Agent Orange - Sprayed & Betrayed/Heroes Destined To Die Petition

(LOS ANGELES) - I am writing for a very important reason. I hope you will support and help all those of us who suffer from exposure to Agent Orange.

I know — more than most — nobody wants to talk about this. Agent Orange. “Uh, oh, here comes Lesli, again.”

Agent Orange is not a partisan issue, it is not a blue state or red state issue or even a “which side of the aisle” issue…it is an American issue. This is of great and personal importance to me. And, I hope to all Americans.

Three hundred and eighty Vietnam Veterans are dying every day. This group of veterans is dying faster than any other from any armed conflict. At the rate that death is coming, there will still be World War II veterans to bury the last Vietnam Veteran —75% of Vietnam Veterans are gone.

Signatures are being gathered for a petition to present to Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee to call for an immediate investigation and Congressional hearing; to disclose to the American people: ”………what the U.S. Government knew about Agent Orange, when did they decide to use Agent Orange and why……...”

I reach out to you, for those of us who fight the Agent Orange caused illnesses, debilitating sicknesses, and the quietly, insidious cancers that burn within our bodies slowly taking our lives from us. Making us destined to die.

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alexa napier August 9, 2012 1:48 am (Pacific time)

Eugene Curry, without a doubt, has been proved through documentation obtained by legal means, to be a liar. I stand by that an always will. I am not spreading hate, I am spreading the truth.

Alexa j Napier November 22, 2011 10:50 pm (Pacific time)

I was hit hard on this page in this forum for what was said of Eugene Curry. For further information on Mr. Curry, go to the page, Eugene Curry, Hero of Fraud. You will be able to judge for your self. A two time deserter from the Marine Corps, proven liar, not a gunnery sargeant, not retired, not combat disabled, and he is not dealig with agent orange, he is not dying because of exposure. Boy did he have you fooled.

Najee T Shabazz May 27, 2011 11:14 pm (Pacific time)

Serve your country then forgotten about with no hope or direction once returned to civilian life!!

Alexa Napier May 15, 2011 6:53 am (Pacific time)

First, I will not reply to anonymous, you can criticize me, yet you can't give your name. How do you know I don't know the pain and suffering of one affected by agent orange. Believe me, I know. I know on a very personal level. By the way, how are you doing Betty? Donna, the VA determines what is or isn't agent orange related. Has whoever it is you are speaking of been to the VA to be screened for agent orange? No matter what the dr. writes, you have to be screened by the VA. My guess is they reject the letters from the doctors, yet they have never told you whomever needs to be screened by the VA. Agent orange is the reason so many are dying from cancer. Steve, call your county bar association and ask for a referral to an attorney that deals with VA claims and appeals. Contact the attorney and tell him what has happened in regards to your claim. If he believes he can help you, he will take your case. You do not pay the attorney. If you prevail over the VA, the VA pays him. You would still get 100% of your award.

Alexa Napier May 15, 2011 6:55 am (Pacific time)

To Anonymous - I never claimed to be a Christian. Whether I am or not, there has never been a post by me declaring I am a Christian. I don't discuss religion. Where did you get that information. I know it did not come from me.

DeltaDawg May 10, 2011 5:32 pm (Pacific time)

I was stationed in the delta just after the Tet '68 festivities began; my brother had recently returned home after 6 months in the Danang area. 18 years after his return, he was diagnosed with cancer and given 6 months to live: accurate almost to the day. Then, 42 years after MY return, I got the non-Hodgkins diagnosis. For the last 6 months I've been getting PHENOMENAL treatments, including a bazillion tests and chemotherapy... but also getting bills, for several thousand dollars, for "NSC/Non-Service Connected" treatment and Rx's, despite the fact that my DD-214 clearly states my Vietnam service AND the fact that I have a "covered" malady, presumptive evidence of A/O exposure. I am in the A/O Registry; I have received an 'Environmental Exposure Examination' from the certified/qualified MD at the local V.A. Outpatient Clinic and have an approved VSO/Veterans Service Organization rep who reviewed and submitted my Compensation claim to the V.A. While my Primary care Physician opined that I "s-h-o-u-l-d get a 100% disability rating, she has nothing to do with that decision, so I am waiting for the wheels of the bureaucracy to grind exceedingly fine and no doubt exceedingly slow, although I do believe that General Shinseki is a no-B.S. kinda guy and has been everything possible to kickstart a more responsive Agency into high gear.
I try not to be cynical; I hope and pray that ALL vets who need healthcare consider the V.A. Frankly, I'm impressed! I had Kaiser for a long time before going to the V.A. (lost a job = lost Kaiser) for care: they are as good if not better than Kaiser, albeit a tad more crowded. Still, I have NO hesitation about recommending the V.A. even though it's not perfect: it's there for us.

Anonymous May 4, 2011 8:31 am (Pacific time)

@Alexa Napier-For trying to spread the word about Agent Orange, you sure like to point out the errors of anyone who supports it or was effected by it. YOU cannot judge a veteran's PERSONAL pain. YOU cannot judge their suffering. Quit spreading hate and focus your anger on the task at hand. For a Christian, you sure throw stones.

Alexa Napier April 24, 2011 11:56 am (Pacific time)

The statistics are incorrect, 70% of Vietnam Vets are gone. Less than 700,000 remain. Death comes at the rate of 300 a day. All those ao affected will be gone in a few short years. WWII Vets will still be living to bury the last one. The Vietnam Vets have died younger and faster than any other group of Veterans from any armed American conflict or war. I take great exception, however to the claim made by the author that he knows more than most the pain and suffering of agent orange. No, he does not. No one is in this alone, they all suffer, they all have pain, but they suffer in silence, in private. He knows no more pain nor less pain, no more suffering, nor less suffering than any other affected Vietnam Veteran.

Donna April 24, 2011 11:50 am (Pacific time)

The problem is - it's never asked if you served in Viet Nam - so how accurate are the numbers? And when you ask the Doctors treating the cancers, heart disease and other things to fill out medical forms for the VA - it's the same answer - THE DOCTOR will NOT support your claim that it's Agent Orange related. Why are so many men in their late 50's early 60's being diagnosed with cancers and dying?

Steven Gray March 19, 2011 6:28 am (Pacific time)

I've been waiting 10years plus for the VA to decide my presumptive disease of CAD and denied twice and now it seems the VA is just waiting for me to die to avoid giving me the benefits I deserve and have been waiting on since 2001. Vietnam Vet Amarillo Texas

Mike Hatfield March 17, 2011 6:13 pm (Pacific time)

FYI-- CDC: After {5 years} from discharge from service , there was no statistically significant difference in all-cause mortality observed between Vietnam and non-Vietnam veterans throughout the remaining follow-up periods. See Table 2 and 3 (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/164/17/1908.pdf ) for mortality rates between Vietnam and non-veterans of same age-cohort. To see other scientific studies, for example an Agent Orange Validation Study, please see at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/veterans/default1b.htm //These are formal studies, not innuendo. P.S. I was treated for cancer at the Portland VA several years ago and my specific cancer was on the Agent Orange list. I am very pro-veteran on this matter and would like to see the disease list enlarged, but we need to make sure that we strive for truthfulness and veracity when discussing important veteran's issues and not provide misinformation, even if unintentional. It just comes back and makes some people skeptical about future veteran's health issues. Millions served during the Vietnam era, and there are so many tragic stories, but it is through large studies, scientifically constructed, that reflect most accurately on our specific population. This is not to minimize those sick and who have died, just looking at the big picture.

Anonymous March 17, 2011 8:16 am (Pacific time)

To assert this stat: "75% of Vietnam Veterans are gone" is absolutly irresponsible!Of course providing a primary source for this is unavailable, so why even publish something like this? As far as Agent Orange treatments through the VA system, they are available. Just provide documentation where and when you served and you qualify for treatment. Many bogus claims out there, but they get reviewed, so if you have an Agent Orange listed [covered] disease (the list constantly expands) you will receive treatment and financial benefits, aka, service-connected disability. By the way, Vietnam veterans are quite copius in numbers.

Editor: I sincerely doubt that you know more about this, heck you don't even list a name, I am tempted to not publish it. There are so many VN Vets dead and buried who should not be, what is your point? And you make it sound like working with the VA is a real piece of cake, I know a few hundred people personally who would strongly disagree. Additionally, there are plenty in Lesli's shoes who were 'lucky' enough to be in VN with no backing from the government over what happened to their health because they aren't military. By the way, I wish some of my friends who served in Vietnam were still here, but they died of Agent Orange contamination and we had to say good bye, and it angers me.

Anonymous001 March 16, 2011 5:59 pm (Pacific time)

The direct link is at: http://www.petitiononline.com/HDTD/petition-sign.html

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