- Target:
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- Stand Up for Bill
Background: My husband, Bill Meehan was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (MM) in 3/2015. I accidentally found out that MM is one of 15 diseases presumed connected to military service in Vietnam and exposure to Agent Orange. Bill was rated 100% disabled and we received wonderful support from the VA. Bill died in 7/2016. After he died, I realized that none of the civilian health care professionals we saw ever asked if he was in the military. Many Vietnam vets don't know that some very common diseases (such as type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and prostate cancer) are connected to service in Vietnam. They don't realize that they, and their surviving spouses, are entitled to benefits.
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We, the undersigned, call upon the Secretary for Veterans Affairs, to direct the VA to offer continuing professional education (CPE) to United States health care workers, so that Vietnam vets, with presumed connected diseases, can be identified and referred to the VA. We further call upon the Secretary to develop additional outreach to Vietnam era vets and their families about the 15 presumed connected disabilities and the benefits the vets and their families earned as a result of their military service. We must act now because there is a growing list of presumed connected disabilities for other military conflicts besides Vietnam.
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The STAND UP FOR BILL (And Other Vietnam Veterans And Their Families) petition to Secretary of Veterans Affairs was written by Barbara Rodgick and is in the category Military at GoPetition.