Do you think the Vietnam War is really over for those of you who suffer from that, "gift that keeps on giving," Agent Orange?
It's been over forty-six years and ten months since David came back from Serving two tours in Vietnam and he still battling the effects of being exposed to Agent Orange. Finally, after all of this time, the VA has recognized Agent Orange. David was exposed to what he was told is, "this defoliant agent that will never hurt you or your health."
How many Vietnam Veterans have become a casualty, a statistic, of the Vietnam War?
Yes, the Vietnam War maybe over, but how many of you are still battling the effects of Vietnam? So now what happens? For many like Sgt David G. Duchesneau and so many others like him, the Vietnam War will never end until that so called Agent,"Agent Orange" finally kills them. Let's hope not!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK356077/
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/children-birth-defects.asp
Effects on Veterans' Descendants
Based on new evidence and a review of prior studies, the committee for Update 2014 did not find any new significant associations between the relevant exposures and adverse outcomes in future generations. Furthermore, the committee has changed the previous categorization of exposure to the chemicals of interest (COIs) and spina bifida from limited suggestive to inadequate or insufficient, consistent with all other birth defects and parental...
Our current veterans have very similar issues from agents developed by parts of our government and tested on us that created more issues - and then those agents were weaponized and given to Iraq where we blundered into them many moons later - and now the gift that keeps giving has morphed into another form and is doing the same to our younger brothers and sisters and their families.
The Vietnamese have been dealing with this horror for decades. These are crimes against humanity not readily frittered away by the "exigencies of war". The article cited below says the Viet Nam Red Cross estimates 3 million Vietnamese were impacted, with at least 150,000 children born with serious defects.
Captain John Parker, elected CO of the 77 Lexington militia members who were tradesmen and farmers at Lexington, died 5 months later from tuberculosis. This reinforced platoon, or a depleted company, stood up to make right the wrongs of the British rule. Captain Parker, who knew he was dying, pledged his life, as we all did. We need to likewise stand up to the tyranny of stupidity and greed that now permeates our beloved country and is destroying it from within. Everyone who wears a US flag or pin, or who swore an oath to the Constitution, needs to stand up and do what is right under the law and do it by working together - not recreating the Civil War we have in Congress today.
Happy 4th to all - now go out and honor the memory and affirm the spirit exuded by that original band of 77 brothers who said "enough"!
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article24751351.html
4 decades after war ended, Agent Orange still ravaging Vietnamese
In many ways, Nguyen Thi Ly is just like any other 12-year-old girl. She has a lovely smile and is quick to laugh. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She enjoys skipping rope when she plays.
On the other hand, for America it still seems a bitter experience. We didn't get squat when we got home and the DoD and VA screwed many of our comrades, not to mention the civilians. Take up meditation, brothers.