I just got a letter from the VA.

[Susan Calvin]

I'm not under any kind of care from them, Medicare and Tricare do just fine, but apparently I was potentially exposed to something or another on Guam. Oh wait a minute, Agent Orange it says. The letter says if you're under VA care you should get a screening, but I am not under VA care. Does anybody happen to know what you should do if you are not under VA care? You'd think the letter would have said, since it went to at least one person who is not under VA care, namely me.

[WhiteTara]

1. do you have tricare?

[Susan Calvin]

4. Yes.

[WhiteTara]

6. give them a call.

It can't hurt and you'll get your questions answered.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. I am under VA care and have been overwhelmed with notices.

about Orange, Le Jeune, and other things that have nothing to do with me. I suspect that since money is there they are just alerting anyone who may possibly have been touched by all this stuff.

Unless there are specific instructions aimed at you, I would just ignore this stuff.

[Susan Calvin]

7. That was my first impulse, but

If there's some kind of screening I would just as soon do it. Just in case.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. If you think you may have been somehow exposed, have...

yourself checked out. To do otherwise would be foolish, but to jump to something when you've never been near Orange or the fire pits is often just feeding fear.

I ignore the warnings because they are sent to damn near everyone just so they don't miss anyone.

[Susan Calvin]

9. I was Googling around,

And found a map from an I don't know how reliable a source that showed the whole island pretty much contaminated. That was quite depressing. Added to I hear that the whole place has basically been concreted over and the snakes have eaten all the birds.

[TreasonousBastard]

10. And through all this, remember that our miltary is here to protect.. .

us, like health and antipoverty programs and education don't seem to

[Deb]

3. Please call the 800 number.

https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/

[Susan Calvin]

5. Thanks. That was my next thought.

I just hate the idea of how long I'm probably going to be on hold. I had hoped their website would be of more help, but it seems to be directed toward people who are already receiving VA benefits.

[Susan Calvin]

11. Found the answer if anybody else might be interested.

Last edited Thu Aug 3, 2023, 02:19 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp#Texas

You contact the people in your area from the list in the link. You do not have to be in the VA Health System to be evaluated.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

12. I got the same letter a few weeks ago,

it listed 6 duty stations, 3 of which I was at, currently I'm not under VA care but I went ahead and called anyway, just in case.

[Susan Calvin]

13. I haven't called yet, but I intend to.

Even though I'm healthy as a horse for my age, knock on wood, one never knows.