Gary Jones’s story is brought to you by the California Veterans Benefit Fund.

For Gary Jones, the puzzle that is Agent Orange can be explained, or more to the point, not explained, by two words — “circumstantial” and “coincidence.” The words are at once the core and the conundrum of his Agent Orange experience.

“The problem with all this Agent Orange discussion is that everything is circumstantial,” Jones said. “We can’t prove anything. But after awhile, the word ‘coincidence’ just doesn’t work anymore. Something is causing all these different problems.”

He pulled two tours of duty in Vietnam, one blue, the other brown. The first for the young Naval officer came in the deep water off the Vietnam coastline; the second came inland, in the brown water of the Cam Lo River, near the DMZ, where he worked delivering supplies with Marines and an ARVN unit.

[ Read Gary Jones's Story Here ]

President Obama signs an executive order on the Employment of Veterans

President Barack Obama signs an executive order on the Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, in the Oval Office, Nov. 9, 2009.

Last night the President signed an Executive Order creating an interagency Council on Veterans Employment to advise the President and Administration on how to set the bar for hiring and employing veterans. The Council will be chaired by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, with Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry serving as the Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer of the Council.

[ Read article on The White House Blog ]

Secretary Shinseki Details Plan to End Homelessness for Veterans

Five-year plan unveiled at homelessness summit
U.S. Dept. of VA Press release
Nov. 3, 2009

WASHINGTON – Today, at the “VA National Summit Ending Homelessness among Veterans,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki unveiled the department’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness among Veterans by marshalling the resources of government, business and the private sector.

“President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years,” said Shinseki.  “Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”

VVA Self-Help Guide

Click on the cover image to read the VVA Self-Help Guide to Service-Connected Disability Compensation for Exposure to Agent Orange

VVA Victim of Email Hoaxes

An email hoax, “States From One State,” has been circulating the Internet for more than a year. Unfortunately, someone has taken his/her personal initiative to attach the Vietnam Veterans of America logo to this flyer after it had been in circulation. The content of this email has nothing to do with Vietnam Veterans of America. We regret this egregious misuse of our logo and appreciate your efforts in setting the record straight.
 
For information on the LA Times response to this email hoax, please see the linked article.

An email hoax concerning Target stores and VVA has been circulating for a number of years. Please click here for more information.

Thanks so much for your assistance in dispelling these email hoaxes.