Page 76 - OTHS-OCT2024

PAGE 74 www.OverTheHumpSaver.com OCTOBER 2024
HEALTH REGISTRIES

AVAILABLE AT VA

BY CHUCK N. BAKER

M ost Americans (the
adults, anyway)
are aware that
in the 1960s and
early 70s the U.S.
military doused service people in
Vietnam and environs with poison
chemicals that caused many illnesses
and death. Some of those ill effects
are still being processed and even
today many who served in the Army,
Marines and Navy in those days are
just now coming down with latent
diagnoses. In addition, military
veterans who served in later wars
in the Mideast and elsewhere were
exposed to a different variety of to symptoms and concerns related Nerve agents, mustard gas, herbicide
toxic chemicals that have caused to exposures. Evaluations alert tests and storage of these items.
illness and death among those veterans to possible long-term health And occupational hazards such
individuals. In the last few years, the problems that may be related to toxic as asbestos, lead, fuels, industrial
government has worked to identify exposures. solvents, vibration, noise, special
those chemicals, those illnesses and paint on military vehicles and some
those veterans, in an attempt to According to the local Environmental coolants or insulating fluids.
help all concerned. Locally they are Health Registry Coordinator Matthew
encouraged to enroll in the Veterans A. Boles, the information will help Boles presented a comprehensive
Administration (VA) clinic and seek the VA to understand and respond listing of airborne hazardous/open
treatment, and if eligible to file for to health problems. Boles was part burn pit locations, too long to detail
additional benefits. of a town hall gathering on Sept. 14 here. Some of the more familiar
at the VA medical center in North locations include Bahrain, Kuwait,
Over and above medical treatment, Las Vegas where he explained the Afghanistan, Syria and airspace above
the VA has established environmental program and encouraged veterans to those areas. A list of presumptive
health registries that offer free, enroll in the health registry program. illnesses was also discussed. Some
voluntary medical assessments Boles went in to some detail about of those include chronic sinusitis,
for veterans who may have been exposures. He pointed out that chronic bronchitis, emphysema,
exposed to environmental toxins there are several types of possible kidney cancer, melanoma and many
during military service. In addition exposures or hazards veterans may others
to Agent Orange, the toxins include have experienced during military
airborne hazardous/open burn service including air pollutants such Boles is dedicated to helping veterans
pits during the Gulf War; ionizing as oil well fires, sulfur fire, sand, sign up for the registries and can
radiation; depleted uranium and dust and particulates. Chemicals answer questions. He can be reached
toxic embedded fragments. Veterans include pesticides, depleted uranium, at (702) 791-9013. If you are a
can report their military history and chromium and industrial solvents. veteran, or know of a veteran who
obtain physical exams with what Radiation from nuclear weapons you feel should register, give him a
the VA says is “special attention” testing, x-rays or depleted uranium. call.