Gems of Information in a Military Dscharge.

Not a week goes by where someone doesn’t stop in my office asking where they can get military information about their father, uncle, aunt, grandfather, etc. You get the idea. The obvious thing to do, if they are alive, is to ask them. Many older veterans have never talked about their experiences and younger ones are trying to forget. This is very common if they were in combat situations.

If the veteran’s not available, talk with his widow, children or other relatives. The family might even have a box of newspaper clippings, photographs, letters home, discharge papers or medals tucked away in a closet or basement somewhere. Photos can reveal what unit a person was assigned to, what their job was and even where the photo was taken. If there are notes on the back of the photos, all the better.

The crown in this collection would be a discharge. Early discharges had a variety of numbers and letters associated with them. These numbers are on the lower left hand corner. The DD Form 214 has been issued by all military services since January 1, 1950. Before 1950, a variety of designations were used by the military services. If the designation is NG, then the veteran was in the National Guard.

What can a keen observer learn from a discharge? Many things you knew and surprising things you had no idea about. 

Obvious items on most discharges are name, birthdate, place of birth, and social security number. Many are surprised where a veteran was born. “Grandma said grandpa was from Kentucky. I didn’t know he was born in Missouri.” In rural community years ago, many babies were born at home. But a week or two might pass before the birth was recorded with the county. That is why there might be a disparity between actual and recorded birth dates.

The type of discharge a veteran was granted says a lot about their military service. Honorable is the word you want to see. It is often listed in a box titled Character of Service. Some other types of discharges are General, Under Honorable Conditions, Medical and Dishonorable. Some of these can be upgraded but it rarely happens. Depending on the branch, time period and issuing authority, the type of discharge could be anywhere on the form.

The date and place the veteran enlisted or was drafted and when and where they were discharged from the military are listed. What rank they were when discharge and when they obtained that rank. E-3, ADEJ-3, SP-4 are examples of rank. If you don’t understand rank, you can Google and there are sights that will explain ranks for all the services. Being an old Air Force vet, the US Navy ranks are the most mysterious to me. 

If they were assigned oversea, it should tell where they went, how long they were there and when they came back.  WW II discharges often have detailed information as to battles a vet was involved in: North Africa, uam, Philippines, Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, Sicily, etc.

The discharge also lists the schools and training they had. I went to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. for Electronic Intercept Training, as an example. I knew vacuum tubes inside and out, learned to read schematics and could wire a circuit board before the end of class.

A small important section of a discharge is the awards and decorations. Many times I have had people debate what medals their relatives were awarded. “I’m sure he received a purple heart. Or maybe it was a silver star. I know it was pretty fancy” In reality the vet was awarded a good conduct medal and a marksmanship medal. Never saw combat.

Some discharges will describe physical characteristics: height, weight, color of eyes and skin. You might be surprised grandpa Miller was only 5 foot 4 inches tall with blue eyes.

If you didn’t find a discharge in that musty pile of papers, there are a few place you can look. The Recorders office in your county is a good placed to start. The Department of Defense sent copies of WW I and WW II discharges to the county of residence. Many vets dropped off their discharges to be copied and recorded in those same offices. The Indiana Archives in Indianapolis has thousands of records. Phone 1 317 591-5222 and ask for military records. You can submit a request online at www.archives.com and follow the prompts. It usually take three to four weeks to get copies. Happy hunting.

FYI:

Veterans Now Able to Enroll for VA Healthcare by Telephone:  Effective immediately, VA has amended its enrollment regulations to allow veterans to complete enrollment applications for enrollment in VA health care by telephone without the need for a paper signature. By adding this telephone application option to VA’s regulations with this amendment, VA will now offer three ways to enroll for VA health care services. This option provides veterans a convenient third enrollment option in addition to the paper VA Form 10-10 EZ and the online health care application. To apply, call 1-877-222-VETS (8387), Mon-Fri between 8 am and 8 pm, EST.

An eBenefits Accounts Is A Plus

Dealing with the VA or any federal government organization can have its moments. There are rules, regulations, updates, forms, certified documents, wet signatures, DD-214s, evidence and a myriad of other hoops you have to jump through. Oh, wet signatures you ask. They are original signatures. Not copies, reproductions or electronic signatures.

When becoming involved with the VA, an eBenefits account is a good way to keep track of a multitude of things. Any veteran can create an eBenefits account. If you file a claim for disabilities or pension, you can follow the progress of your claim. You can add evidence to your claim. You can add or subtract dependents to your claim.

When you claim is approved, you can track your monthly payments. Which are tax free by the way. Change your address, update your bank account information, print out an VA Award letter (a letter from the VA stating what percentage you have been awarded depending your disability). If you want to apply for a VA mortgage, you need a COE (certificate of eligibility) to go with your application. Print it from eBenefits.

Want to use your GI Bill to go to school? The steps and forms are available here. How about batteries for hearing aids or set up an appointment for eyeglasses.

How about health care? Besides my family doctor, I have been going to the VA for healthcare for about three years. I can check my appointments, ask for prescription refills, read notes from my VA doctor's visits and print out a complete list of my blood tests. I give my family doctor a copy of all this information.
Go to www.ebenefits.va.gov <http://www.ebenefits.va.gov>  to get started. The home page will give a nice rundown of all the information you can access. Click the Register button and you are asked a series of questions. 

Questions are:

Select registration method:
I have a Common Access Card (CAC) with accessible card reader. 
I have a Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) myPay account. 
None of the above conditions apply, however at least one of the following conditions is true:

I am a Veteran
I am a Dependent of a Veteran
I am a Survivor of a Veteran
I am registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)

Just follow the prompts and account you too can have your very own eBenefits account. It is well worth the time and effort.

For questions or information contact me at 765-529-4305 or jguglielmi@henryco.net. My office hours are 7 am till noon, Tuesdaythrough Friday room 114 in the old Henry County Courthouse.

Women and the Draft

Young ladies who celebrate their 18th birthday starting in 2018 might have another little chore to do after the party: register for the draft. Not the kind that blows through a room on a cold night but the military draft. The US Senate on June 14th passed a military policy bill that would, for the first time, require young women to register with the Selective Service for the draft. This provision was included as part of the massive 2017 National Defense Authorization Act that easily passed in the Senate with an 85-13 vote. Indiana's senators Donnelly and Coats both voted for the bill.

Why you ask? Well in December, Defense Secretary Ash Carter stated that the Pentagon would open all combat jobs to women. The military brass then suggested to Congress that women should also sign up for the draft. Women who fail to register would be subject to the same penalties that currently exist for men, including ineligibility for federal financial aid, including Pell grants.

Its a little early to think about what branch of the service you want to join or what color camouflage you might like because this bill still has to go to the House of Representatives. There the Senate and House bills will be reconciled in a conference committee where a heated debate is expected.

It is very unlikely that a draft will be instituted anytime soon. The last time the draft was used was over forty years ago in 1973 during the Vietnam War. Israel is currently the only country in the world with a mandatory service requirement for women. Mandatory conscription for single and married women without children began in 1948. Our present armed forces are all voluntary and women in uniform make up 19%  of the military.

A recent article in US News and World Report stated: "Yes, women are daughters, wives, sisters and mothers. But they are also soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and American citizens from every walk of life. Ultimately, facts, not emotions, must rule the day when it comes to deciding what is best for national defense."

A US Navy LST 325 Finds A Home In Evansville, Indiana

   My wife and I spent Memorial Day in Evansville placing flowers on her parents and relatives graves and visiting with cousins. Pat also gave me a guided tour of the city she grew up in. She showed me where she use to drag race the boys in her dad's 56 Ford on Slaughter Ave, now a 4 lane highway, and the circuit of drive-in-restaurants she use to cruise on Friday nights to visit and meet friends. Saturday was date night.

Our tour guide explained how trucks and jeeps were tied down

on the upper deck during transport to their destination.

Though I enjoying reminiscing about days gone by, there was one exhibit on the Ohio River that I really wanted to see. A fully operational and seaworthy WW II LST. For landlubbers not familiar with Navy lingo, an LST (landing ship tank) is a ship that was built to transport troops, equipment and supplies to war zones.

The ships were built like floating shoe boxes. They were 328 foot long, 50 feet wide and had a flat bottom so they could beach themselves to unload troops, tanks, trucks, equipment and supplies.

LST 325 with Pittsburgh in the background. (jpdirottphotography)

Now why was an LST in Evansville, Indiana? Eville was one of 5 US shipyards employing hundreds of workers that turned out an LST every four months. Of the 1,051 built, 670 were built stateside. Evansville turned out 171, the most of any of the US shipyards. The remainder were built in Canada and England. My father-in-law, Leonard Preston, was one of those ship builders during WW II and proud of it. My mother-in-law made ammunition for troops.

The ship on display, LST 325, is docked less than a mile from where the original ship yards were located. The irony is that the 325 was built in Pennsylvania and last used by the Greek Navy. To understand the story behind the 325 go to www.lstmemorial.org.

Waiting to offload equipment and troops.

We arrived early for the noon tour and had a great view of downtown Evansville from the pier. Our first stop was the main deck where trucks and equipment were tied down like peas in a pod. Tanks were loaded through clam shell doors at the bow of the ship and parked in the lower deck. Troops would sleep in bunks, below deck or in their vehicles. LSTs were notorious for rocking side to side and up and down at sea. Flat bottoms do not make for a smooth ride.

Our group clambered down steep stairs and through narrow passageways trying not to smack our heads on the unforgiving metal door frames. The bowels of the LST was wide open and ready to receive tanks and other heavy equipment. A special ventilation system was designed to suck exhaust gases out of the lower deck when all the tanks were running and ready to offload.

Troops and equipment hit the beaches during the battle of the Phillipeans.

A small galley and mess area was on the upper deck along with the bridge (the bridge of a ship is the room or platform from which the ship can be commanded). The LST had to defend itself and was equipped with 1  twin 40 mm gun, six 20 mm guns, 3  Lewis guns, two 4 in (100 mm) smoke mortars.

LST 325 is fully operational and will often stop at river ports so that the public can explore this important WW II vessel. For more information about LSTs and their specs go to:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Ship,_Tank.

  

TMI VA Claim Denied - McDonald Gives Second Chance

VA Secretary Provides Relief for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald has granted equitable relief to more than 24,000 Veterans following a national review of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) medical examinations conducted in connection with disability compensation claims processed between 2007 and 2015. This action by the Secretary allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer new TBI examinations to Veterans whose initial examination for TBI was not conducted by one of four designated medical specialists and provides them with the opportunity to have their claims reprocessed. Equitable relief is a unique legal remedy that allows the Secretary to correct an injustice to a claimant where VA is not otherwise authorized to do so within the scope of the law. “Traumatic Brain Injury is a signature injury in Veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and VA is proud to be an organization that sets the bar high for supporting these, and all, Veterans,” said Secretary McDonald. “Providing support for Veterans suffering from a TBI is a priority and a privilege, and we must make certain they receive a just and fair rating for their disabilities.” To ensure that TBI is properly evaluated for disability compensation purposes, VA developed a policy in 2007 requiring that one of four specialists – a psychiatrist, psychiatrist, neurosurgeon or neurologist – complete TBI exams when VA does not have a prior diagnosis. Since 2007, medicine around TBI has been a rapidly evolving science. VA designated particular specialists to conduct initial TBI exams because they have the most experience with the symptoms and effects of TBI. As more research became available, VA issued a number of guidance documents that may have created confusion regarding the policy. VA has confirmed that its TBI policy guidance is now clear and being followed. “We let these Veterans down,” Secretary McDonald said. “That is why we are taking every step necessary to grant equitable relief to those affected to ensure they receive the full benefits to which they are entitled.” VA understands the importance of an accurate exam to support Veterans’ disability claims. The Secretary’s decision to grant relief will enable VA to take action on any new examinations without requiring Veterans to submit new claims. If additional benefits are due, VA will award an effective date as early as the date of the initial TBI claim. VA will contact Veterans identified as part of this national TBI review to offer them an opportunity to receive a new examination and have their claims reprocessed. More than 13,000 of these affected Veterans are already receiving service-connected compensation benefits for TBI at a 10-percent disability evaluation or higher, which means that the diagnosis has already been established.

Memorial Day - When Did It Start

When I was thinking about Memorial Day and what it means to the nation, I went to a source that is directly involved with veterans, The Department of Veterans Affairs. There is a wealth of information on their web pages including a library of historical information. The following story is gleaned for their collection from the VA's Office of Public Affairs.

THE ORIGINS of MEMORIAL DAY

Three years after the Civil War ended, the head of the organization of Union veterans - the Grand Army of the Republic - established Decoration Day on May 5, 1868. Set aside to place flowers on the graves of war dead. It was changed to May 30 by a Gen. Logan because he believed more flowers would be in bloom then.

The first observance was at Arlington Cemetery that year with Gen. Ulysses S. Grant presided over the ceremonies. Flowers were then strewn on both Union and Confederate graves.

Springtime tributes to Civil War dead had been held in various places after the conflict.  April of 1866 women visited a cemetery in Columbus, Mississippi to put flowers on Confederate graves. Union graves were neglected because they were the enemy. The women were upset by the site so they place flowers on their graves too.

A number of cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Boalsburg, Pa., Carbondale, Ill, Macon and Columbus, Ga. as well as Richmond, Va. In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. the "birthplace of Memorial Day.  This community wide event took place on May 5, 1866.

By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held across the nation. It wasn't until after World War I that the day was expanded to honor those who died in all the wars. Memorial was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress in 1971.

Many southern states have their own days for honoring the Confederate dead. Mississippi has Confederate Memorial Day, Texas calls theirs Confederate Heroes Day and Louisiana and Tennessee celebrates Confederate Decoration Day.

In December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law "The National Moment of Remembrance Act." The act encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who died in service to the nation.

If you are interested in military traditions and American history you can go to www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate_americas_freedoms.asp. This is the U.S. Department of Veterans  (VA) web site.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is approaching quickly and activity has been picking up in my office as American flags are picked up by service organizations and individuals. Henry County makes available the funds to purchase over 5,000 graveside flags. Every veteran grave in Henry County has a flag placed beside it before Memorial Day. This is just one way our veterans are honored.

Many schools invite veterans to attend Veterans Day programs. Restaurants give veterans discounts or free meals. Stores give discounts on purchases with proper ID.  A military Honor Guard is present at most veterans funerals.  These are just  a few ways that our veterans are remembered.

But what makes a veteran?  He is the teenager that crossed the ocean in the bowels of a transport ship to fight the Germans during WW II.  The young lady that cared for wounded soldiers at the battle front as they were brought into field hospitals. The young B-25 belly gunner who had his canopy shot from under him by German fighters planes and ended up hanging under the plane in his harness. The bomber continued to the target and returned to its airfield in England safely. The young lieutenant who led his platoon through the jungles and swamps of Vietnam looking for Viet Cong.

The young woman Marine who traveled across Iraq from village to village promoting good will and handing out soccer balls to children. The Air Force crew chief  who flew aboard bombers that dropped atomic bombs during Operation Teapot in the 50's. The teenage sailor who was aboard a warship that was sunk during a WW II sea battle in the Pacific.  Was rescued, assigned to another ship that was torpedoed. Survived still again, and yes, his last ship was sunk. All these veterans are Henry County residents and have done things a non veteran can't imagine. 

Not all of us were involved in combat but were an important element that supported the troops in harms way: supply, medical, training, intelligence, finance, chaplains, flight crews, electronics, mechanics, judicial, munitions, technicians, etc. The list goes on and on.

The young mother of two in the checkout line, or the elderly gentleman sharing coffee and conversation with friends at a local restaurant just might be veterans. Think about that this Memorial Day and everyday.
_____________________________________________________________________

A documentary about PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is coming to Indianapolis  on Tuesday May 24 at 7 p.m. for one night only. "Soledad O' Brian Presents: The War Comes Home - The New Battlefront." This film follows two veterans on the edge of suicide as they attend a life-changing boot camp. Healing, meditation and team-building exercises are part of the treatment over the course of five days, with the cameras recording their recovery.

The documentary will be shown at AMC Indianapolis 17 at 4325 South Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN. Call (317) 784-0989 for ticket information.

Navy in Vietnam / Brown & Blue

A US Navy veteran came to my office over a year ago to file a VA claim. As we sorted through the paperwork, he told me he joined the Navy to beat the draft. From 1940 until 1973, men were required to register for the draft. Uncle Sam would send you a letter stating where and when to report for military service. Now the military is all volunteer.

"I decided to join the Navy and see the world." He didn't want to be drafted into the US Army and end up fighting his way through the jungles of Vietnam. "After basic training, I expected to be assigned to a ship and see the world. Instead I ended up piloting a Swift Boat up and down the waterways of Vietnam." 

A Navy Swift Boat on patrol.

Patrol Craft Fast (PCF), also known as Swift Boats, were all-aluminum, 50-foot long, shallow-draft vessels.  "Every day we could hear the bullets pinging off the side of the boat."  These ships became part of the Brown-Water Navy.

Destroyers and the many other Navy ships that supported our troops in Vietnam, are classified as the Blue-Water Navy. Now why is this important to Navy vets filing claims with the VA? 

Sailors who manned small gunboats and patrol boats used in rivers, along with some of the larger ships that supported them as "mother ships," are assumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. Thus Brown-Water.

Larger vessels operating off the coast of Vietnam in the deep waters of open oceans are considered Blue-Water and their sailors not exposed to Agent Orange.  But what if the sailors went ashore on a three day pass or to deliver supplies?  

There are still many questions as to who was exposed and who wasn't exposed. A veteran needs documentation (evidence) when filing a claim for a disability relating to Agent Orange exposure. To explore a list of diseases related to Agent Orange check out the VA web pagewww.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/.

Another site that has a large amount of information about Blue-Water ships is www.bluewaternavy.org. 

My office is located on the first floor of the Henry County Courthouse. My  hours are 7 am till noon, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Email jguglielmi@henryco.net or 765-529-4305.

Service Connected Disabilities, File Now

The VA is similar to a tree with many branches. They offer health care at clinics and hospitals, educational benefits, a variety of pensions, VA home loans and disability benefits, among other things.

The majority of veterans who come in asking about disability benefits served in Vietnam.  Most want to file an Agent Orange claim. The VA defines the defoliant as " a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 during Operation Ranch Hand in the Vietnam War to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover."

The name “Agent Orange” comes from the orange stripe painted on the 55-gallon drums the pesticide was stored in. Vets were sprayed with it while on combat operations,  around perimeter of bases. Overspray drifted onto ships that were supporting troop operations in the Mekong Delta and inland waterways. It was everywhere.

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Thousands of vets eventually came down with medical conditions as a result of contact with AO.  Now they are in need of help and medical care. Type II diabetes, ischemic heart disease, pancreatic cancer, neuropathy are some of the medical conditions that are related to Agent Orange.

Then there are injuries and wounds that are a result of combat operations or accidents that occur will serving.  If a vet was awarded a Purple Heart, they are entitled to full medical benefits from the day of discharge.

If you feel you have a medical condition or service connected injury that occurred while in the military, stop by my office in the Henry County Courthouse and we can talk about it. Please bring a discharge (DD-214) and any relevant evidence.

My office hours are 7 am till noon, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. E mail jguglielmi@henryco.net or 765-529-4305.

Decades Later, Agent Orange Catches Up with Vietnam Veterans

Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, KY | Feb 28, 2016 | by Don Wilkins

Snow fell outside the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 696 as its members held their monthly meeting Feb. 9.

Although attendance was down, most of those present were Vietnam veterans receiving some percentage of disability benefits from their exposure to Agent Orange -- a herbicide sprayed by the United States military during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971.

Among them were Billy Milan, Lou Drawdy and Terry Stinson.

They were like thousands of other Vietnam vets who returned home unaware that they had been exposed to the same toxic dioxin that was meant to combat their enemies -- the Viet Cong guerrillas and the North Vietnamese Army, known as "Charlie" to US forces.

Now, decades later, Agent Orange is catching up with Vietnam veterans, leading to debilitating and deadly health problems that range from heart disease to various forms of cancer.

The three men said they were proud veterans but, like many of their comrades, struggle with their Vietnam experience because they live every day with a multitude of illnesses stemming from Agent Orange exposure.

"It was bad enough that you were over there, and Charlie didn't like you," said Drawdy, 73, who served as a Marine and whose diabetes has been attributed to Agent Orange. "... Then you find that all of the hazards that you were exposed to, that maybe, the US government didn't like you."

Stinson, 64, served in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971 as an Air Force aircraft mechanic, working and flying on planes that sprayed Agent Orange.

"I started showing signs when I was 26 years old," said Stinson, who is a severe diabetic due to his exposure. "...Now, here I am 64 years old and I'm taking seven insulin shots a day. ... I can't feel my feet anymore."

Milan, 73, served several tours in Vietnam as part of the Army's Special Forces, 173rd and 101st Infantry Divisions. His first tour was in 1962 and his last in 1971.

"I thought I was a resident of Vietnam," said Milan, who receives 100 percent service-connected disability benefits for high blood pressure, an irregular heart beat and post traumatic stress disorder. "... I knew something was wrong because when the planes flew over to spray for mosquitoes and (the foliage) there was a different smell to it. ...So I had a taste of the Agent Orange."

Lasting Agent Orange Effects

It wasn't until 1991 that Congress passed the Agent Orange Act that gave the Department of Veterans Affairs the power to declare certain health conditions as "presumptive" to dioxin exposure.

The VA, however, doesn't have an accurate count of how many Vietnam veterans suffer from Agent Orange exposure.

"I can't get the Agent Orange statistics because it's not a general diagnosis," said Beth Lamb, Marion, Illinois VA public affairs spokeswoman.

In Daviess County, there is no shortage of Vietnam veterans who are either suffering or dying from exposure to the herbicide.

John Yates used to be involved with local veterans organizations such as the VFW, but his health has declined to the point that he rarely leaves his Cedar Hills home.

He now draws 100 percent disability benefits from his service-connected congestive heart failure and diabetes.

He served in Vietnam as a Navy hospital corpsman with the Third Marine Division from 1968 to 1969.

"I was out in the bush all the time," Yates, 71, recalled. "...I slept on the ground and drank from the streams. The Agent Orange was all over."

He now functions by taking a daily regimen of medications used to control his plethora of health problems he says were caused by his exposure.

"The medications help, but you still hurt and you still suffer," said Yates, whose calendar is filled with doctors' appointments.

To help flag any changes in her husband's condition, Cecelia Yates tracks his medical information by recording it in a notebook daily.

The Yateses blame the Agent Orange effects for John Yates' early retirement from his job as an educator in 2007.

"He's frustrated and angry because he feels like he was robbed," Cecilia Yates said. "He loved teaching, and that just broke his heart when he had to quit."

Agent Orange -- named for the color of the metal drums in which the chemical was stored -- was the main herbicide the US Air Force used to reduce the jungle canopies as part of "Operation Ranch Hand."

An estimated 19 million gallons were sprayed over 20 percent of Vietnam in an attempt to uncover roads and trails used by the Viet Cong.

Sharon Westerfield watched her late husband, Larry Westerfield, struggle with the effects of Agent Orange for the last seven years of his life. Larry Westerfield died in 2012 at age 63 of congestive heart failure.

He served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 as a member of the Army's 14th Engineer Battalion.

"After they sprayed the Agent Orange, he went in with a dozer and knocked down the foliage," Sharon Westerfield said. "So it was all over him."

According to Sharon Westerfield, it wasn't until 2005 that her husband discovered that there was something wrong.

"He had stubbed his big toe," she said. "...And one morning about 3 o'clock, he said, 'I think you're going to have to take me to the hospital.' So when I looked at his toe, it was black. ...They were able to save his leg but they took his big toe and part of his foot. He had trouble with that forever. He was at the wound center all the way up to the day he died."

Sharon Westerfield said her husband was then diagnosed with diabetes and learned through an Internet search that Agent Orange exposure was a related cause.

"It was like a domino effect," said Westerfield after her husband's diabetes diagnosis.

Larry Westerfield underwent open heart surgery for five bypasses in 2006, followed by bladder failure in 2009 and skin cancer in 2010.

Before dying two years later, Sharon Westerfield said her husband's congestive heart failure would cause fluid to build up throughout his body.

"His was so bad that his legs would swell up, and water would seep out," she said. "He couldn't sleep in a bed from 2005 until he passed. He slept in a recliner because he was unable to lie down."

Disabled American Veterans Aiding Vietnam Vets

It's through local Disabled American Veterans organizations that Vietnam veterans are finding help with medical and financial coverage for their illnesses associated with Agent Orange. The DAV aids veterans in filling out their disability claims to the VA.

Ross Jewell, a volunteer service officer for the Owensboro DAV, said there are many Vietnam veterans out there suffering but are only now coming forward.

"... I just helped a (Vietnam) veteran who's had heart problems since he was 28," Jewell said. "And he just passed away in January a week after receiving his (financial) award from the VA. The one thing he wanted was to make sure that his wife was taken care of."

Jewell said there are still Vietnam veterans who are unaware of what the DAV can do for them and others who have been disheartened from previous denials from the VA.

"The people who come in here tell me the stories they're not willing to tell their doctors or their families," Jewell said.

Jewell recommended that any veteran who has an illness or injury that could be service-related should visit their local DAV.

The Owensboro DAV can be contacted at 270-684-6790 and is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon at 1809 Grimes Ave. -- the former Chautauqua Park caretaker's home.

"The majority of the people who come through here today are Vietnam-era veterans," said Jewell about those who are filing VA disability claims. "...It's a painless process with a lot of painful memories."

Diseases recognized by the VA as Agent Orange related:

• --AL amyloidosis: A rare disease caused when an abnormal protein, amyloid, enters tissues or organs.
• --Chronic B-cell leukemias: A type of cancer that affects white blood cells.
• --Chloracne (or similar acneiform disease): A skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under the VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.
• --Diabetes mellitus type 2: A disease characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body's inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin.
• --Hodgkin's disease: A malignant lymphoma (cancer) characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver and spleen and by progressive anemia.
• --Ischemic heart disease: A disease characterized by a reduced supply of blood to the heart, that leads to chest pain.
• --Multiple myeloma: A cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in bone marrow.
• --Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: A group of cancers that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue.
• --Parkinson's disease: A progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects muscle movement.
• --Peripheral neuropathy, early-onset: A nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling and motor weakness. Under the VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of herbicide exposure.
• --Porphyria cutanea tarda: A disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas. Under the VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.
• --Prostate cancer: Cancer of the prostate; one of the most common cancers among men.
• --Respiratory cancers (includes lung cancer): Cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea and bronchus.
• --Soft tissue sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma): A group of different types of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels and connective tissues.

Source: The US Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans ID Cards - You Will Have To Wait

New veterans ID cards won't be available until 2017

By Leo Shane III, Military Times– January 26, 2016

   Congress passed legislation for a new veterans ID card last summer, but it will likely be another year before any are issued.

   The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun drafting regulations for production and issuing of the ID cards, designed to give veterans easy proof of their military service for non-federal activities.

   Legislation authorizing the cards, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., passed through Congress without objection last July. He argued that veterans needed the option for a veterans ID to help individuals who have to carry around copies of their discharge paperwork to get discounts or services at a host of private businesses.

   Veterans requesting the IDs would have to pay a small, yet-to-be-determined fee, to cover production costs.

This is just a sample of what the ID Cards might look like.

   But Veterans Affairs officials said it will likely still be months before anyone gets the new cards. The rule-making process is expected to take at least another year, with production and issuing times still to be decided.

  “This is a lengthy process that requires time for a public comment period as well as approval from the Office of Management and Budget,” officials said in a statement this week. “VA currently estimates the program will be implemented in 2017.”

   That’s a disappointment for veterans who had hoped to ditch their DD-214s for the next trip to the hardware store or for local restaurant deals. Advocates have complained that practice is both inconvenient and unsafe, given the personal information included on official military documents.

   No veterans will be required to get the IDs, and the cards will not replace medical IDs or official defense retiree cards.

   Supporters called it a simple way to honor veterans’ service.

Discharges: No One Should Be Without Theirs

Where is your Discharge?

   On a sunny wind blown morning in 1966, I stopped by the administration building at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico to process out of the Air Force. A clerk pulled my records and starting typing. Within half an hour, I was loading my belongings into my English Ford and driving off the base for the last time. In my possession was my honorable discharge. Proof that I had served four years in the US Air Force. 

   A discharge is the most important piece of paper a veteran should have in his or her possession. You can't file a disability claim, get health care, apply for a VA mortgage or sign up for the GI Bill without it. That DD-214 or discharge is the key that will unlock the door to many benefits. If you already have your discharge, have certified copies made and store them away safely. You can go to you county recorders office and have them copy the discharge. If you need more copies, go back and the recorders office can issue certified copies.

   If you misplaced or had your discharge destroyed, have no fear. You can go online at www.archives.gov and apply for another one. This is the National Archives in St. Louis. When you fill out the request, you will end up printing out a form that must be signed and sent to St. Louis. All fax and mailing information is on the form.

Sample of a DD-214

   Indiana National Guard members can contact National Guard HQ in Indianapolis where discharges are stored. 

   You can also have a Veteran Service Officer help you fill out and send the request. VSOs are county employees and do not work for the VA. Every county in the Indiana has such an office. Check with the courthouse in your area.

   That discharge is the key that will unlock the process of applying for VA benefits. 
  A discharge can also be a tool to discover a father, grandparent, or great-grandparent's past history. When a relative was in the service, where they served, what battles they were in, the ship or ships they served on and what awards and decorations they earned. 

   Ask relatives if they have a copy of their discharge. If they don't, offer to obtain a copy for them. 

   Our offices work with regional VA offices to help veterans file claims of all types and help vets sign up for the VA Healthcare System.

   Please call me at 765.529.4305 or email you questions to jguglielmi@henryco.net.