Forgotten Heroes! Blue Water Navy Veterans
Why are our Blue Water Navy Veterans dying before they receive the help that they need? Why isn’t the Veterans’ Administration doing its job? Why aren’t elected officials pushing for S681 or HR969 to pass? Listen to this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Mr. John Wells, the Executive Director of Military Veterans Advocacy, Inc. about the upcoming Rally for Blue Water Navy Veterans, in an effort this month to help veterans. Mr. Wells is a retired Navy Commander (Surface Warfare) and a disabled veteran, who served from 1972 until 1994.
Rally in Support of Blue Water Navy Veterans
On May 18, there will be a gathering in Washington, DC, of veterans, friends and family members in support of the bi-partisan Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (HR 969/S 681). Everyone is encouraged and welcome to come. We will be having a Rally in Support of the two bills that are languishing in both the House and Senate Veterans Committees. Hopefully, this will bring some attention to the subject and help get those Bills brought to the Floors of both House and Senate for a vote. HR 969 has 319 co-sponsors and S 681 has 40 co-sponsors.
We will all meet up at the street level near the exit for the Metro stop at ‘Capital South’ at 10AM. As a key part of this Rally, we are requesting that everyone coming to Washington, DC on May 18 make an appointment with their Senator or Representative during the morning of May 18 before lunch. Second choice would be for an afternoon appointment. You can call ahead to set an appointment with their office. This is a very important item to get done while you are visiting, and is a focal point for our “Rally In Support.”
Help Pass S681 or HR969!
You can go to Congress.gov and put “S681” or “HR969” in the search box to see if your Representatives and Senators are listed as Co-Sponsors of those Bills. If they are, stop in to thank them for their participation and ask that they help get the other Senators or Representatives to sign on. If they are not Co-Sponsors, tell them that you want them to be.
If you can’t get in to see them in person, ask to meet with the Veteran’s Liaison or some other staffer that will relay your message. Help them understand the necessity to get that legislation passed immediately. You can also invite them to attend or participate in the Press Conference that Representative Gibson is having at 1:00PM on May 18th. Ask them to coordinate with Rep. Gibson’s office. We will all be attending the Press Conference, expected to be in or near the Cannon Building.
If you can’t get to Washington, you can have your own Rally in your local area. It only takes one veteran to create a “Rally.” Make yourself a sign with some of the wording given below and go to the public sidewalk or street in front of the nearest VA facility. If you can get some news coverage from your local newspaper or TV station, that would be great. You can explain our background to them. Hopefully you will be joined by other veterans, family members and friends. This is NOT a protest or demonstration against anything. It is a “Rally In Support” of the Blue Water Navy Agent Orange Act that we hope will be released from the Veteran Affairs Committees of the House and Senate so it can be brought to the Floor to be voted on. Since this involves the Department of Veterans Affairs, a VA facility is a logical place to show your support. Just keep it peaceful and legal!
Alternatively, on May 18th, call (202)224-3121, give the operator your state and/or zip code and they will connect you with your elected officials’ office. Ask to speak with the liaison for Veterans Affairs…make it clear you are calling as a constituent asking for their support of HR 969 and S 681, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act.
For more information on Military-Veterans Advocacy go to www.militaryveteransadvocacy.org or like them by clicking this link to their page on Facebook .
Amazon Shoppers: you can support Military-Veterans Advocacy by going to “Amazon Smile” for your shopping. The prices are the same but Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Military-Veterans Adovacy Inc. Bookmark the link http://smile.amazon.com/ch/38-3890520 and support us every time you shop.
We ask you to stand with us, and with Representative Chris Gibson, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and others to demand that the VA assume responsibility for the effects of Agent Orange on Blue Water vets. Please sign our petition asking Congress to pass House Bill H 969 and Senate Bill S 681 and give us our benefits.
https://www.change.org/p/u-s-house-of-representatives-give-the-vietnam-blue-water-navy-veterans-their-presumptive-rights?recruiter=174924799&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink
Bullshit! We AIR FORCE VETERANS WERE DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDES POWER SPRAYED ON ANDERSEN.AFB GUAM DURING THE VIETNAM WAR AND LATER WHICH I DID FOR TEN YEARS. HAVING A BILL ONLY FOR A SEGMENT OF VETS EXPOSED TO AO IS WRONG.
well today got info from V A that my claim for disability was deneided. I’Am blue water navy .served aboard USS HANCOCK CVA 19. from 1963 until 1966. we served in the gulf of tonkin . but because the navy didn’t put boots on the ground we are not allowed V A disability. my question I “am diabetic problems, artritis , have had two heart procedures, by pass 4, a month ago had minor attack, had three (3) stints put in. was turned down today again. still not sure mwhy ? blue water navy has same problems, as those who put a boot on the ground ?
My brother has past now with 13 different illness from heart disease cancer dead kidney, bone disease circulation, leg amputated. On and on it goes. We were both in DaNang at the same time, He on the USS Chicago CG11 and myself on the USS Dewey DLG 14. As you know it has been proved that the water was contaminated with Agent Orange and and our saltwater condensers did no take out that killer stuff. We would drink the bay water, showering in it, food prepared in it. I remember standing on the deck and as the C130’s would comes back in from missions back to land these brownish drops from the planes would get on my clothes and arms and face. I have now had heart attack with 5 bypasses, very high blood pressure, places taken off my face and arms. Time for the Government to step up and do their job and assume the liability.I support s681 and hr969.
THEY WILL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU GET ANYTHING PASSED BEST OF LUCK HOW MANY VET GOT MONEY FROM AGENT ORANGE NONE THAT I KNOW OF WAKE UP MEN WHEN YOUR BURIED THEY THAT IS IF YOU WAIT FOR THREE MONTHS I FOUGHT IT WHEN I LIVED IN MEMPHIS TN. A FOREST SERVICE MAN SAID IT WAS USED IN SEVEREL STATES KNOW WHERE SOME WERE BURIED IN MO. TRUST ME THAT WAS STARTED IN THE YEAR OF 1970 WERE IN FOR A DAM GOOD GROUNT WAR NOW IF ISIS IS NOT HER THEY ARE ON THERE WAY SAVE YOUR AMMO IT WILL GO FOR A GOOD REASON 22 MLLION AND A HALF VETERNS ARE JUMPING UP AND DOWN LETSGET IT ON SADI HATES OUR GUTS I GOT INTO FIGHTS WHEN THEY APPROCHED SLANDER IS WHAT THEY STARTED OUT WITH SLAPPED A MANY OF THERE FACE IT ALWAYS STARETED OUT HOW WOULD YOU LIKE SCUD MISSELS COMING OVER YOUR HOUSE THE FIGHT WAS ON WWHEN THEY SAID WE MESSED UP THERE CHRISTMAS OIL WELL FIRES WERE 8 DAYS 9 NIGHTS IT WAS SO THICK YOU COULD NOT SEE THE HAND IN THE DARK.