CALL TO ARMS: Wives and Widows of Military Veterans

A CALL TO ARMS TO THOSE WHO’VE LOST A LOVED ONE TO CHEMICAL EXPOSURES

TELL YOUR STORIES NOW TO THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE

This is a call to arms, for wives and widows!  I call upon all of you, to join in a letter writing campaign to the IOM. It is time for us to step in and tell our stories.
 
We need to shake up, their consciousness to the fact, that we are  living with a veteran or lost one, who has been or was exposed to herbicides. Our vets, are being denied due process! Let them know your stories!
 
For those who are widowed, include their date of death and Illnesses.  For those that are ill, include their illnesses and cancers.  All include the dates and bases of their service, in Vietnam, all supporting combat countries and Naval service.

Ask about the hard evidence and why there have been no studies, or acknowledgement, that other herbicides were used in Thailand pre-1969, except for Thailand 64′-65′ time frame and Korea 68′-69′.

Information on herbicide usage from ?69 – ’72 can be found at http://tmai18.spaces.live.com/default.aspx

For those of us who are watching our husband’s slowly die, and those that have lost their husbands, from ?direct exposure outside Vietnam ? to herbicides in Thailand and other places. It is time they hear, our voices.

Are you tired of the rhetoric and excuses? Tired of the denials on claims, that should be service connected? Then they need to, hear from you!

This has been an on-going problem and has been disregarded, as if it were insignificant. These veterans are dying of the same illnesses and diseases that the Vietnam vets have and then some. The only thing they have in common is that they wore the uniform.

We know the records are out there showing herbicide usage. They have been put out of our reach. We also know why. To keep us from obtaining them and filing claims; our government is waiting for the last one to die before declassifying these records. How anyone can look themselves in the eye every morning, without any regrets, to what is happening to our heroes and their families is beyond me. It is a travesty and an injustice.

Are these your thoughts, as well? Then the IOM needs to hear from you, today!

Contact information:

Mary Burr Paxton, PhD, DABT
Paxton, Mary MPaxton@nas.edu
Senior Program Officer
Population Health and Public Health Practice
Institute of Medicine
Keck 871, 500 Fifth St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 334-1731
fax: (202) 334-2939
 
Blessings Marilyn