To The V.A.... "We Won't Get Fooled Again"

Today I would like to write about the V.A. and their decision to add a subsection to the Gulf War registry for environmental issues such as Sodium Dichromate. Now, That is all good and everything, but what about our brother veterans from Vietnam who got Agent Orange and other crap dumped on them. When I joined The service in 1982, they were still giving out this bug repellent that they had used in Vietnam, and anything plastic it came in contact with...it literally melted. Yeah, those guys literally had to use it or get eaten by some big ass bugs, not much of a choice huh.

Now, I know alot of Vietnam Vets have a dislike for current vets, even saying, they "Chose to fight" and "They knew what they were getting into" so they got what they deserved. And the reason they give these type of opinions is because we were not drafted. I am sorry guys, I was born during the very early part of your war and had nothing to do with you being drafted. I am truly sorry for that, but what has been done cannot be undone and we need to work together.

I know what alot of you people are thinking, this guy is a whiner. I had no problem doing my job as an infantryman. And yes, while bullets and bombs will kill you, at least it happens pretty quick and you are not left to suffer. Then you do not come home and procreate and your offspring look like their DNA was strained through a tube sock. This all happens because some cheap Contractor S.O.B. uses the cheapest materials available to get the job done and Humanity be damned.

To the Gulf War I vets, these poor men and women have been jerked around so many times it is crazy. The V.A. never seems like it can settle on what if anything they can do for them.

Now, I have been to the Portland V.A. Hospital for the Gulf War Registry Screening, this was March 24th 2010 and saw Dr. Grebenow. Before hand they had sent me a large packet of paper to fill out regarding my exposure and my symptoms. I took considerable time filling it out with great detail and took it with me to my appointment. Now I was NOT AT ALL IMPRESSED!! with this Dr. or the exam, it appeared to be an appeasement process so us veterans would shut up. The reason I say this, is because he never once looked at all the paper work I filled out. He then would ask me questions, and instead of letting me answer them, he would finish my answers his way. What the hell was the point of driving 110 miles round trip for nothing? Now, I am not trying to be mean or anything, but this needs to change!!

Then at the end of the appointment, he asked me "What do you know about Sodium Dichromate?" kinda as if to find out with what type of B.S. answers he was going to be able to get away with telling me. So I told him "I know it's a corrosion fighter"
to which he replied "we do not have any data on short term exposure to Sodium Dichromate... At least someone was finally being honest!!

I really want to be of service to my fellow veterans, but it is really hard to travel for long distances for me because my bones and joints ache all the time and my left eye is real sensitive to too much sunlight.

So to the V.A. if you read this, I am willing to help, but you must put forth a earnest effort to help all veterans and Educate your Doctors and Staff, they are there to help veterans, if they do not like their job, maybe they need to look elsewhere. And please, if you are going to make us fill out a whole bunch of paperwork for a exam, have the doctor go over it with us during the exam. I listed all my symptoms on that damn paper packet, but we did not even talk about half of them.

Better yet, I think I am going to start showing up to my appointments with a micro tape recorder and a sign hanging around my neck saying "This Appointment may be recorded for quality assurance purposes"

Let's talk about the V.A.'s claim process.. It has done a 180 degree from what I can tell. V.A. Training letter 10-03 lays it all out and has straightened alot of stuff out. And I gotta give Mr. Shinseki MAJOR props for that!! YOU ROCK!!

Fantasy Island.. It truly exists!!

Well, I attended U.S. District Court in Portland OR. Yesterday, relating to the motion to dismiss filed by KBR. Now, I have seen pictures of KBR's Attorneys on their Mckenna firm website and I am sorry, but it is looking like these Sodium Dichromate and other cases are sucking the life right out of them. Kinda like the Sodium Dichromate has sucked the life right out of me. Money isn't everything and it wont give you your health back..remember that!!

But I guess a whole lot of money can buy you a firm of attorneys willing to try every trick in the book (legally) to get their client off the hook. When Judge Papak came in, I was surprised that KBR's Attorneys chose to remain seated while they made their oral arguments. Their main attorney Mr. Biagini went on and on and on citing cases that should be taken into consideration regarding their motion to dismiss this case.

I thought he was going to deplete all the oxygen in the room as several people started to nod off from boredom. He did make a few valid points, however they were lost in his repeated attempts to school the judge on case law and at times even shaking his finger at Judge Papak like a parent scolding a misbehaving child in a condescending fashion.

When the Attorney for the Guardsmen Mr. Sugerman made his presentation, he stood and was very courteous and directly to the point. He did not waste the court's time and was respectful of the Judge. Now I had heard that KBR's legal team acted arrogant, and after watching this episode..I kinda agree. If this case is allowed to go forward..I cannot wait to do my part to set the record straight on what happened at Qarmat Ali during those days in 2003 in Iraq, because KBR isn't telling anyone the whole story.

If nothing else comes of this, I hope and pray that American taxpayers do not ever find themselves held hostage like this again. This whole situation reminds me of the lyrics of a favorite Heavy Metal Band Sacred Reich, the song is called

THE AMERICAN WAY

Truth and honor faith and pride all convictions surely died honesties
time has passed time for lies is here at last truth is false I'm so fed up
how did we come to be so fucked? hate fear pain death all our country
has got left

Talk to children hear them say daddy left again today brother steals and
mommy lies future lost before their eyes the sun was lost behind the
clouds they rapped it up and blacked it out acid rain fell today it came
and washed our hopes away

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

Don't look past your t.v. all of us are what you see a looking glass into
our lives what we watch is what we buy priorities are out of whack
who is next to stab our back doesn't it make you mad to have lost all that
we've had

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

Doesn't it fill you with disgust that there's no one left to trust is this
happening is this real my body numb I cannot feel are you happy are you
sad are emotions a thing of the past I have no tears I cannot cry no one
mourns for a world that's died

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

(Sacred Reich- American Way 1990)