veteran I can in his or her battle with the VA.
        We’re all brothers………………
    When one falls, we’re all there to help him up and carry on.

                     Mr. Brewer had it right with…”I am so pleased when vets connect like this.”

                                                                     Namaste,
                                                                                  Barry

By: Michael Patrick Brewer

Michael Patrick Brewer — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 08:44:42 +0000

Geezz, the power of the Internet! I am so pleased when vets can connect like this. It makes all this worth it! Let me know how it turns out. I am a retired VSO. “micpatrickbrewer@gmail.com” 760-550-8083

By: Charles E Brown

Charles E Brown — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:31:09 +0000

Steve Louzensky: I am representing a bedridden Air Force veteran suffering form Parkinson's disease who was also stationed at Udorn (1969), Thailand, and am requesting that you contact me via email as I wish to discuss how you succeeded in your claim. My client has a prior VA denial of service connection from before he sought legal representation. I am interested in talking with you about the particular conditions and areas of herbicide use at Udorn. Thanking you in advance for your anticipated cooperation. Semper Fidelis Charles E. Brown cebrownlawyer@gmail.om (248) 891-1331

By: Michael Patrick Brewer

Michael Patrick Brewer — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:36:10 +0000

Powerful quote Steve. VVA has always had our back. There are so many discoveries about the exposure to Agent Orange, it is hard to keep up. I learned recently that we were using the empty 55 gallon drums that contained dioxin for gasoline storage and transport. Which meant that jeeps were spewing it in the air!
About 7 seven years ago there was a memorandum from DOD admitting that we dropped nearly 2 1/2 times the amount of dioxin as was first reported. It was the accidental finding of an Air Force Academy graduate student who discovered that the number of sorties flown did not match the reported tonnage. So there were addendum’s to the original reports of Operation Ranch Hand.
If you did not see a movie with the late John Ritter, titled “Unatural Causes” 1986, it was a real sleeper. It is a docu-drama about the saga of Agent Orange and a very moving portrayal of one Maude DeVictor, a benefits counselor at Chicago VA. A must see.

By: Steve Louzensky

Steve Louzensky — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:00:34 +0000

I was stationed at Udorn, Thailand from Dec 71- Dec 72, with DET 1 56th SOW. I’m one of the lucky ones. The VA has approved my claim for Herbicide exposure, while serving at Udorn.
There is no “…presumption…” of exposure for Thailand Vets. They are required to prove their exposure on a “direct basis” in order to prevail. The problem with this is, another airman could be working right along side me for the entire year, and I would be approved, yet he could be denied. Without the “presumption”, an approved claim sets no precedence for any other claim. This results in numerous denials, and years of appeals.
The Vietnam Vets fought for years to be recognized for their exposure and to be fairly compensated, and provided the needed medical care. The Thailand Vets were not even made aware of the possibility of exposure until 2006. That is the year, through a FOIA request, the GOV was forced to admit that indeed Herbicides were used through out SEA.
In these tough economic times, I know it might be difficult to find the compassion and resources needed to take care of these Veterans. I’ll try and quote a past President of the VVoA, who said: “The day a country can no longer afford to take of it’s Veterans, is the day that it should stop creating them.”