Parkinson's disease and Vietnam Service Legislation

[Alan Oates <oldvet@xxxxxxx>]

H.R. 1428, âTo amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain 
veterans with Parkinson's diseaseâ is sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner (CA), 
Chairman of the House Committee on Veteransâ Affairs. This bill directs the 
Secretary of Veteransâ Affairs to provide presumption of service connection for 
Parkinsonâs disease for certain Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam.

Parkinsonâs disease is a progressive and degenerative disease with no cure. 
These Veterans with Parkinsonâs disease face a less than bright future. Current 
regulations do not recognize Parkinsonâs disease as one of the diseases 
presumptive to the exposure of herbicides (Agent Orange and other herbicides) 
during military service. This legislation would allow those veterans to obtain 
the medical care and disability compensation that they have earned, deserve
and so desperately need.

At a time when these Veteransâ and their families are struggling to deal with 
devastating impact of Parkinsonâs disease, it is hard to find the strength to 
fight through the current VA claims process. These Veterans need help now.

Currently the VA almost exclusively denies claims for Parkinsonâs disease 
related to these chemical exposures. Scientific studies provide ample evidence 
establishing that Parkinsonâs disease is associated with military service in 
Vietnam and to these chemicals. The Mayo Clinic found that herbicides 
significantly increased the risk of Parkinsonâs disease. The Agent Orange
herbicide 2,4-D was at the top of the list of herbicides in the study. In another 
study the Dr. L. Nelson from Stanford University found that Veterans who 
deployed to Vietnam have a 2.6 times higher incident of Parkinsonâs disease 
than Veterans of the same era who did not deploy. 

In December of 2008, the VA Regional Office in Detroit Michigan approved a 
claim for Parkinsonâs disease due to exposure to exposure to Agent Orange. 
This approval was the only one we are aware of that has been approved by 
the VA at this level. The approval cited the Mayo Clinic study and other 
extensive research documentation as a reason for approval. There are also
two known cases where the Board of Veteransâ Appeal ruled in favor of the 
favor of the Veteran in regard to Parkinsonâs disease. 

The VA acknowledged in a January 2009 internet posting recruiting for a 
clinical trial on Parkinsonâs disease that there is a higher incident of Parkinsonâs
disease in Veteran than in non-Veterans.

The Vietnam Veterans in our grass roots group have already suffered with 
Parkinsonâs disease for an average of almost 7 years now and some for over 25 
years. Others in the group passed away under the age of 60. These Veterans 
need help now not after they die. 

Please co-sponsor this bill. 

To become a co-sponsor please contact Jeff Burdette at 59154 or 
jeff.burdette@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

U.S. Military Veterans with Parkinsonâs ( USMVP) March. 2009


Here is a draft co-sponsor letter we are using to give to representatives.  Also 
Chairman Filner of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the House of 
Representative has published a Dear Colleague letter asking other 
Congressional Members to join him in Co-sponsoring this legislation.




----------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn

Attachment: C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Co-Sponser Agent Orange PD.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document