The following is from an email...
for any that may be interested you can sign up for further vets emails near the bottom of this post.
Hope this helps as hepatitis C is normally not detected in most cases until after the person gets sick unless they are tested specifically for it.
----- Original Message -----
From: Rocco N. ARTURO
To:
rarturo@msn.com Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 9:37 PM
Subject: Hepatitis C as a Presumed Service Connection for Military
Passing this along for information purposes.
http://www.mtshastalive.com/story.asp?HDR=15&FragID=25447Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 5:01 PM
Subject: Hepatitis C as a Presumed Service Connection for Military
Hepatitis C's Movement for Awareness
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Hepatitis C as a Presumed Service Connection for Military
NEW DECISION ON HEPATITIS C
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
By Mike Murphy
YREKA - My office just received some really good news for veterans
suffering with Hepatitis C. The newly created specialty rating team in
Cleveland, Ohio known as the "Tiger Team" awarded a Vietnam veteran a
service connected disability for Hepatitis C. The decision, which just
came out in August of this year, was as a result of the "Jet Injectors"
used for inoculations of most service members during the Vietnam Era and
after.
As I have written about in previous columns, Vietnam Era veterans have
been the fastest growing number of Hepatitis C patients. The biggest
mystery has always been why. Many of these veterans belong to no "high
risk" group such as homosexuals or IV drug users, and many did not even
serve overseas. The only risk group they belong to is being in the
military during this era. It appears that a link has finally been
established as to the reasons for this.
A research project headed by Lawrence Deyton, MSPH, MD, the Director of
Aids/Hepatitis at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in
Washington D.C. said in part, "Anyone who had inoculations with the jet
injector is at risk of having Hepatitis C and should be tested."
Research indicates that the Hepatitis C virus still exists on medical
instruments after cleaning with many solutions. I don't believe that
this statement could be any clearer.
The jet injector system has long been suspected of transmitting blood
borne pathogens. In veterans groups, many believe that the VA purposely
denied veterans Hepatitis C claims for being infected with this virus,
to hold treatment costs down and give the VA the ability to deny the
claim. There were ridiculous studies released indicating the veterans
themselves were at fault due to misconduct in, or after military
service, that justified the denials.
I remember, not too long ago, the Agent Orange issue was a similar
denial by the government and so was the "Gulf War Syndrome." There were
similar ridiculous studies released indicating that there was no proof
that Agent Orange made anyone ill. Now we all know better. The
government went so far as to state that the "Gulf War Syndrome" was a
psychosomatic disorder and did not really exist. Now we know better. And
now finally we see the truth regarding Hepatitis C. It would appear that
the Emperor has no clothes.
The biggest problem to overcome in this issue is getting the word out to
these veterans. Most of us who served during this era can remember the
long inoculation lines and blood running freely down many of our arms
during these inoculations with the jet injectors. Another problem is
that the incubation period for Hepatitis C can be decades long and
symptoms may be nonexistent up until the time that the veteran becomes
very ill. I am asking that anyone who reads this column, please, spread
the word and get tested. You can be tested at any VA facility. If you
don't know how to access the VA, call our office in Yreka and we will
help you. This is extremely important. Your life and the lives of your
loved ones may depend on it.
http://www.mtshastalive.com/story.asp?HDR=15&FragID=25447More info at
http://hcvets.com[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
"Keep on, Keepin' on", Support Veterans & Thanks...
Colonel Dan
See my web site at:
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/Forward to a veteran or Sign up a Veteran to this list at:
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