I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and joined the Army when I was 16. My cousin was going to be drafted. One day we just walked into an enlistment office. They offered us $99 a month, clothes, shoes and three meals a day. We didn’t have anything, not even one meal a day. We signed up right there.
During the Vietnam War, I was assigned to a secret base in Thailand used by the Air Force and the Army. The entire base was built on jungle that had been torn down and burned up with Agent Orange. That toxic exposure is the reason for my health problems: heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Sleep disorders. I fight in my sleep–I’m still at war. I’ve had depression and PTSD for over 20 years.
But the military said the base didn’t exist, and that I had no service record with toxic exposure. I worked with NJP for more than three years before the truth of my service came out. My NJP lawyers kept looking and scraping through all kinds of records.
The PACT act, which was passed in 2022, made it official. The Act expands benefits and health care for veterans exposed to some toxic substances. It assumes certain medical conditions are linked to that exposure based on where and when the veteran served. And it recognizes new locations for Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War. The base in Thailand where I served is on the list.
When I got out of the Army, I used my VA benefits to go to school. I got a degree in business administration and international marketing. I’ve been self-employed since I got out. My goal was never to go back to ask the military or government for anything because I’m very good at being self-sufficient.
But the health problems kept getting worse. I now have two heart conditions and a hard time with steps. I’m energy deficient. I have to get four hours of iron infusion every six months. It’s all related to Agent Orange.
My NJP lawyers represented me through several different appeals. I started out receiving just half of the benefits I was entitled to. Now I’m service connected with a 90 percent rating, and it should go to 100 percent. I just sold my home with steps and moved into an apartment in Tacoma. I’m working on home improvements to get around at home more easily.
I’m so grateful to NJP. I call them my ladies from heaven–they are all women. They had my back when it felt like the government didn’t. I can’t begin to describe what that means.