Our Government Should Be Ashamed!!!

Every senator and member of the house should be ashamed of letting things like this happen. Yet, it goes on daily within the Veterans Affairs with people making decisions that either cannot pour it out of boot, allowed to deny the laws of chemistry, or they get their cash bonuses based on denials of Veterans claims.

Korean DMZ Veteran David Hill was given 18 months to live with two cancers that are approved as associated with the herbicide Agent Orange. David proved beyond any doubt he did serve along the DMZ for months. Veterans Affairs denied him compensations because David arrived two months after the Department of Defense (DoD) stated they quit using the herbicides. Our Veterans Affairs totally discounting and denying the proven toxic half-life of these herbicides in their denial of David’s claim. Even more germane to the issue, not only did David have two cancers associated with the herbicide exposures but after leaving the DMZ and at discharge from service, David was diagnosed with pustular acne. A scientific hallmark of exposures to these dioxins, dioxin-like furan isomers, and polychlorinated biphenyl's (PCB’s) that some of their isomers fall in the category of dioxin isomers. David had no such pustular acne before he served on the Korean DMZ.

Veterans Affairs or their raters or there judges should not have the power to say that any half life study must have been accomplished in South Korea and along the DMZ. Half life in chemistry is what it is; by the toxicology experts or the world or our nation - not what the US Veterans Affairs says it is.

All of this would be impossible just to be some multiple coincidence when judged by any sane person even without the mythical congressional mandate of the "benefit of the doubt shall be given to the Veteran."

To add insult to injury and pour rock salt into the open and festered wound of our dead and dying Veterans from government toxic chemical causations; the congressional civilian herbicide bill for the exact same issues and conditions is four times as long for inclusive dates than what is given the Veteran. In this case, David would have been inside the inclusive dates for civilian awards for compensations by two years and there could have not been this nonsensical and obscene denial by Veterans Affairs.

David passed away on February 9, 2008 leaving a widow, Sheila, and a minor son with his claim still unresolved that so many of our Veterans and their surviving spouses must face. The continual anti-veteran and abusive treatment of our nations Veterans by Veterans Affairs with congress doing little if anything to squelch this 40 year tide of abuse must stop. Now his widow must get back at the end of the line and start the process all over with mounds of Veterans Affairs paper work, which will result in even more years of denial until someone comes to their senses. Meanwhile she will go without the financial support needed that was created by our own government in David’s premature death.

I pointed out this very case in Congressman Filners office as an example when I presented our suggestions to reduce the backlog of claims. Yet, nothing was done in this obvious abuse of power.

I have posted at the bottom the fax numbers and addresses of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the House. Please send either my letter or your own as to the despicable treatment of this Veteran and the insistence that this widow be given her benefits immediately. Also include your own congressperson and senators as well.

When I talked to David he knew he was not going to survive but wanted my help in trying to get his claim approved before he died for his wife and son. I failed, even though I brought it up to the head guy of Veterans Affairs in Congress. Now the widow is asking what can be done, if anything. Until congress and the media address these issues of the mistreatment and abuse of power I believe there is nothing that can nor will be done as Veterans Affairs remains unchallenged with a broken and decayed system of total abusive power with no retribution for their actions.

Any media or reporters wanting to follow up on this story and how "To Care for Him Who Have Borne the Battle and For His Widow, and His Orphan is nothing but a sick Veterans Affairs joke - please contact the widow at: sheila708@wildblue. net

The same for anyone in congress that gives a darn how our Veterans are actually treated.

Charles Kelley

DMZ Vietnam 67-68

The Toxic Chemical Corridor

I would also add here a sentiment send in by one of our own group, a former Captain and chopper pilot in Vietnam after to listening the the subcommittee hearings. And I think all of us can agree here.

"...On the issue of V.A. Compensation, once again the Senate held hearings on V.A. compensation and of course several so-called "experts" addressed our needs. This is bullshit.

In order to adequately address our needs the Senate Committee should hear from those of us who receive the compensation, not some expert who is on a compensation rate nowhere near ours.
I would add here also from those that have to fight to the death to receive anything at all and in many cases do not make it prior to death and then the dutiful widow based on a promise to her dead husband; "not to give up," continues the fight against the number one enemy of our military - The United States Government! Unfortunately the congress wants to hear from those that have never fought in these battles or suffered the indignities of Veterans Affairs and their Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) type of activities.

Veterans who receive compensation are the ones who should be testifying!

And if a so-called "expert" testifies it should only be after the "expert" has had to live on the same rate of compensation that we receive. Try to live on that for a year and see how much debt they have accumulated! They certainly won't be saving much, if any.

I am so sick and tired of someone else speaking for me I could just spit! These people have absolutely no idea how far our compensation doesn't go. So who do they ask to testify? An "expert" that lives on salaries/compensati on most likely in the 6 figure income range."

Members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs

Bob Filner
2428 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8045
Fax: (202) 225-9073

Corrine Brown
2336 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-0123
Fax: (202) 225-2256

Vic Snyder
1330 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-2506
Fax: 202-225-5903
E-mail: snyder.congress@ mail.house. gov


Steve Buyer
2230 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5037

Cliff Stearns
2370 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone (202) 225-5744
Fax (202) 225-3973

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
331 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2801
Fax: (202) 225-5823
stephanie.hersethsa ndlin@mail. house.gov


Jerry Moran
2202 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
P: (202) 225-2715
F: (202) 225-5124

Richard H. Baker
341 Cannon House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3901
Fax: 202-225-7313

Harry E. Mitchell
2434 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2190
Fax: (202) 225-3263

John Hall
1217 Longworth House Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5441
Fax: (202) 225-3289

Henry E. Brown, Jr.
1124 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3176
Fax: (202) 225-3407

Jeff Miller
1535 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, Washington DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4136
Fax: (202) 225-3414

Phil Hare
1118 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5905
Fax: (202) 225-5396

Michael R. Doyle
401 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-2135
Fax: 202-225-3084

John Boozman
1519 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4301
Fax: (202) 225-5713

Ginny Brown-Waite
414 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-1002

Shelley Berkley
405 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-4708
Phone:(202) 225-5965
Fax: (202) 225-3119
Toll free: (877) 409-2488

John T. Salazar
1531 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-4761
202-226-9669 (fax)

Michael R. Turner
1740 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6465
Fax: (202) 225-6754

Brian P. Bilbray
227 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-0508
Fax: 202-225-2558

Ciro D. Rodriguez
2458 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4511
Fax: (202) 225-2237



Joe Donnelly

Longworth House Office Building 1218
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3915
Fax: (202) 226-6798

Doug Lamborn
437 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4422
Fax: (202) 226-2638

Gus M. Bilirakis
1630 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
ph: 202-225-5755
fx: 202-225-4085

Jerry McNerney
312 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-1947
Fax: (202) 225-4060

Zachary T. Space
315 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
ph: (202) 225-6265
fax: (202) 225-3394

Vern Buchanan
1516 Longworth HOB
Washington DC 20515
ph: (202) 225-5015
fx: (202) 226-0828
Tim Walz
1529 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-2472
Fax: 202-225-3433

Non Member fighting for Veterans

Steve Kagen M.D.
1232 Longworth House Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5665
Fax: (202) 225-5729