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Last Updated July 27 2008
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USS Arlington AGMR2 AGENT ORANGE Updates and News |
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To All,
Subject: Special Update on Agent Orange and House Bill 6562
Mike Ferderer, Chico Hernandez, other members, and myself have all been working on the AO Project diligently for the past 6-7 years. To keep our members informed on the latest information we shall institute a new program when we receive something that cannot wait until the ARLY Times. We will call this new information channel “SPECIAL ARLY AO UPDATES". We will send these via email only. The "Special Arly AO Updates”, in the future, will provide what we know. This will eliminate the need for you to call Mike or me (Chuck) and ask if there is anything new. It will also help reduce all the emails we receive requesting the latest info. These Special ARLY AO Updates will provide the latest information regarding Agent Orange.
We have one of those SPECIAL ARLY AO UPDATES now. I received, just a couple of days ago, information on the new House Bill 6562 "The Agent Orange Equity Act". You can, and please do, voice your opinion to your Congressmen and Senators. Be sure to refer to "Agent Orange Equity Act House Bill 6562" in your letter. To further express your thoughts and/or have questions on the House Bill 6562 via VNVets Blogspot, click on the link below: http://vnvets.blogspot.com/2008/07/house-bill-6562.html Remember, the more shipmates who speak up and take part in this, the greater chance for a successful conclusion. We are still pursuing the position that the Arlington was a “Brown Water” ship. Please take the time to contact your National and Local Authorities. Do it now to ensure our victory and success. There is no need to reply or call us as this is all we know about the H.R. BILL.6562 so far. As I stated, we will keep the Association informed on any and all updates as we receive them. Thanks to all for your cooperation and your patience.
On behalf of the Arlington Mike Ferderer and Chuck Geiter also wrote the enclosed letter. You could use this letter as a template to write your letter to send to your Congressmen and Senators.
Thank you,
Mike Ferderer, Health Coordinator - Chuck Geiter, Admin. Off. Enclosed: Letter to Congressman Filner: To: Congressman Robert Filner Chairman of the House of Veterans Affairs Committee
Subject: Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008
Dear Congressman Robert Filner,
We are writing this letter on behalf of the USS Arlington
(AGMR-2) Association, to ask your support for “The Agent Orange
Equity Act of 2008” a bill being introduced by Congressman
Robert Filner (D-CA), on Wednesday, July 23, 2008. The bill has
full potential for fully restoring Agent Orange Presumption to
Blue Water Navy Veterans and Air Force Veterans of the Vietnam
War Era.
Our former ship was the USS Arlington (AGMR-2), a Major
Communication Relay Ship, also know as an Intelligence Gathering
and Spy Ship. The ship anchored in the harbors of Cam Rahn Bay,
Danang, and patrolled along the coast of South and North
Vietnam. Arlington was awarded the Cross of Gallantry for each
patrol she performed for direct contact with the enemy. Due to
the nature of the Arlington’s mission we feel it is a “Brown
Water” ship along with being a “Blue Water” ship. Further, due
to our mission, we were normally always in view of land. So
close we could see, with the naked eye, the Vietnamese people
riding their bikes in their black or white garb with the
traditional cone shaped straw hat. A ship, even with the
sophisticated equipment that Arlington carried and the nature of
the mission, had to be very close to land to complete the
missions that it was assigned to. In addition, we were assigned
to Mobile Riverine Force 115 as a part of Operations Market
Time, Game Warden, and other Special Ops assignments.
The former Arlington crew members were asked to fill out a
Health Survey upon joining the Association soon after it was
organized. Today, over 87% of the crew who have turned in their
ships Health Survey to the Arlington Association are now
reporting to have medical afflictions associated to Agent
Orange. Our Association has not been able to contact over 50% of
its former crew. We get no help from the Veterans Administration
when filing a claim except the run around and being put on hold.
We have had to do our own research, and even with many notarized
eyewitness statements and a considerable amount of members
already receiving disability for the Agent Orange exposure, we
are still unable to get our claims processed in a fair and
equitable timely manner. This bill will put it all to rest and
will restore the dignity and honor for our service we selflessly
provided to our country.
It is now time to take care of those who cared enough to protect our American Heritage of Freedom. This Bill has to be put into law and fulfill the promises made to our Vietnam Veterans. “We will take care of you”, was the statement made by our government when we enlisted into the United States Navy, Air Force and all branches of our Armed Forces. We salute and thank you, Congressman Filner, in advance for your decision to support the “The Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008” on Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Sincerely, RM3-USN '64-'68, Chuck Geiter RM1-USN Retired, Michael Ferderer
Arlington Association Administration Officer
Arlington Association Health
Coordinator/Advisor The Bill was presented On Wednesday, July 23, 2008 House Bill 6562 was introduced:
110TH CONGRESS
Chuck Geiter
Administration Officer USS Arlington AGMR-2 Assoc.
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To All,
Very important and interesting info from VNVets:
Thursday, July 24, 2008Now Hear This! If your claim is in Haas Stay...Folks, I cannot begin to tell you how many Vets have contacted me to say something like this: I, for one, plan to make sure my claim (Diabetes, Prostate Cancer) is up-to-date and that I have all the supporting documentation I need (or MAY need). In the event the DVA tries to throw any crap about "inside the 12-mile limit" (as if NGFS could be performed any further out from a DD) I have log entries showing times the ship actually was inport at Vung Tau, Cam Rhan Bay, and Danang. I'd advise everyone else who has a claim in to do the same. If you don't have a claim in........I'd say "get hot!"
NOW HEAR THIS!:
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