VIETNAM: THE SECRET AGENT (MOVIE)

Posted on May 23, 2012 by asknod

Here’s the link to watch this movie free until June 15th. It won the Special Jury Prize in 1984 at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. If you were one of us who took third place at the RVN Olympics, this will have great significance to you. If you suffer an AO related disease as I do (PCT) it may help motivate you to seek justice if you haven’t already.  Here’s the flyer on it if you wish to view it before watching the movie. Newsflash. We got screwed, guys.

Posted in AO, Medical News, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

AGENT ORANGE ACTION GROUP RECORDS

Posted on May 23, 2012 by asknod

I was sent these records from one of our sotto voce members who would probably prefer to keep his head down and deny he did. We owe him a great debt. I have read extensive records on Project Checo-mostly dealing with our disaster over the fence in Laos. Having lived it as well, I find most of the Checo records to be above board. It is hoped that you Veterans who were exposed to this in Thailand will be able to get some measure of justice from your exposure. Considering the govt. denied it as long as they could and then tried to make light of it as being sparsely employed, this will put paid to it. You, as Veterans, will still find it an uphill battle to get SC on any of the presumptives but it is hoped that these records will be helpful.  Please pay attention to the ROEs or  Romeos as we called them. They tended to vary from base to base.

One thing that these records do not shine light on is the use at the other sites I mentioned in my prior post. Det. B, 7thRRFS at Chiang Mai was nuked to the bone for the 18 months I was there yet strangely there is no mention of it anywhere. The  fields of fire around the airport, the MRC-98 tropo antennas and Operating Location bldgs. were similarly denuded.  Kho Kha (Lampang) looked very much the same so the truth on the smaller sites was never documented or admitted to.

I enclose the whole email as far as possible but cringe at the idea of publishing the actual email addresses to prevent any repercussions.

Chuck Palazzo
Agent Orange Action Group
http://aoag.org/
Hoa Binh Chapter, Veterans For Peace
http://vfp-vn.ning.com/

 From KURT PRIESSMAN, fellow researcher in Texas:

The complete reports can be found here:  https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid=BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%21193 in the OCONUS tests and analysis.

For the record, the reports should not be used in a claim for disability compensation.  Pranburi is approximately 90 kilos southwest of Bangkok on the peninsula adjacent to what was then Burma.  The tests were classified, meaning there are few to no servicepersons who were involved.  Use has already been conceded in Thailand, so the reports have no legally constructive use, and have been and are used specifically to deny claims by Regional Offices who fail willfully or through neglect or stupidity to update the current information.  This applies to the military services as well, as JSRRC fails to include or admit knowledge of or update their records with these official documents.

It is my humble opinion, that along with pictures of duty locations, specific detail and supporting statements to individual claims, the following urls are of much greater importance:

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid=          BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%211973&sc=documents

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid= BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%212293&sc=documents

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid= BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%212132&sc=documents

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid= BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%212320&sc=documents

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid= BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%212129&sc=documents

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid= BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%212356&sc=documents

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=documents&cid=bdb328182ccb4e51#cid= BDB328182CCB4E51&id=BDB328182CCB4E51%212669

As my health continues to worsen significantly, this website will remain open to any of my brothers in arms who wish to peruse it.

If this helps only one of you get SC then it served it’s purpose. (AN) The internet is an amazing thing and WordPress is even more so. It’s free.

Posted in AO, Medical News, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

USPS–TESTICULAR COFFEE BREAK

Posted on May 23, 2012 by asknod
 

COFFEE AND TESTICLES


A guy goes to the Post Office to apply for a job. The interviewer asks him, “Are you allergic to anything?”

He replies, “Yes, caffeine. I can’t drink coffee.”

“Ok, Have you ever been in the military service?”

“Yes,” he says, “I was in Iraq for one tour.”

The interviewer says, “That will give you 5 extra points towards employment.”

Then he asks, “Are you disabled in any way?”

The guy says, “Yes. A bomb exploded near me and I lost both my testicles.”

The interviewer grimaces and then says, “Okay. You’ve got enough points for me to hire you right now. Our normal hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can start tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., and plan on starting at 10:00 a.m. every day.”

The guy is puzzled and asks, “If the work hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. why don’t you want me here  before 10:00 a.m.?”

“This is a government job”, the interviewer says. “For the first two hours, we just stand around drinking coffee and scratching our  nuts. No point in you coming in for that.

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

VAMC–DENTAL CLINIC

Posted on May 23, 2012 by asknod

Last fall I was in the waiting room at the American Lake VAMC dental clinic. I always get appointments for the first opening of the day. If you’ve ever been there, you’d understand. Just because you have an appointment for 1030 hrs means nothing. I once waited until after lunch for mine. Early appointments cannot be abrogated. You’re first in line at o715. It’s not like they can come out and say they’re running a little behind. To be safe I always arrive early as prescribed by vA law.

Since vA is always running behind, my New Year’s resolution for 2013 is to be late by 15 minutes for every appointment there. Since they are always running late,  I’ll spend less time waiting and quite possibly make them cool their heels a few times. Personally, I doubt that’s going to happen. Considering the fact that they run late perennially, I could be right on time.

As my garden was in full production stage, I had a bag of fresh squash and cucumbers for Ethel, the technician who cleans my teeth. Why they are called technicians is a story for another day.  Technician implies something mechanical like a computer repairman or a Best Buy® salesman.  To me, Ethel is a dental artisan. She makes my smile beautiful. I’m not acquainted with anyone who makes computers beautiful.

While waiting, I filled out a Travel voucher for reimbursement. A gentleman seated across from me noticed the vegetables and asked about them. I proudly announced that it had been a good year and Ethel was vegan- hence my gift. He allowed as he, too, had a garden and we proceeded to discuss the trials and tribulations of the trade. This went on for a while until he  let slip ” You haven’t seen anything until you see the garden they have under Denver.”

After a long, pregnant pause, I checked my hearing aid  to see if perhaps the battery had died without warning me. It’s never happened before but they’re cheapo depot vA hearing aids. Speech recognition has always been a bitch since that Mk 82 went off about 1000 yds from me in 70. No luck. Gingerly, I stepped out onto the thin ice and asked about this storied garden. Jimbo Vet proceeded to tell me all about how they had secretly constructed a vast city underground out near the old Stapleton Airport a decade or so ago. By now, he’d moved over and sat down beside me and was talking in a loud whisper. He had bad breath. We were alone but he constantly looked around to check for eavesdroppers. This frankly escaped me. Why tell a total stranger about the existence of a  a secret enclave and then worry about Russian spies in a Veterans Dental clinic?

I nodded my head vigorously like one of those bobble-head dolls you put on the dashboard just in case he was violent. I politely inquired as to what the purpose was of this vast hidden empire. It was for Armageddon. The last gasp of civilization. The government would be ensconced there and await the rebirth of the nation and then emerge and restore society. The immense garden was to feed these souls. Apparently the place out in West Virginia originally constructed for this purpose was outdated and had no room to expand which explained the move to Denver.

By now, I was beginning to think he’d been smoking Denver’s finest left-handed tobacco or had dental problems that caused mental abberations. I’ve heard of people’s dental fillings acting like antennas for AM radio stations.  He spoke long and earnestly about the construction. He’d been employed with a large construction company which naturally had to remain nameless. There was room for thousands. The garden was larger than 10 Walmarts combined. Why he chose Walmart as a comparison speaks volumes about his shopping habits. He was deep in discussion of the details when the holes in the poles emerged. That would be the entrances at the North and South Poles where the alien spaceship bases were situated. This development was what had prompted the underground construction in Denver. He patiently explained that the aliens would probably expend all their ordnance and efforts destroying the enclave in West Virginia to no avail. America nevertheless would rise from the ashes like the Phoenix and be mighty once again. I was on the verge of telling him this would make a good sci-fi movie.

At that point I had to break off this interesting chit chat. It was 0715 hrs and I had been saved by Ethel.

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

MY TRUCK’S BETTER THAN YOUR TRUCK

Posted on May 22, 2012 by asknod

If this doesn’t have you ROFWUG (rolling on floor with uncontrollable giggles), it can’t be done. My wife sells real estate and is constantly amazed at what testosterone poisoning causes. We see examples of home construction all the time as enduring testimonials. But here, Ladies, is eye candy for the ages.

My Truck’s better than your Truck

My Truck’s better than yours

My Truck’s better ’cause I use high test gas

My Truck’s better than yours.

(substitute tractor for second stanza)

 Perhaps women should put pictures of missing husbands on the  back of beer cans?

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

BVA–One Decision Per Day

Posted on May 22, 2012 by asknod

We at Asknod, (my feral cat, two dogs, pony and goat) are extremely sensitive to Veterans and their claims. We strive to give you useful information not so much on how to win but on how not to lose. Obviously, in dealing with the vA, there is no rhyme or reason as to why you can lose a case on Monday and come back and win it on Thursday. Some might attribute it (a win) to a more caring VLJ or the weather. After my latest setback last week, we (the goat and I) think it has to do with inattention, indifference and an uncaring attitude. The dogs disagree and side with the pony as usual.

I had a long talk with an attorney about representing me on this yesterday. He enlightened my thinking considerably. Law dogs, as a subset of humans, are cynical by nature. His explanation is much more sound and erudite. Simply put, the VLJ’s minions are tasked with generating a decision a day per judge. Even with this prodigious effort, it follows that the backlog is going to get bigger without more judges and a revamping that encompasses the independent ALJ model.

The last time I checked there were 60 positions for VLJ. There are temporary Acting VLJs who get to dress up in robes and put VLJ makeup on, too. These constitute about another 30 or 40 individuals. They are assigned inconsequential cases that are fairly cut and dried such as this. This teaches them to be good worker bees and instills confidence later on when they are asked to deny on seminal cases by their boss. Mind you, they are not ordered to do so but who signs the paycheck?

Trying to manufacture one case a day in a boiler room atmosphere is a daunting task for any group. Assuming the normal compliment of 12 able-bodied future VLJs, it would be akin to asking a jury of disparate individuals to assemble, collate, weigh (the good ol’ benefit of the doubt) the evidence and come to an informed decision. Or would it? Try this on for size. My C-file currently won’t fit into 2 carry on bags as defined by the airport gestapo. How in Sam Hill are they going to peruse this in an 8 hour period and still find time to slaughter the chicken and adduce the entrails?

The explanation is fairly obvious. Assuming the case is viable and has legs, it will depend entirely on whether they luck out and find something that supports your contentions. Absent this in the magic 8 hour window, you are destined to join the 70 percent club. I speak of the number of denials generally attributed to that august body of pseudo-impartial jurists.

Many are quick to cast blame on the individual VLJ, but this is unwarranted. He is simply at the mercy of the aforementioned bozos-in-waiting who blithely gloss over your C-file and pretend to be objective. As with any judicial process, there are good and mediocre individuals who still have a conscience. There are an equal number, statistically, who have the intelligence quotient of my goat. I certainly don’t mean to denigrate my Wally. He has a viable excuse.  He actually is one.

The illustrious attorney pointed out several other roadblocks to a logical decision based on all the evidence.  Imagine assembling a file the way you and I might do so. Scratch that. Imagine assembling a file the way a woman would be inclined to. Everything would be color-coded by claim in the latest designer tones like fuschia, burnt umber and celery. Next, the documents would be chronologically ordered with  the medical  and administrative components separated to make it easier to navigate. A table of contents would provide a road map for the educationally challenged. All in all, it would be a splendid example of order and common sense, n’est-ce pas ?

Now meet the vA version. Did you ever go to Vegas and watch a 21 dealer shuffle 3 decks at once. You get the idea. Imagine a three page medical nexus with the pages spread galley west from one end of your file to the other. Mind you, I’m not saying they do this on purpose. I merely state how it arrives on the CD. If this is the manner in which they hope to ascertain SC, we’re doomed. Wait. We already are. That’s why we have an appeal process! Don’t you love my humor?

I have opted to do the smart thing here. Rather than hoard my shekels, I’m creating  a shovel-ready job to keep my leagle beagle’s mortgage current. It’s a win/win. I can claim I hired him and probably get a tax credit for doing so.  I’m going to let him shovel the shit this time. I’ve been at it for six years nonstop. Eighteen off and on since 1994 with the hep claim and twenty three since 1989 on the back/hips. The fact of the matter is I want to find a scapegoat in the event of failure. I have one now.

Rational thought processes tell me that giving up 20% of my winnings is better than collecting 100% of my loss. Rainmakers earn their money. Make it so, Number One.

Posted in BvA HCV decisions | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When can I expect a decision from the VA? (Mythbusters online)

Posted on May 22, 2012 by joeaveragevet

We already know that politicians’ promises can’t be trusted, so we put this myth to the test:  Do politicians keep their promises to Veterans?

On nearly every Veterans website to assist Veterans, probably the most common question is some version of “When can I get a decision from the VA”, or, more specifically, when will I get paid.

Its a valid question, one that eludes everyone, especially the VA.     The VA does not want to give Veterans a time frame, in part, because we tend to hold them to it.    Social Security, however, will give claimants a time frame:

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/159/~/length-of-time-to-receive-approval-or-denial-decision-on-disability-claim

Since I have a relative who works at social security, she said that “you better have a very good reason” for not getting a claimant’s decision out in 120 days.     However, 66% of Veterans have not yet received a decision on their claim within 120 days, according to this site:

http://veterans.house.gov/press-release/va-disability-ratings-evaluated

It appears the VA has tried a new twist.  According to Ebenefits, Veteran claimants are now given an Estimated Claim Completion Date: such as:  07/25/2012 to 02/06/2013

If you have an ebenefits account, you can check your estimated claim completion date here:

https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal

The facts are that social security recipients are being treated better than Veterans.  Social Security claimants are (mostly) getting a decision in 120 days, and most Veterans are not.  So much for our politicians promising to reduce the VA backlog.  That’s another “myth busted” so, now myth busters online says:  Dont trust politicians’ promises:

Here is the promise:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/114/reduce-the-veterans-benefits-administration-claims/

Instead of reducing the backlog, apparently the current administration meant doubling the backlog:

http://www.nextgov.com/technology-news/2012/04/vas-disability-claims-backlog-pushes-900000/51060/

Myth busted.  Promises to Veterans broken.  Backlog was not reduced, it was doubled, or more, instead.

Posted in Guest authors, VA BACKLOG | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

N.J. HCV VETS TO BE HONORED POSTHUMOUSLY

Posted on May 22, 2012 by asknod

Member Kiedove sends us this to begin our Memorial Day remembrances. I want to thank her profusely for sending us this.  It’s the first time I’ve seen something like it. I’ll try to induce some of the members locally to pester our Governor to do the same. Just because we didn’t bite the red clay in 1970 doesn’t make us any less a casualty of that conflict. Between AO and HCV, our numbers are thinning at a record pace. It seems only fitting that all states and the government should recognize that we are casualties and simply haven’t conveniently fallen down and died yet.

Posted in AO, HCV Health, Inspirational Veterans, Milestones, PTSD, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

WAR IS HELL BUT COMBAT IS SOMETHING ELSE

Posted on May 21, 2012 by asknod

This from the mosquito infested streets of Battle Creek and our esteemed member Bobster(and his merry krewe). The gentleman says it quite well. A little Yellow River on the Indians might have been rude, crude, socially unattractive-not to mention boorish- but doesn’t rise to the level of a UCMJ violation. Make them hold their weapon above their head with one hand and their crotch with the other and shout out loud in unison for 3 hours (in the hot sun, of course):

“This is my gun and it’s for fun.

This is my rifle and its for war.”

The objective of war is victory.  Obviously our politicians and military leaders have forgotten this simple theme since WWII.

The following was sent by a Marine friend who served both in Korea and Vietnam.  He is dead on…

Okay, I have to say something about the Marine pissing incident.*

Was it inappropriate? Yes.

Would I have done it?  Probably not.*

Would I have done it when I was 19?  Maybe.*

Were there times that I may have done it in Viet Nam if time permitted?  There is a good chance for, “probably”.

I was 22 when I was there and was called the old man and Pops.  We send kids a year out of high school to the worst hell holes on earth and expect them to behave better than they did at their senior prom.

So many Americans have lived for multiple generations with security at home that they can’t comprehend what goes on in other parts of the world.

“War is Hell” isn’t just something they say in the movies. First of all…*

You are exhausted all the time because you never sleep deeply.*
Your body is running on high idle even when you try to rest.*
The places we send these kids to, stink from lack of sanitation.*
There are bugs and mold and mildew and trash and human waste everywhere.*
You are in some level of fear all the time.*
You have seen, smelled, heard, touched and done things no sane person would ever want to do.

There is no script for war.  It is improv at its best.  Shit happens and it happens fast.  A blind eye should be turned to many, many things.

We have no idea what led up to this incident.*
Did these kids eat in the past 24 hours?*
Have they slept in the past 36 hours?*
What did these Talibaners do?

War is about killing people and breaking their things.  We have forgotten how to fight.  You can’t win people’s hearts while shooting their Uncle Fred.

We knock down a dung and stick shed, and then replace it with a $12,000,000 hospital!
Well, who won that one?

This is how we need to fight.
1.  Go in, kick ass on those who pissed us off.
2.  Destroy their infrastructure.
3.  Go home when you are sure they won’t have the desire to screw with us again for at least two generations.

I hate war.  I’m glad my sons didn’t have to go to war.

In reference to current times, we will never win the hearts of Muslims.  They don’t even like themselves, hate their family and kill their neighbors, so what chance do we stand.

The only course to follow is to convince them that the cost of messing with the West is way too high.

Back to the pissing kids.*
Slap their hands*
Tell them not to do it again*
Don’t try to figure out how pissing is bad and killing is okay.

War is HELL; it sucks, smells bad and is bad for your physical and mental health, so don’t sit in your recliner watching CNN and pass judgment on these kids.

\\!//
(o o)
–oOOo-(_)-oOOo–
KILROY WAS HERE

I don’t think I could said it in twice the words or nearly as eloquently. A warm thank you for sharing that. It’s not politically correct, but then, when has war ever been so?

Posted in All about Veterans, Food for the soul, Guest authors | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

7TH RADIO RESEARCH FIELD STATIONS

Posted on May 21, 2012 by asknod

I never journeyed down to Ramasun from Udorn but we serviced Detachment B in Chiang Mai until they installed the TRC-35 in 72. We had a 25 pair cable out to their site to give them the semblance of security. They could call us if they came under attack. Of course, the CTs sabotaged the cable on a regular basis so that wasn’t very helpful.  I keep seeing inquiries on the search engine asking if AO was used around their antenna farms.  Knowing that vegetation grows like a raped ape there, let me allow you to be the judge of that. This was taken in June 71. I never saw anything grow there for the 18 months I was there.  What you cannot see is what was 180 degrees to the right of this picture.-more of the same for a thousand yards. Click once to magnify.

I guess one thing needs to be said for those of you who think the Army was busy researching random radio waves. They were. North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao radio waves to be sure were the object of their interest or more precisely, what was being said on certain frequencies they employed.

Posted in AO, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment