LVMAC Tidbit: At Last! An Agent Orange Seminar for the General Public
Editor’s Note: We wish to bring your attention to something we consider to be a very special event in the Lehigh Valley — a seminar on Agent Orange not only for veterans, but also their progeny and the general public. Pennsylvania VVA Chapter 415 of the Vietnam Veterans of America is sponsoring it and is bringing in well-known, national-level speakers, some with academic credentials. Please note we’re using the term “Agent Orange” as an umbrella term for several different kinds of herbicides used in Vietnam … and in the United States.
You may be asking yourself why invite the progeny of veterans and the general public, for weren’t the effects of Agent Orange limited to those military veterans who served in Vietnam? It is because, many believe, more than military veterans have been affected but also their progeny and, additionally, the general public — these products were not only used in Vietnam. Consequently, the chapter is seeking to heighten their awareness through education and to gain their assistance in pushing needed government research studies long overdue and resisted. The Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other departments of government may have been turning a blind eye to a matter of importance to all of us.
For more information and how to register for the event, refer to the article below, which is being republished with the kind permission of its author and appeared in the June 2015 issue of Lifestyles over 50.
Agent Orange – Its Affect on Veterans and the Public
By Art Villafane, Lifestyles over 50
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 415 is having a town hall meeting in September to address very important health issues. But first some background:
Vietnam Veterans like myself served our country when our nation was at war. While there the government used chemical warfare in the form of Agent Orange. It was supposed to be a harmless herbicide, but in fact it was poison. As a result many of us incurred service-connected disabilities ranging from manageable health issues to serious disabilities and many forms of cancer.
The government finally recognized the health issues connected with Agent Orange and has made progress in helping those veterans affected by its use, but much more needs to be done. We have [to] find the veterans who have not been reached by the Veterans Administration [formally, the Department of Veterans Affairs] and provide the health coverage that they deserve and need. That is the first goal of the meeting.
The second goal is just as serious. Only now are we finding out that the children and grandchildren of those veterans are likely to have inherited serious health complications. They also need to find what information and help is available to them.
The third goal of the meeting is to present information on the dangers of some of the herbicides and chemicals being used in today’s food-growing business. The general public’s health may be at risk so you need to learn more about this vital issue.
The town hall meeting is organized by the local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter, PA Chapter 415. It is inviting veterans, their families and, as importantly, the general public to this event.
September 19, 2015, 1:00-4:00PM Lipkin Theatre, Northampton Community College
Please register at: http://www.vva415.org
There are many ways for dioxin, the toxic contaminant in Agent Orange, to enter the human body, and EVERYONE is being affected.
Topics to be discussed:
Intro to Agent Orange, effect of Agent Orange on one’s health, legacy of birth defects, effects on our food supply, resources available to help you.
Find out what action you can take – our futures depend on it.
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As of 10 July 2015