Agent Orange Registry (AOR)

Jim,

I have been on your website and tried to use the ‘Post Msg’ button to ask a question but it doesn’t seem to be working. So forgive me if this is not the correct way to contact you. I am not good at asking questions so maybe I didn’t know what to expect last week when I went for the AO exam at a VA facility. After all these years I figured it was time.

Anyway, they had done blood work at an earlier time, all okay. But basically all I had was a hearing test, an EKG, and a conversation with a doc who told me about his time in the Navy. He listened to my heart, lungs, etc.

My question is this… Is that all there is? I did do poorly on my hearing test. The lady who did my hearing test said it was severe, and has ordered for me hearing aids, but she noted they would not help me much. The doctor also mentioned the only thing to note was something about a ‘cor pulm’ but he said it was probably due to my COPD.

I had mentioned that I smoke about half pack a day and was diagnosed with it in 2005. But before I went to Vietnam I was in an engine room on an aircraft carrier. Plenty of asbestos.

Should I wait for a call from the VA? What do you think?

Reply:

There is a lot of misunderstanding about the Agent Orange Registry (AOR). In a nutshell, the AOR is a scientific database of information about veterans like you. The data that was taken from your exam will be entered along with tens of thousands of others like you and scientists will study all the results for many years to come.

The study will benefit thousands more in the future...even after you and I are long gone. This will help guide future military people in things like how to better protect troops from dangerous chemicals like AO.

The only direct benefit to you is that you got a good physical exam. The findings can be used for you to learn how to quit smoking so you don't do further harm to yourself.

You should also proceed to file with VA for a disability benefit. Your hearing loss may be caused by your exposure to weaponry or other loud noises during your service. Many guys who have hearing loss may also have a constant ringing in their ears. That's called tinnitus and is caused by the same noises that caused your hearing loss.

You may file for disability compensation pretty easily by reading through my A to Z Guide here http://jimstrickland912.com

There is also a lot of good information about all this to be found by clicking here http://www.statesidelegal.org

I host an Internet forum where you can go and exchange information with a bunch of veterans who are in a similar setting as yourself here http://www.straighttalkforveterans.com

Filing for compensation is as simple as filling out a form and sending it in to VA. That will result in another physical examination and a lot of waiting and paperwork from VA and then it's likely that you'll see a monetary award for the damage that your service has caused your hearing.

If you were exposed to asbestos, you should also file a claim for asbestosis. The fact that you have COPD is enough to make me believe that you may have some exposure issues from the days spent in contact with asbestos. Because of your history of asbestos exposure, it's particularly important that you stop smoking now.