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Benefits of VA & VHA

Chuck Unterberger

Benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration:

Although eligibility may vary slightly from one VISN (Veterans Integrated System Network) to the next, and generally speaking, veterans exposed to Agent Orange receive special consideration when enrolling for VA medical care.

To enroll, a completed VA form 10-10EZ is required. It is important to indicate on this form that you were exposed to Agent Orange, and being we all served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, we are all considered exposed. This form can be picked up at your local Veterans Service Office, VA Medical Center/Out Patient Clinic, on-line at http://www.va.gov/10-10ez.htm, or by calling 1-877-222-8387. To prevent confusion fill out the form in it’s entirety including the income and net worth area. The VA will then place you in one of their priority groups and at this stage of the process is when you decide if you want care from VA or if you want to decline care.

If you have never registered for/taken a VA sponsored Agent Orange exam, you need to have this accomplished. This also takes a 10-10EZ but indicate boldly that the request is for AGENT ORANGE EXAM on the front page of the application.

Benefits available from the Veterans Benefits Administration:

As I indicated at the 08 reunion, we all need to be involved with our CVSO’S (County Veterans Service Officers), if your State does not have CVSO’s, each Regional Office, which are generally located in Federal Buildings, have Service Officers associated with all the Veterans Organizations, VFW’s, American Legions, Disabled American Veterans, etc. have Claimant’s Representatives, generally referred to as POA’s (Power of Attorney) available to assist with claims. These are very important contacts and should be used in all contact with VA as their expertise and knowledge is invaluable.

I want to start of with telling everybody, we should all submit claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, (ringing/noise in the ears), it only stands to reason that as infantry, we can be expected to have these two conditions. If a claim is denied due to a discharge hearing exam, have your Claimants Representative appeal using the Hensley Case as reference. They will know is this applicable in your case.

All of us, having earned the Combat Infantry Badge, have the necessary recognized stressor required for a claim for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). All that remains is for a diagnosis. If you are followed by VA medically, ask your Primary Provider to refer you for a PTSD Evaluation and submit the results of that exam with your claim. If not, submit a claim for PTSD, and VA will schedule you for a C & P exam for your claim.

Agent Orange! VA has eleven conditions that are presumed by VA to be service-connected and they are, Chloracne or other acneform disease similar to chloracne, porphyria cutanea tarda, Soft tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma or mesothelioma), Hodgkin’s disease, Multiple myeloma, Respritory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, trachea), non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Prostate cancer, Acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus (type II), and Chronic lymphocytic leukemia. You don’t have to know a lot about these conditions, just know that they exist and if mentioned during your health care, make certain that a claim is submitted.

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