Support our veterans
In 1991, Congress unanimously passed a law acknowledging herbicides sprayed over the Vietnamese countryside caused major health problems for all veterans of that war.
In 2002, without consulting Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs revoked eligibility to receive these benefits by all veterans who did not set foot in Vietnam. Yet Navy personnel served in harbors and offshore waters on battle stations providing naval gunfire support, search and rescue, and sea-borne supply protection. During the evacuations of Saigon, we had contact with boat people, their boats and helicopters. Because we did not step on the ground does not mean we weren’t contaminated with Agent Orange.
These offshore veterans are dying in poverty because of medical bills not covered by VA benefits. They are dying without the dignity and respect they deserve as disabled American veterans.
The American public needs to know about this because they can demand their congressional representatives support legislation before the House (HR 299) and Senate (S 422) to restore these lost VA benefits. Without your help, these Vietnam veterans will die unaided by the benefits promised to them 50 years ago.
Please call your representatives and ask them to support these bills.
Brian Giesbrecht
Athol