Agent Orange Information

Agent Orange Information

on Behalf of the Silver Rose organization

"The battle we fight today is for the war we fought years ago. Yet the work for the recognition of our illness has taken a toll as great, if not greater, than our brothers and sisters recognized by their names on the wall. Yet we dare not fail, nor give up - for the stakes are beyond our imagination.  The chemicals we brought back to our family and loved ones will continue to do their work for generations to come. The system under which we served must recognize the need to treat, care for and continue research for all who are affected by not only the war itself, but for the known and unknown side effects of the chemical agents to which we were exposed.  Many of us sit in discomfort and pain, and many have bodies that have deteriorated to levels even we can’t imagine.  And, if it is not we ourselves who are infected, we know or knew of someone who is.  For them and for ourselves we must leave a legacy for those who will walk in our boots. Let our generation be the last generation to experience bureaucratic eyes that can’t see and voices that will not speak when it comes to caring for our Veterans and their families." -"Let no person's ghost say your lack of concern and involvement caused their downfall."  

Let it be known that it is our duty, each and every one of us, to carry the banner of justice for the neglected Veterans and their families.

Signed a agent orange victim.

 Paul Kasper

Let us disabuse you of your misinformation which you characterize as "Bull",
point-by-point;

1). Isn't it true that the unit that used agent orange to defoliate jungles
drank a cup of it during training? NO. In speaking with several dozen of the
men who served in Ranch Hand, none ever told of this and, in fact when asked
directly about drinking the herbicide, stated emphatically that they did not
do so nor where they required to do so. This story allegedly comes from a
professor who, to demonstrate the "safety" of the herbicide, did so in front
of a class to make a point. Not sure what the point was, but that's the
story.

2). That they also got it all over them. Again, from personal interviews
with Ranch Hand personnel, they did occasionally get the herbicide on their
uniforms and there were some accidents where spray handlers were drenched in
chemical; but, that was the rarity - not the norm.

3). That the Vietnam Veterans have a cancer rate the same as the national
average. Overall, the cancer rate is slightly above the national norm for
men and women in this age category. HOWEVER, the rates for cancers like
non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma and reproductive cancers are as
much as 8-10 time higher than the national norm.

4). That the Dioxin that was dropped was heavily diluted. NO, the herbicide
used in Vietnam was 200-300 times more potent than required. Dilution
occurred only when the herbicide was mixed (50-50) with Diesel fuel, which
created yet another deadly carcinogen. There were approximately 16 pounds of
a combination of 2,4,5,T and 2,4,D in each 55 gallon drum used in Vietnam.

5). Degraded in 2-3 days. Absolute BS! There are areas in Vietnam today (as
well as right here in the US) where areas upon which the herbicide was
applied that show readings 500 times what the US government and the World
Health Organization term as safe to human habitation.

6). Was not used as a tactical weapon and in fact could not be used as one.
FALSE - was designed as a tactical weapon and used as such over more than 2
million hectares of land in Vietnam.

7). The Jungle areas that were sprayed quickly grew back. FALSE - regrowth
did not take place for 2-3 decades and large swaths of land in Vietnam are
still barren.

8). And that the Communists claim that "Agent Orange" has done this and that
even though they won't allow outside people to look openly at their claims.
AGAIN -FALSE: The Hatfield Group, an internationally respected and renowned
research group from Vancouver, BC, Canada has been doing studies in Vietnam
for over 9 years and the governments of Vietnam and the US signed an MOU in
March 2002 to undertake JOINT studies throughout south Vietnam, in all the
major population areas where the herbicide was used during the war.

9). But the point is their claims are nonsense and junk science. This is
just like that Gulf War syndrome crap. The claims of Vietnam veterans and
those of Gulf War veterans are and have been documented by highly-respected
researchers and those studies are the basis for changes in the law that have
and will continue to make a difference in the quality of life for Vietnam
and Gulf War veterans, as well as their families.

VVA has been in the forefront of the fight to learn all we can about the use
of herbicides in Vietnam and elsewhere in the world since 1978.

Thank you for the opportunity to set the record straight. You are obviously
misinformed or have some other "axe to grind".
Paul L. Sutton, Chair
VVA National Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee