Member Randy sends us this post today.

This was on the Veterans Report Website. Almost choked on dinner laughing at the naivete.

Compensation for Vietnam Veterans

Week of April 30, 2012

Nearly 2.6 million Americans who served in Vietnam are eligible for compensation if they suffer from one of 16 ailments. Some are fairly common, like Type II diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and prostate cancer. The Agent Orange law, passed in 1991, states that a military person who was in Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 and has been diagnosed with one of the named conditions qualifies for disability benefits. These payments can range up to $2,673 a month for 100 percent disability. There is no need for proof of actual exposure to Agent Orange or other poisons. For more information, visit VA’s Agent Orange webpage or contact your local or state office of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Gee, the 2.6 million Veterans of the Vietnamese Boundary Dispute have begun evaporating. Last count was 859,000 left. That’s right. 66% of us came down with ischemic heart problems, DM2, hairy cell leukemia, and a host of those 16 other problems and died from it. There are no longer 2.6 million of us to file. What’s more, they aren’t giving away money in case anybody bothered to check. And so much for presumptive connections. I had to fight for years to get SC for Porphyria Cutanea Tarda. They gave it to me-but by virtue of it being secondary to HCV. If you didn’t exhibit symptoms of it by May 7th, 1976 (or within a year of leaving RVN) you were plumb out of luck. Same for Chloracne. VA gives with the left hand and takes with the right.

Thanks Randy. Should I file it in vA news or humor?