1/14/12

Radio, Radio, Radio!

I've had the opportunity to appear on several radio programs since my book was published.  To date my commentaries have been broadcast on more than 70 radio stations, from Phoenix to Philadelphia, plus across the Internet.  And so far we've had visitors from 10 countries visit this blog, from Russia to the Philippines and from Germany to Australia.  Many thanks to the hosts who have interviewed me as I continue to try to get justice for the Blue Water Navy veterans who served in Vietnam.

Just this weekend I appeared on the Lincoln Radio network of stations across Pennsylvania. Click here to listen to my interview -- and let me know what you think.

Editorial: All Vietnam Navy veterans deserve Agent Orange benefits

On Jan. 5th the Patriot-News of Harrisburg published this editorial in support of my call to restore Agent Orange-related benefits to Blue Water Navy vets from the Vietnam War:

Imagine a scenario where veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars begin developing certain cancers far more often than nonveterans. There would likely be a public outcry to aid them, and rightfully so.

Now imagine that the U.S. government agrees to help the ill veterans, but then reverses its policy several years later to help only certain branches of the military.

This scenario is essentially what happened to U.S. Vietnam Navy veterans.

In 1991, Congress passed the Agent Orange Act to give extra medical help and disability payments to Vietnam veterans who developed certain medical conditions. By then, there was a large body of evidence showing that Vietnam veterans were developing cancers and other diseases at a higher rate than others of their generation. While it is difficult to prove a 100 percent connection, it was clear something in Vietnam played a role, and many experts believe it was probably Agent Orange.

But in 2002, the Bush administration reversed the policy for Navy veterans. Veterans Affairs began to make a distinction between Brown Water veterans, whose ships sailed on inland waterways, and Blue Water veterans, who were aboard ships that mainly stayed on coastal areas. Brown Water veterans qualified for Agent Orange-related benefits; Blue Water veterans suddenly did not.

It appeared to be a move to save money. It’s shameful given how much money our government spends that this is the area it targeted for cost cutting.

As Bob Ford of Marysville said in an extensive commentary on the issue in the Sunday Patriot-News, "there should be no such thing as a Brown Water Navy and a Blue Water Navy. It is a red, white and blue Navy. It is our Navy."

Click here to read more...