When filing a claim with the Veterans Administration....remember that you if you are the War Veteran...or your biological genetic ancestor whether your father, grandfather....even great great great grand father was in Vietnam, Korea, WW11...or even more recent wars....they were exposed to poisons because wars were meant to kill an enemy.
It is a known fact that in all foreign wars herbicides had to be used to kill brush, forests etc which the enemy hid well within.
These herbicides and poisons were called by different names including but not limited to Agent Orange.
And even though filing a claim is less complicated if the Veteran who you descended from is still living and places himself in the national registry by making an appointment at his or her nearest VA and going through that process...
if your father, grandfather, or even great grandfather has already died or is not willing to participate to make easier for his or her unhealthy descendants to file claims...
You yourself can do the research of your ancestors Military Service and exposure...and it is far easier today with computers and Internet!
Start as I did for my husband web searching the name his unit was known by...I found a group of the very men who were in the same fire direction center of heavy artillery in Vietnam that my husband was part of.
They actually had photos on their web site a few included my husband with them and guess what Agent Orange Barrels just a few feet away from them!
Such groups do not all have web pages as The First of The 83rd has which I found about two years ago.
One suggestion I offer today to begin your search to support your VA Claim....open social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter...and search for your family member's friends who they have mentioned in their war stories over and over through out the years.
If you know for example they were in the Navy as my father was and know the name of his ship...you can web search on all search engines a phrase such as: "Sailors who were on the USS IOWA during the Korean War"
Maybe your grandfather was a fighter jet pilot during World War11....you may find a club of war history buffs to write and ask questions to educate you.
Please do not be discouraged if you are finding your research an up road battle without support....
I intend to regularly update this as I succeed in my research of both my husband's Vietnam Service in the United States Army and my father's service as a Naval Radio Operator during the Korean War and later as a radio operator in the Merchant Marines.
If this blog and or others by EstherStephanada...Mrs Gustavson have helped you...if you enjoy reading or have benefited from....consider writing the Gustavsons sharing your story and giving a gift to help keep her connected online....pay for Internet Service at:
Mr & Mrs William Gustavson
PO BOX 1175
Madisonville, LA 70447
USA
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