When will the VA recognize the other health risks we have been exposed to?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:26:43 -0400

Twice a day while I was stationed in Panama the DDT truck slowly drove in and around post, spraying a cloud of poisonous gas. Morning PT often had us running through that cloud. They would drive right by our unit family day function adding flavor to our potluck meals. Children would be on the streets playing as it drove by.
The picture is from a couple of decades before I served, but the cloud was just like this.
Many veterans and family members stationed in Panama have issues they believe are linked to this.
When I left Active Duty I brought this up several times and each time I was told that this is not something the VA recognizes as having been a health risk.

So the question is: When will the chemical exposures like this be treated like burn pits and begin to receive medical notice and treatment?
#ddt #panama #

Photo credit: Ernie Crews

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made May 9 at 2019 5:27 PM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:27:43 -0400

Good question !

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made May 9 at 2019 5:29 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:29:09 -0400

I don't know but it certainly is/was a health risk. Many of us were exposed to that.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made May 9 at 2019 5:31 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:31:25 -0400

Like the burn pits, the VA won't determine the environmental hazards until the vast majority of the people who could collect compensation are dead. Agent Orange 2.0

Response by CPL Richard Flagg made May 9 at 2019 5:33 PM

CPL Richard Flagg — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:33:08 -0400

I know there is a Facebok group called Agent Orange in Panama; and it has been for years trying to get the VA and DOD to admit about our exposure to AO, and both those departments continue to ignore the facts.

Response by SMSgt Gerry Mitchell made May 9 at 2019 6:42 PM

SMSgt Gerry Mitchell — Thu, 09 May 2019 18:42:59 -0400

I was stationed in Panama, at Howard AFB. 1981 through 84. Also, deployed several times before the invasion, Just Cause. I remember the bug men. When the sprayer got close the kids would all yell bug man. Run to the houses and stay there till you could not see the clouds of spray. Always wondered what effect it had. I think when we were there they sprayed malthalon. I had not thought of the bug men till I read your post.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made May 9 at 2019 7:37 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Thu, 09 May 2019 19:37:09 -0400

Wow, those are crazy photos

Response by COL Gary Gresh made May 9 at 2019 8:04 PM

COL Gary Gresh — Thu, 09 May 2019 20:04:00 -0400

I know this seems unfair and that you have a real concern. You should take this up with your congressman not the VA. The VA is restricted BY LAW to diseases already in the Data Base as proved to be "Military Service connected". Congress makes the laws that the VA follows. If VA research finds that such a carcinigen is a cause of a military related illness or injury, it must then go to the Center for Disease Control to get it registered, recognized and to get approval to add it to the list of known and recognized carcinagens related to Military Service. Asbestosis took decades to go through the process but is now widely accepted. The VA does an excellent job of handling those things already in the system, but is very restricted in just what it can treat based on present day approved laws. If you google DDT, you will find several organiztions taking this on right now and you can join those efforts to get it recognized by the Government. Hope that helps

Response by PFC Steve Zeitz made May 9 at 2019 8:15 PM

PFC Steve Zeitz — Thu, 09 May 2019 20:15:58 -0400

Advise the VA or via your service officer that you wish to pursue Moral Injury, This may work.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made May 9 at 2019 9:00 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Thu, 09 May 2019 21:00:38 -0400

I remember that well when I was at Galeta Island in 83/84 on the Atlantic side. They would go past our barracks, around the circular drive in front of the Quarterdeck then on through family housing and Cristobal H.S. Sometimes the kids would get hit by it while waiting at the bus stop outside our barracks. We'd smell it in our rooms from the a/c afterwards if we weren't getting a dose of it from being outside.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made May 9 at 2019 10:22 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 09 May 2019 22:22:01 -0400

That looks like the malathion truck that cruised the streets of Houghs Neck MA in the late 70s and early 80s on the little mosquito farm I grew up on.

I think you need to claim the claims and have documentation describing the cause, linkage, and condition. Possibly how it wasn't civilian connected. They can't fight science and documentation. Do a FOIA request and get witness statements. You may not win, but if you do one and your buddy does one and so on and so on eventually there will be a mountain of claims they can't ignore.

Response by SSG Brian G. made May 10 at 2019 1:14 AM

SSG Brian G. — Fri, 10 May 2019 01:14:49 -0400

VA has exactly zero control. What you are looking for is Congress and that is going to take letter writing and letter writing and research and documentation and quite possibly a congressional panel.

I feel your pain though. My father served in Vietnam and got out after a long career. It was only later when the things like Diabetes, hypertension and the like started popping up. But by then it was too late to document in his medical jacket. Luckily when he applied for benefits with the VA there had already been a case made due to Agent Orange being employed prolifically in Vietnam as a defoliant.

Good thing is, the military does not do anything without keeping a record and if you can find those records, which should be public free access... it bolsters the case. Keep on charging at it. Giving up solves nothing.

Response by SGT Cynthia Douglas Ybarra made May 10 at 2019 6:54 AM

SGT Cynthia Douglas Ybarra — Fri, 10 May 2019 06:54:16 -0400

I think we need a call to action with DAV and other organizations that lobby Congress. The VA is driven by the rules and directives of congress. Start with your local politicians and contact organizations lobbying on behalf of Veterans.

Response by Sgt Nantambu Anbidwile made May 10 at 2019 9:26 AM

Sgt Nantambu Anbidwile — Fri, 10 May 2019 09:26:49 -0400

That also happened at Clark AB RP

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2019 9:57 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 May 2019 09:57:57 -0400

It takes a lot of casework to accumulate in order to build consensus that an environmental hazard is a causal factor for a specific illness, then a law change to make it a presumptive for those illnesses. Many times, it takes decades for those illnesses to manifest, then another period for the other two steps to happen.
We saw it happen with Agent Orange. We saw it happen with asbestos, Camp Lejune drinking water, and Gulf War Syndrome. Perhaps someday we will see it with DULRAMM, burn pits, Silicosis (from inhaling dust in the ME), and DDT trucks.

Response by Sgt John Steinmeier made May 10 at 2019 11:01 AM

Sgt John Steinmeier — Fri, 10 May 2019 11:01:23 -0400

Not sure what it was in the mid 80's but I remember being "fogged" as a dependent at Howard AFB and Charleston AFB. I don't <tick> think it caused <tick> any problems though <uncontrolled drool>.

Response by Capt Bill Mauer made May 10 at 2019 12:48 PM

Capt Bill Mauer — Fri, 10 May 2019 12:48:48 -0400

They won't even recognize the Agent Orange use CONUS that overdosed us.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 10 at 2019 2:53 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Fri, 10 May 2019 14:53:38 -0400

It sprayed my neighborhood in the 1960’s.

Response by SPC Perry Gresham made May 11 at 2019 11:11 PM

SPC Perry Gresham — Sat, 11 May 2019 23:11:15 -0400

An exposure I am suffering from now was during the drawdown in Europe. As a
diesel mechanic (63S) we were tasked with replacing all the brakes on all the vehicles in the europian fleet because we were pulling our nukes out. They put us in tents and we did nothing but brake shoes on trucks around the clock. we had no ventilation, masks or knowledge of the dangers of being covered black with brake dust day in and day out for months. I now have COPD and pulmonary hypertension at 51.

Response by SGT Juan Robledo made May 12 at 2019 10:16 PM

SGT Juan Robledo — Sun, 12 May 2019 22:16:46 -0400

I served 2 tours in Korea 1980-1981, and again in 1983-1984, I've read that the use of agent orange and other similar chemicals we're used in Korea as well, up to recently there is one case where a Veteran won his case not sure why the VA still denies the use of agent orange and other deadly chemicals we're used to de foilage the areas that concealed visibility, the water source, streams, rivers we're just a few places that had to be exposed, land and more acreage were contaminated with these type of chemicals, I have symptoms that relate to this exposure, but the VA doesn't seem to recongize the possibility of being exposed and harming my body and health, I realize that the chemicals we're used in the 50's maybe in later years but the residue lasts for a 100 years so what gives, I drank the water, slept on the ground, had food prepared by mamason, our dinner Ware was washed by water brought in by military water trailers, used the water in the showers, I guess until more Veterans die of the aftereffects maybe then the VA will step up and admit to it's use

Response by SPC Brian Mason made May 13 at 2019 12:14 PM

SPC Brian Mason — Mon, 13 May 2019 12:14:55 -0400

I and many in the 10th MTN unit were exposed to the burning trash pits. I'm sure it's contributed to my migraines in some way. For the majority of America, we aren't exposed to all that. Just one exposure may not be enough. Our bodies are made to expel and avoid this stuff to a certain degree.
Ex: Smoke inhalation from a large for instance. You might suffer some breathing issues but at the hospital, they'll put you on a temp regiment of higher quality O2. Essentially, your body will heal from the damage and the excess CO2 and other stuff will be gone.
For chemicals, it's quite different and I cannot accurately give information. If anything, record date/time/length of exposure so you can tell medical personnel asap.

Response by CPT Tommy Curtis made May 13 at 2019 9:34 PM

CPT Tommy Curtis — Mon, 13 May 2019 21:34:08 -0400

What was all,around us,at Fort McClellan,has been linked to several of my current medical conditions but VA seems to ignore it. They have issued statements saying they were looking into it but they have not followed through or published findings. May God bless you my brother.

Response by SSG Omar Ruiz-Canales made Jul 5 at 2019 6:10 AM

SSG Omar Ruiz-Canales — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 06:10:45 -0400

You speak of your exposure to DDT but there is no mention of what kind of ailments you have been experiencing?

Response by SGT Steven Torstenson made Jul 7 at 2019 10:44 PM

SGT Steven Torstenson — Sun, 07 Jul 2019 22:44:35 -0400

I'm surprised nobody mentions the Anthrax vaccine, they just call it Gulf War Syndrome. I'd like to know it's not in my head like they want me to believe because what I feel everyday is real. I'd like to hear the truth and from others who took the vaccine in like 2002/2003. I believe we were given vaccines left over for years from early-mid 90's and many after did not receive the same lots.

Response by CPO Kathryn Robbins made Jul 8 at 2019 6:46 AM

CPO Kathryn Robbins — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 06:46:23 -0400

It took how many years for the VA to link Agent Orange to various cancers? I'm the widow of a man who was in country for 2 tours and died of a cancer that is now linked to Agent Orange but when he passed nothing, nada, zip. They mention Middle Eastern burn pits but are still dragging their feet on any of those links. They mention AFFF but are refusing to acknowledge the links to disease processes. Air stations created groundwater contamination and the government quietly paid the civilians that were affected but only listed it on the VA website under pressure. Regretfully the Panama exposure will become another issue that will take 50 years to acknowledge.

Response by A1C Ray Ortiz made Aug 25 at 2019 10:28 PM

A1C Ray Ortiz — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 22:28:27 -0400

Spent 6 years in Panama as a military brat. DDT fogging was something we looked forward to as "play time". Good post Brother

Response by SPC Bryan Gustafson made Nov 15 at 2019 1:24 PM

SPC Bryan Gustafson — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 13:24:35 -0500

This is a very good question. I remember the trucks driving around Ft Davis spraying the pesticides (on one occasion, my wife twisted her ankle trying to flee the area to escape the smell).