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If you suspect an anthrax vaccination

UsahogUsahog Member Posts: 18 ✭✭
edited October 2007 in US Military Veteran Forum
Also posted on www.gulfwarvets.com

Hog
_______________________________________________________
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=42741

Opinion:
If you suspect an anthrax vaccination .


By Kelli M. Donley, Special to Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, January 13, 2007



To follow up on Stripes' recent articles [in which I'm quoted] on anthrax vaccinations ("Group fighting mandatory anthrax shots," Oct. 29, and "Anthrax vaccinations expected to resume in late January," Dec. 31-Jan. 1), I want to recommend several steps to any servicemember who, like me, thinks his or her health problems could be an adverse reaction to an anthrax vaccination:


? Visit the Military & Biodefense Vaccine Project (MBVP) Web site (www.military- biodefensevaccines.org/). These great people (former military) put me in touch with the Walter Reed Vaccine Healthcare Center, which is a special clinic devoted solely to treating servicemembers who have adverse reactions to vaccines. If you are interested in knowing more about my symptoms, MBVP has posted my television interviews so you can see how I walk and hear me talk. (FYI, my picture climbing into the F-16 is from a familiarization flight. I was a JAG, not a pilot.)

? Contact the healthcare center (www. vhcinfo.org/index.htm). Callers to the Department of Defense Vaccine Clinical Call Center, 1-866-210-6469, can remain anonymous. You can also be treated there - many servicemembers are sent or even transferred to Walter Reed, or placed back on active duty there for the sole purpose of receiving medical treatment for the problems they have after getting the vaccine.

I cannot thank the fine professionals at WRVHC enough! If it weren't for their intervention, medical review and recommendations for expert analysis, I wouldn't have gotten such a favorable outcome from the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB). Military VHCs are wholly dependent upon funding from Congress. I didn't know anything about VHCs until I talked, in April 2005, to one of the attorneys suing DOD to halt mandatory anthrax vaccinations. I hate to imagine the detriment to current servicemembers if the VHCs lack sufficient funding to complete their mission.

? Document, document, document! As for medical care, even when surrounded by experts, only you know you best. Do not let anybody talk you out of what you feel. Keep a daily health journal. Create a chronological time line of your onset of symptoms - stick to facts - the date; the event (injection/symptom/prescription/reaction, etc.); and your location (installation). This can help your medical providers - ask to have it put in your medical records. Keep searching for answers.

? Don't get stuck in a fight to get the military (or anyone) to admit the anthrax vaccine caused your problems. (Would you smack a bear on the nose?) You do not need the military to admit any relationship between your condition and the vaccine (although it would provide an explanation), so long as your disability rating is at least 30 percent (which entitles you to retirement benefits - anything less gets you separation pay) and service connected/line of duty. To show service connected/line of duty, prove that you didn't have these specific health problems before entering the service, and that you have them now, during service.

? Look into other options. If you believe you are 100 percent disabled, you may also qualify for Social Security disability benefits. You can apply while you are on active duty. You will likely need an attorney experienced with both Social Security and the military to best help you. It may help your medical board results if Social Security had already approved you. I can't say for certain, since I was approved after I was medically retired, but it can't hurt.

? The MEB is not the end. To receive Department of Veterans Affairs or Social Security benefits, you have to file separate applications with those agencies. You will want to file with the VA to make a portion of your military disability pension nontaxable - it is taxable if you don't do this. There are numerous other benefits available to disabled vets that aren't well-publicized: you can usually keep your Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance policy for two years, without paying premiums, but you have to apply within 120 days of separation from service and include your MEB findings (see form SGLV 8715 at www. insurance.va.gov/sglisite/forms/forms. htm#sgli_vgli). After two years, you can convert to Veterans' Group Life Insurance. You may also be eligible for Traumatic Injury Protection under SGLI (see form GL.2005.261 at the previous Web site). You may also be able to conditionally discharge student loans due to permanent disability - check with the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, different states have different benefits for disabled vets - check state veterans benefits when choosing where to live after active duty. Bottom line, you must seek out your entitlements. No one told me about most benefits, I found them.

? I would highly recommend you hire professionals to assist you because the agencies created to help you require so much paperwork that a disabled patient may grow tired and give up. Even though I am an attorney, I hired other attorneys to help me. It can be expensive, but this fight is for the rest of your life - you may be unemployable and you must fight to get what you are entitled to. Besides, legal fees you pay to ensure disability compensation are tax-deductible.

Ultimately, know that you are not alone. My faith in God, family and friends has gotten me through. My disease is Idiopathic Spinocerebellar Ataxia. For more information on Ataxia, please visit www.ataxia.org/.


Kelli M. Donley is a medically retired Air Force captain who lives in Oklahoma City. She believes her medical condition was a result of receiving doses of the anthrax vaccine.

Comments

  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    Great post Usahog...thanks!
  • ObiWanObiWan Member Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'll wave the BS Flag on this one.

    I'm Temporary Disabled Retired from the military and I have to pay $11 a month for VGLI....you DO NOT get SGLI for free for 2 years while Temporary Retired.


    Secondly....let's say she got some Medical Board to give her a Temporary Retirement with a 30% disability for something caused by the Anthrax Vaccine. In 18 months she will get another physical which will be seen by HQ Air Force and not who approved her first Med Retirement. They will rule her disability is now STABLE and below 30% thus not entitling her to any more benefits from DOD. She must turn in her blue ID card.

    I'm going thru that now and opted to get a Lawyer and Formal Physical Evaluation Board...I'll be in Texas at the end of February.
  • UsahogUsahog Member Posts: 18 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ObiWan
    I'll wave the BS Flag on this one.

    I'm Temporary Disabled Retired from the military and I have to pay $11 a month for VGLI....you DO NOT get SGLI for free for 2 years while Temporary Retired.


    Secondly....let's say she got some Medical Board to give her a Temporary Retirement with a 30% disability for something caused by the Anthrax Vaccine. In 18 months she will get another physical which will be seen by HQ Air Force and not who approved her first Med Retirement. They will rule her disability is now STABLE and below 30% thus not entitling her to any more benefits from DOD. She must turn in her blue ID card.

    I'm going thru that now and opted to get a Lawyer and Formal Physical Evaluation Board...I'll be in Texas at the end of February.


    ObiWan,

    I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Donley in Washington DC this past October.. the Military is trying to give her NOTHING basically.. just like you stated about the 30% then another Evaluation in 18 months... she has legal council... The Same as I retained while still in service.. I was denied appeals with my Council's letter heading into the MEB.. I now have to go before the Air-Force Board of Corrections and quite possibly the Federal Courts...

    In Ms. Donley's case she may not be alive in 18 months? her Cerbelum is shrinking, and with her going through the VHC (Vaccine Healthcare Center) her symptoms and diagnosis(s) are linked to the Anthrax Vaccine... the thing is.. the Government does not publish for our Veterans to file a VAERS report if they have a reaction to the Vaccines, but they are suppose to.. they are also suppose to give informed consent prior to...

    I Wish you well with your appeals..

    Hog

    BTW my SGLI also Ran for 2 yrs free as well... From Illinois here.
  • ObiWanObiWan Member Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You have to be rated at 100% disabled by the US Military to get SGLI free for 2 years post service.


    You can look at VAERS reports and see adverse reactions to the Anthrax Vaccine. It has killed people. The FDA shut down Bioport when it found they were mixing recalled anthrax vaccines with new batches they were mixing. All the reports were readily accessible on FDA's website until Bush fired the old FDA head and appointed a corporate America friendly person to head the FDA.

    Live Anthrax is created and formaldehyde is dumped in to kill the vaccine with a bunch of other chemicals that are injected into us. Bad chemicals.

    This Captain has a good case against the US Govt. seeing how the new method to create Bioport's anthrax vaccine is still considered expiramental.
  • UsahogUsahog Member Posts: 18 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ObiWan
    You have to be rated at 100% disabled by the US Military to get SGLI free for 2 years post service.


    You can look at VAERS reports and see adverse reactions to the Anthrax Vaccine. It has killed people. The FDA shut down Bioport when it found they were mixing recalled anthrax vaccines with new batches they were mixing. All the reports were readily accessible on FDA's website until Bush fired the old FDA head and appointed a corporate America friendly person to head the FDA.

    Live Anthrax is created and formaldehyde is dumped in to kill the vaccine with a bunch of other chemicals that are injected into us. Bad chemicals.

    This Captain has a good case against the US Govt. seeing how the new method to create Bioport's anthrax vaccine is still considered expiramental.


    Bioport was not closed down long.. and the recall on certian lot numbers were a little to late.. many had already been used... Bush has not gotten in the middle of this at all... the FDA was forced to come forward with better information on the Anthrax Vaccine Per Federal Judge Sullivan Case Doe Vs. Rumfield/DOD in 2004 when the Anthrax Vaccine was Ruled and Ordered Voluntary instead of Manditory on our Troops/Veterans.. Bioport NOW Biothrax.. has not changed anything in the vaccine and many members are still reporting adverse reactions from the recent 2003 call-ups to current...

    Recently with the FDA's assistance, the DOD has once again initiated Manditory Vaccines on military members because as reported from DOD less than 50% participation during the injunction for Voluntary.. So they went around the Judges Rule... doing so re-opened the lawsuit once again just in the past couple months.. it has been re-filed and it is now that the FDA and DOD have to Show Proof of this vaccine actually effectivly working against inhilation anthrax on Humans?

    If you haven't read this book yet.. it is a very interesting read on the Anthrax Vaccine.
    Vaccine-A by Gary Matsumoto
    http://www.vaccine-a.com/index.html

    He also sponsers a forum for members who've read his book and have questions about their illness's and the Vaccine.
    http://www.vaccine-a.com/forum.html

    You can also check out this site for more information on the Anthrax Vaccine.
    http://www.military-biodefensevaccines.org/

    Hog
  • ObiWanObiWan Member Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I forgot about this post and need to update my information.

    I was "Temporary Medically Retired" and at my 18 month after service physical to see if I was fit to go back...they sent me to a different services doctor who had no records, didn't want my records, and merely stated he was told to see if I could twist and touch my toes.

    His simple non-physical was sent to HQ for my branch of service and they came back 30 days later and said "20% disabled....severence pay and out the door". I appealed their stupidity and they came back and said "ok 30%....and medically retired".

    Sick of the system I signed the paperwork and accepted 30%.

    2 months later I get orders in the mail saying I'm medically retired at 40%.

    Ok.......wow. That was a shock. Best of luck to ANYONE going thru that system.
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