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A Homeless Viet Nam Veteran
James J. Alonzo
“My name is Hector, I got Agent Orange. “ said the homeless Viet Nam veteran to the intake clerk.
There are intake clerks at the Service Centers at the local VA Facilities. One of the jobs of these clerks do is to handle any homeless Veterans claims. The weather was getting colder, so all day, the homeless vets had crowded into the reception room and waited impatiently for their turn.
The Sheet in front of the clerk indicated that the Veteran sitting before him was the 25th veteran he had to interview that day. Crowded as it was, the room was noisy and smelled of urine, and other offensive smells.
“I’m sorry Hector” the clerk answered, I didn’t get that. Could you lean closer so I can hear you, and say that again?”
Hector did just that much to the sensitivity of the clerk’s nostrils.
The clerk looked down at the intake form in front of him. They had gotten through about half the intake questions. The clerk had established that Hector was a combat Viet Nam veteran, 1967-1968, a survivor of the bloody TET offensive. The clerk had also established that Hector indeed was registered for Veterans Administration Services, because Hector had shown the clerk his ID card,
“That’s me.” Hector proudly showed his VA photo Identification card, pointing at his photo.
“Caucasian”, asked the clerk as he continued with the questions,
“Yes” replied Hector, “but also I’m part Cherokee too.”
Then the next question, which the clerk had seen before and knew was embarrassing to some of the other homeless Vets.
“Are you homeless now Hector.”
“Yes.” Hector said, dropping his eyes.
The clerk continued the questioning, and was now in the medical section of the questionnaire.
“Flu Shot?”
“No Thanks…well maybe…do you have that pig shot?”
“Do you mean swine flu shot? No, sorry, we don’t.”
“That’s ok, I don’t need it.”
“Do you want a hearing test?”
“No.”
“Do you want a blood test for hepatitis, and HIV-AIDS?”
“Nope.”
“Do you want to speak to someone in our mental health clinic?”
“No.” Hector’s eyes nervously drop down to the desk again.
“Podiatry?”
“Yeah, I really need my feet looked at. They are swollen, and the skin is cracked, and my toe nails are real long and yellow.”
“We’ll get you to the podiatry clinic right away.”
“Good, can I get that skin lotion, my feet are cracked so bad, that they bleed?”
“Yeah, talk to them when you get there. What about Substance Abuse?”
“No, I don’t drink or do drugs!”
“Okay,” The clerk said, “TB Test?”
“You got that?” he asked.
“Yes, we have that.”
“I’ll take that,” Hector said, “I’ve been coughing a lot lately. Sometimes I spit up blood”
The clerk started showing discomfort over the odor Hector emitting, and pushed back, asking questions from a little farther distance.
“Do you want help with employment Hector? “
“No.”
“Do you get Social Security Disability, or public assistance?”
“No, I’m all set” Hector answered, “I Got Agent Orange. A Hundred Percent.”
“What was that?” The clerk leaned in ignoring the smell. “I didn’t get that?”
“Agent Orange.” answered Hector, “…I get a check every month for Agent Orange. A hundred percent. They send it to my post office box, since I don’t have a home.”
“Now the clerk understood. That is how homeless Hector was “makin’ it on the mean streets. A monthly disability checks from the VA, because of his diagnosis of Dioxin Poisoning from Viet Nam Service Related Proximity to the herbicide, “Agent Orange”.
The clerk wondered how long it took Hector to get such a disability rating. What kind of struggle did it take Hector so he could subsist on the streets, all by the benefit of his monthly Agent Orange check?
The bottom line for Hector, he is dying.
He told the clerk,
“I need a new kidney. Actually, I need a lot of body parts. But I am not going to get them in time. I got diabetes too. I know I will die before they find the parts I need.”
Hector won’t be the first, or the last, but when Hector does die, maybe it should be noted he died from “friendly fire.”
Hector, as others who served in Nam, was wounded a long time ago, fighting in the Viet Nam, breathing hard, and sucking in the sweet smell of US Administered dioxin defoliant, as it dripped off the jungle canopy. Drinking it from the water, where the dioxin ran off, when it rained.
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Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=20116
Posted by James J. Alonzo on Mar 8 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Agent Orange, PTSD, Vietnam War. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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[...] A Homeless Viet Nam Veteran : Veterans Today [...]
God Bless the Homeless, and housed Vietnam Vets. Victims of a war of the Elite.
At the last census, there were 1/4 million homeless vets. That is a homeless vet receiving benefits. Veterans are now the largest group of unemployed. Once again, unemployed vets receiving benefits.
How many more of us are there merely existing while the fat cats get fatter? I will soon be off unemployment and homeless as well.
Empathize all you want, but it does not accomplish the mission. All the thank yous in the wolrd will not keep us shelterd and fed.
The American citizens and government need to comprehend who has protected their indulgence and greed, and faithly and loyaly return the sacrifice.
How did THIS post get on HERE?! http://ordercallofduty.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2-xbox-360-achievements.html (This is found under “Check out what others are saying about this post…”)
It needs to be taken off NOW! It has nothing to do with REAL veterans and their problems and definitely has nothing to do the above story!!
Tanya Boozer
Disabled Gulf War Veteran
Veteran Advocate
What do you mean? Do you mean how did it get on order of call of duty? I have no clue. Or do you mean how did it get on this forum?
Maybe mental problems Tanya, And saying hes not a real veteran is just wrong on so many levels.
Jim
100% disabled (Aid and attendence) ex-homeless
TRUTH REVEALED MINISTRY:
GO TO:
http://web.me.com/rthorne2/Site_2/TRUTH_REVEALED_MINISTRY!.html
A couple of things about this story trouble me. I can help think that the reason this man is/was homeless is only because that is his choice.
If he was rated 100% already by the V.A. he’s collecting over 2600 dollars a month. Once someone is rated 100% by the V.A. it also makes them eligible for Social Security Disability. That amount will vary depending on how long one was in the work force contributing to the system.
Both VA disability and Social Security disability is not taxable, no income tax is paid.
In the article it was mentioned that he said he didn’t have any drug or alcohol dependencies.
So I have to ask myself, why is he homeless? He has money to pay rent and not be homeless. With the monies he’s collecting, he has plenty of money to even buy clothes.
If there is no substance abuse problems, where is his money from the V.A. going? Even if he’s not collecting Social Security, which has to be applied for. He has over 31,000 dollars coming in a year. While that’s not a boatload of money, it certainly is enough to live above the lifestyle he has chosen to live.
If he is the combat vet as mentioned in the article, he HAS P.T.S.D. the severity would have to be determined. With that in mind he should be referred to mental health…..