ok,it's probably a canned response,but it's still a response.i challenge more to do it.i have been handing out flyers at all car shows and parades all summer.c'mon vets..we can march on washington from our living room.

--- On Thu, 10/16/08, Congresswoman Mary Fallin <ok05ima@mail.house.gov> wrote:

From: Congresswoman Mary Fallin <ok05ima@mail.house.gov>
Subject: Reply from Congresswoman Mary Fallin
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2008, 3:54 PM













October 16, 2008



Mr. Jim D. xxxxxx

5800 xxxxxxxxx

Shawnee,xxxxxxxx



Dear Mr. xxxxxxxxx:



Thank you for contacting me about H.R. 6562, the Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008. Understanding your ideas and concerns is important to me, as it helps me to better represent you and the Fifth District of Oklahoma.



As you may know, H.R. 6562 was not brought to the full attention of the House in the 110th Congress and I did not have the opportunity to vote on it. Currently the House is adjourned and is not scheduled to reconvene until January 2009. Because of this, legislation that did not reach the House floor for a vote will likely not be considered this year. However, I am committed to representing your views and working with other Members of Congress to make a positive impact here in Washington. I have made a note of your comments regarding the Agent Orange Equity Act and will keep them in mind if this bill is considered in the 111th Congress.



Thank you again for taking the time to share your ideas and concerns. As Congress continues to address the many challenges facing our nation, I hope you will continue to share your thoughts and views with me. However, due to increased security measures, mail delivery may be delayed for up to two weeks. Accordingly, I encourage you to visit my website at www.fallin.house.gov to contact me via email in the future. While visiting my site you may also sign up for my e-newsletter as well as find useful information about issues facing the 5th District.




Sincerely,

Mary Fallin
Member of Congress

I again have to make this point- the vet outside of Vietnam or outside the limits of the Korea AO regs- still has to prove exposure to AO.

Unless a miracle occurs and certain areas in addition to Vietnam and the southside of the DMZ are declared as known sites where the spraying occured.

BWN Vets could have this clearly spelled out in the regs as to their possible exposure-if Haas ever succeeds.

What the AO Equity Act might do is gain better attention from raters as to reading the claim to see if there is proof of exposure-regardless of where the vet served -
for vets not covered by the AO regs now.

I cannot state it any clearer than MSGT Preiessman stated in a previously classified CHECO report. That report states AO was available and utilized for perimeter defense at all Thailand installations and a letter from the Air Force and Senator lane Evans futher enforced this use....Damn it people we have already won on AO get off your ass and picket your VARO(s) and let your senators and Representatives know....

I am in an AO fight with VA for a period going on four years and I am not about to giveup. I will let my lawyer do the things he does while I do what I do and that is Picket.

And Kurt has published all the documents he used at many web sites-
They are available for any other vet to use.

If you fall into the time and place scenario of the CHECO report etc----and you can prove your MOS put you at the perimeters of the many installations where there was confirmed spraying of AO in Thailand-
any vet in this situation should have their claim properly adjudicated.

I personally think the ROS threw alot of AO claims into the Haas moratorium that have NOTHING to do with Haas.

As Rich Cohen of NOVA said at SVR radio show I did- file a Writ of Mandamus if you are in the Haas moratorium but have a claim based on Direct exposure to AO.

Kurt was a dog handler and his MOS was to be on the perimeter with the dogs-for security reasons -Thailand Military Installations.
Many if these dogs became ill and died of unknown causes.
Obviously the mil sprayed the perimeters just as they did on the soputhside of the Korea DMZ to keep the view clear.
These dogs were exposed to dioxin just as any vet whose MOS put them on perimeter duty was.

The AO vet community owes Kurt Priessman a lot of credit for the meticulous work he did- to get a decision like his from a regional office is also outstanding.His MOS provided him the probative basis for his claim- all he had to do was prove they used AO where he was.
And that was a relentless job for him.
He has shared his documents and everything he got under FOIA at numerous web sites for others to use.
(and is a member here at hadit)
He was my guest at SVR radio right after his award.August 6th 2008
The show is in archives and can be heard via PC media player
at Stardust Radio.com

Berta I have been trying for almost four years to receive an award based on exposure to agent orange. I have submitted buddy letters, a 1999 decision in which the BVA awarded a Veteran 100% disability based on exposure to Agent Orange. The Clincher is we were both stationed in Thailand from august 1969 to Augsust 1970. While the case is non precentent the CAVC told the BVA on remand that based on the fact that the place, time, and circumstances were so similar that they had to tell me why if they rule against me on material facts of the 1999 case. Their recent decision which was negative failed to address that decision. I have had the same Acting Veteran law judge "D. Reiss" since the initial board hearing. Yes I did present Kurt's recent Checo report attesting to the presence of
agent Orange and in addition the letter that the Air Force sent to Senator Lane Evans.
Plan to submit a request for reconsideration. I will be able to recluse "D. Reiss" from anothe decisoion and have three veteran law judge review my case denovo. If this fails I will once again appeal to the CAVC who was critical of the BVA on my last turn of the hampster wheel. Have Karl Kazmierczak as Counsel.

My MOS or AFSC in the Air Force was 65190 Contracing Speicalist and that encopasses construction contracts and the periodic oon site inspections of those projects. That placed me on the Base Perimeter where Agent Orange was sprayed.