*Subject:* Blue Water Sailors

Hello -
    This announcement comes from the Veterans Association of Sailors of the Vietnam War [VASVW], and it is exciting news. If you know a Navy Veteran of the Vietnam War who served in the Western Pacific off the coast of Vietnam, please share this with them. The bill in question, H. R. 2254 - currently gathering co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, will restore the rights of "Blue Water Navy" Veterans to file claims for compensation and pension for diseases they have developed as a result of their exposure to Agent Orange during their service.

    In 2001, the Department of Veterans Affairs [DVA] decided to exclude Navy Veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam from eligibility of claims for diseases identical to troops who served on the ground, as if Agent Orange stopped at the edge of the beaches. Recent evidence indicates that the water distillation systems on board the ships actually concentrated the Dioxin from the Agent Orange into our servicemen's drinking water, shower water, the water used for cooking their meals, etc., resulting in very strong exposure through a different mechanism. Thanks to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York the door to the Senate is now opening. Thank you all in advance.

    *Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has agreed to introduce the Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 in the US Senate this week. * *While details are scarce, visit **VNVets Blog** http://vnvets.blogspot.com/ to get filled in and stay up to date on this exciting news.
*Gillibrand to Introduce '09 AO Equity Act in Senate* http://vnvets.blogspot.com/2009/10/gillibrand-to-introduce-09-ao-equity.html