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:The Register 'September"30, 1982
<br /> i
<br /> `Forget
<br /> Narn-7 Never': veterans vote for N o0r _
<br /> By Tom Juergen _ '_ Cape Cod veterans have additional problems besides deal- '.. .Another veteran, Ray Miles of Dennis Port;later,referred_ f
<br /> Cape :Cod Vietnamera;veteranswereoffered.a `.`First":' ing_witlytheVA.Theyhavetogrve�upawholeworkday,they to'Edwardsandsaid "another guy-said he.wasn't going to
<br /> September 29 as Cape Cod Hospital, the Vet Center an. `said,to get to a VA hospital,whether they go to Providence, :have his kids drafted,but I'll tell your something.They're go-
<br /> so Al
<br /> combined
<br /> ts-no single place'on'ihe - fling to be hassled if nQ[hing is,done now:about"national
<br /> combined to Tun tests on veterans who•believe they suffer -Cape for them to meet. " politics and the draft.
<br /> - from-wartime.exposures to the defoliant Agent Orange. "I've been a Cape Codder all my life. Why should i go John Langley from Yarmouth Port, a'.veteran with "a
<br /> And,during a publichearing of over100 Sept.23 in Barn- somewhere else for help as_a vet?" one local man said.- severe,skin condition,"also said the VA"doctors"just threw
<br /> stable Town Hall conducted by the state Special Commission i -On the-door leading to the Barnstable hearing room was a salve at you,"and that his hypertension makes him ineligible
<br /> on the Concerns of the Vietnam Veterans (SCCVV) there rposter.:that bore the motto, ""Forget Nam Never:' The for private health insurance.:>rangley"has an 11-year•oW son
<br /> was a unanimous vote taken to request that the 'federal poster was orange;a color rheant to remind people of Opera- and, he said, "I'll tell you,hevon t_go"if-.called up by the
<br /> 'tion Ranch Hand,the oyermrneni's`itame for the.spraying -selective service. -
<br /> -=
<br /> government establish a Vietnam veterans'outreach center on JS -- - - -
<br /> - die Cape, of-ton after-ton-of-What Bangert referred,to as the `enor- "What's got to happen to this country if there is a valid
<br /> ng
<br /> But to '-those veterans -at"the hearing; `[hose two ,}-mous tonic cocktail"that gave servicemen's bodies a"toric! s reason for drafting.people?Who's going to go?There'll be a
<br /> developments, however weleome, 'are too little took late to i insult.":Their ingestion-of'tI4 poisonous-base of Agent war,but no one.will be there. It's time for some people(the
<br /> even begin paying the debt they feel their country owes:them 'Orange,the deadlychemical dioxin ,ispointed to-by veterans `.government) to wake up. If there's a question of doubt"
<br /> for having fought--:in Vietnam.. Almost 'to a man, said its the cause of their chloracne(a skin cmdition) their recur- .-about whether veterans' medical problems are service
<br /> veterans Sept. 23, they are sorry they served their country .,"ring headaches,sand their children s btrth'Gefects. "',. related, "why not give us the benefit of the doubt like they,
<br /> because it has served them so poorly in retum,and that their - - -The major chemical companies are being sued by veterans did in every other war?," Langley said. -
<br /> children will not makethe same mistake they did in signing =as a class forproducingthe,defoj[ant,The government can - Langley and all the vets want'tR sa the GI`bilLextended.
<br /> up. - ` -' --:. - .`• "- 'not be sued for using it (or'f it-anytfung`else) and the VA The GI bill provides veterans with educational, home loan,
<br /> For most people, the Vietnam conflict has-been over and s ,ref tsesto recognize the toxicity of it-because thatrecognition and jobtraining benefits.Education benefits expire ten years
<br /> -done with for'the'better part of.a decade.,And .ualike their- - -_rwould mean an enormously-expe'nsrve;veterans''health care .after a :veteran's.separt.tion from active duty. The.flight
<br /> comrades who never,returned,or never returned alive,."we - o"program. And a'successful shit agairist-chem[cai makers; oIraining and correspondence course benefit provisions of the
<br /> survived,"noted Joe Bangert,a.Harwich Port veteran who's : :;would have "vast implications' tor•ihe chemical-industry -bill have been eliminated There Who time limit on the home
<br /> affiliated withVietnamVets for Self Reliance of Cape Cod, l--because products that contain dioxin are and6ave bees made aloan program, tial banks don't handle those loans-because
<br /> one of the numerous splinter groups dealing with veterans' - :available to the American public sattl!�Pau1 Camacho, the "they don't like to have the government call the shots,"Sid
<br /> . problems. __.-__ -___ _ __. - 'i SCCV V executive director.. [ Chase said.Chase is local veteransagent,Cape liaison for the
<br /> But.veterans,who survived the war found themselves in a (TheAustralian government,which sent a.'relatively small -state and- town-inn department of veterans' _services.
<br /> different:•kind<of,box than ihose.used to bring dead ser- �number of soldiers to Vietnam;has.since recognized Agent Bangert;he said, "hit the nail on,tlu head"when•he pointed
<br /> vicemen-back home,a�box.that's been.used by the res[of the ",Orange as a service-related"disability, Camacho=confirmed out the problematic difference between urban and;rural !.
<br /> .country,.they sayto single them out as the ones-whoareto :during the hearing:) j ' _votes: "down here we don't have•any services.". -` +
<br /> '_Veteran Bruce Edwards of Hyannis said his daughter ex- David Keefe of Yarmouth said,he'd break his children's
<br /> bear what should be t.in t entire nation's gull[ for the United .,
<br /> States' involvement in the conflict. ", - - - `bibits the same-skin disorder as he•Butwhert-he tries tojet ,legs befoable veteran
<br /> eran e d join former
<br /> service.
<br /> 'Being regarded as-the-soldiers who lost Vietnam by_their the VA to 0okgt h6n„NA official,S..knowmg.,thesymptoms fIege professor
<br /> JBrans Barry
<br /> CapeCod
<br /> that
<br /> CommunityCol-
<br /> - neighbors, who'd rather fgiget"all about[fie unpopul8r and .".come and go,will not give"him.an immediate-appointment.
<br /> Yege professor lames--Barry suggested that.instead of:the'
<br /> ;<aeighbo s, war, ';th only ;.one: problem.. =Employment jFor in he explained;-he got the symptoms this June, %.'commission helping establish new vets' programs at A
<br /> "discrimination is another ore.-So !s their press image as ; ' 4called the.VA,and.was.Riven a;September appoin-tment.:He "take the VA to task." ,. .q ".
<br /> rderattged.baby kiBers:_=But perhaps.themost irritating is the :went-to Boston,.was examined, and given salve,and left .:+The VA°has said it 't take another six years tog the y
<br /> VA's foot-dragging treatment of veterans who:claim m a-rage a. > results from goveff m ,tests on the effects of crit
<br /> aggng m its tree _ —.* "I've tried to work through the system,to no end.No one • Orange, a.condition vet an Robert Sava a finds un cep-
<br /> `theyare due much more comPansahon than they`have,receiv g
<br /> is related to their z seems to hear. I'm telling you all right now you Wriever get [able.Savage,like name ius veterans could be one ofhose
<br /> ed t or physichl admen a Posure to t
<br /> - - x not the;way laddy's;getting treated .Mira::,-r ers'.wfi o,Jas their o sayingsoes)died in V' - and
<br /> rage
<br /> �. .. t't know iLbecause theirertposure�to,Ag
<br /> :� T
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