VeteransLawCenter.org Thailand veterans and agent orange

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Mr. Atchison wrote me a few days ago and I offered him the following
from my site at http://tmai18. spaces.live. com.

Several documents there are official DOD documents which have been
declassified, one very recently. The Project CHECO Report: Base
Defense in Thailand, generated by Corona Harvest personnel, details
the fact that the Rules of Engagement (ROE) for Thailand were
changed in August 1968 to allow use of herbicides with Embassy and
JUSMACTHAI permission, and were used at NKP, U-Tapao, and Korat,
possibly as early as 1966.

In a very backhanded manner, it insinuates use at Ubon also.
Additionally, there are many passages in Buckingham's Ranch Hand
history, and also in Paul F. Cecil's doctoral thesis and book
detailing the fact that multi-day, multi-sorties of Ranch Hand
aircraft were flown out of NKP, Takhli, and Udorn on two occassions.
These multi-day sorties were of such duration that supplies of
herbicides had to be present.

This evidence has been presented to both the House and Senate
Committees on Veterans Affairs, who have presented it to the DVA
Disability and Pension Division of the DVA. As is customary, the DVA
is attempting to prolong the agony of veterans by failing to update
the DOD list and acknowledge use of herbicide outside Vietnam as
presumptive as is the case with the DMZ in Korea.

Additionally, there is documentation there that speaks to the fact
that there were stockpiles of chemical weapons in Okinawa and the
Federal Republic of Germany. Also there is evidence from a Fort
Detrick scientist touring Vietnam that either Agent Blue or Dalapon
were used on every Army and Air Force Base in the United States and
elsewhere in the world.

This information is critical to veterans from Thailand who have been
denied, or have presumptive diseases, to their VSOs, and to any
attorneys representing these veterans. It is also significant since
veterans must file for exposure outside Vietnam, and "prove" a nexus
to their disease, and to the fact that it was service-connected,
until it is acknowledged by the DVA, all part of the stone-walling on
the part of the President of the United States, the Congress, and the
Departments of Defense and Veteran's Affairs.

If you have not concluded it by now, I am at war with the government
we supported through our service. It is time to shine the light on
the despicable conduct of this government towards veterans.

Kurt Priessman, MSgt, USAF (Ret)
B.A., M.B.A., C.P.M.
Vet Advocate