Sometimes congress does things right although too often for
the wrong reason. Yet although our world is paved with good intentions the
final application even when it is a most desirable one is not what the law’s
original purpose was.
When I became interested in our use of chemical weapons and
Agent Orange it led me to looking up some of the Federal and State laws
pertaining to disabilities and our veterans.
Part of my interest was due to the fact that one of my nephews
served two tours of duty as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. They were the ones
that had the responsibility of “delivering” most of the AO applications.
About 5 years ago he was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic
Leukemia which has been recognized as a potential complication from contact
with AO. If one has to get a dioxin related cancer; perhaps CLL is the best
because it’s fatal effects takes many years to occur.
It is proper that we the people show our appreciation to our
veterans from the various wars by providing those who were completely disabled
as a result of their services with monthly benefits and by state law those that
are completely disable can be exempt from paying their home property taxes.
No veteran who has served his country should lose his home
because of a lack of income. Therefore a
totally disable veteran in 2013 was entitled to a monthly disability of
$2816.00. If that veteran reached retirement age and was eligible for social Security
the benefit is somehow intertwined with his SS benefits.
Naturally if the veteran’s widow does not have sufficient
income of her own she is entitled widow’s benefits including tax exemption of
her property.
It is obvious that the original intent was for service
acquired injuries that led to disabilities, however after the Vietnam War and
especially after about 2000 the laws were expanded to cover diseases that do
occur in life but could now seem to have a causative factor due to their
service.
Because of the known toxic effects of dioxin an element in AO the
Vietnam War was the first one that this new interpretation became effective.
After Operation Desert Shield/Storm the VA also recognized
for disability benefits “physiologic, psychological, and psychosocial effects
of deployment-related stress” as well as these three conditions as
presumptively recognized for service connection they are fibromyalgia, chronic
fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome also called IBS.
The VA is now admitting that veterans of the 1991 Gulf War and other war veterans may have an
increase chance of developing psychiatric disorders such as PTSD, depression
and anxiety.
Interestingly,
there are a total of 47 veterans including 7 widows in Plainfield that meet all
qualifications for property tax exemptions. Out of this number 5 served in
WWII, 4 in Operation Desert Shield/Storm, 1 in Korea and 1 who must have been a
career military person served not only in Operation Desert Shield/Storm Desert
but also Lebanon/Granada/ and Panama. He must have been a Marine.
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