We both enjoy visiting FR for our news. We find news faster here than we can ANYWHERE! Been members a long time. Made great FRiends here. Vets Husband is retired military and Federal employee. His last job in the military was as an Aviation Battalion Commander retiring after 24 years. He began his military career as an enlisted man and retired a LTC. He retired Jan. 2007 after flying with the Federal Gvt. as a pilot, a "jet jockey" (I would rather keep his employer anonymous.) Vets Wife (me) is 100 disabled Vet and worked in the medical field until my military disability became overwhelming forcing medical retirement. Here's our story for interest sake:

Both of our Dads served. Vets_Husband's Dad served as a B-17 Bomber Pilot during WWII, (we just lost him Dec. 2006) and Vets_wives's Dad served as a Coast Guard Cook during WWII. Vets Wife had two brothers serve during Vietnam. I'll talk about one of those brothers in a moment. Both of us served during Viet Nam. Vets Wife (me) Worked out of Andrews AFB, 11th Med Detach Group. While stationed in Washington DC., I had the HONOR of working on our troops, but I had an extra warm place in my heart for the last group of POW's who came home and I got to work on some of them as they returned. My last duty assignment was McChord AFB. I will never forget my service and the people I met. I still have two close life long friends from that time. My first civilian job was Madigan Army Hospital, working OBGyn, and Maternity Ward.

Vets_Husband was a Medivac Pilot in Viet Nam. He was there from July 1968 through July 1969. "Long Binh" 45th Medical Company (AA/Air Ambulance). He supported everyone in that area to include "101st, 2nd Cav and Big Red One."

He then served in "Dong Tam" (HA/Helicopter Ambulance) 247th Medical Detachment. There they supported the 9th Infantry Division.

He was shot down once, during which he was surrounded by the enemy and was under fire. Found an Infantryman with a big gun and stuck by him until he was rescued. He got out with only a stiff neck at the time, but it has now caused degenerative disease. It will require surgeries. They crashed upside down. He also crashed once because of a faulty tail rotor and survived that without injury (he has some amazing stories to tell about those incidents and we're lucky he's alive.)

At times he would assist the Docs and medical personnel as they amputated the arms and legs of our wounded troops. He helped in any way he could. Going above and beyond his job description and duties. He said he felt it was the "least" he could do.. it was such chaos at times. There are visual and other sensory memories that he will never forget, like the smell of burning flesh, and blood. He carried the wounded, sick, and dying at times, back to the M.A.S.H. units. They weren't supposed to carry the dead, but on rare occasion they did. The BIG RED CROSS on the side was supposed to be a signal to the enemy that it was an air ambulance and was hands off, but as many of you who served know, it didn't stop them. In fact it made the perfect target. One of his worst memories was having a patient think they were rescued and safe, then having them get "hit" while on their way back to the M.A.S.H unit. He can still hear their screams.

We lost many a Medivac Pilots in Nam. He had a Co-Pilot hit. Bullets would wiz through the cockpit. (I've never met a Vietnam Vet who didn't appreciate the Medivac Pilot) I thank God that despite all he lived through, he's a happy normal man. (So many were "terribly scared" from their experiences, and our hearts go out to them, we salute them and pray for them).

My husbands a hero. As are so many Vets we've encountered and know(n) in our lives. We both lost friends during Viet Nam, we will never forget them. I have a brother who was "left" there.

** I need to clarify that his "body" came home, but the person who left never came back. When he joined with a friend, he was a happy go lucky 18 year old, very popular in HS., athletic, and very smart. The man that came home was "never" our dancing, singing, (Tom Jones style), laughing brother again.

We love him, and are happy he "returned" home alive. But like so many others it is a different person who returned. One "personality" left our home to go there,.. but another one returned. I mean no disrespect to those who gave the "ultimate sacrifice", "their LIVES." I only can describe my brother from what we all feel in our family. While it feels like my brother died,.. we still "have" him. Though he seems incapable of "feelings" we can still see him and touch him, which is obviously "NOT" the case for those whose family members never returned. His life was changed forever, his mind "forever" damaged. I mean no disrespect to those whose loved ones never returned when I describe our brother as "gone". It appears we must miss the brother that left and appears to have never come home.

Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the families and friends, the loved ones of our Nations Hero's who never returned.

We are both professional people. I got really sick when I was serving. It lasted for a couple months. But I never knew what it was. Little did I know until a few years later. I was diagnosed in 1980 with NonA/NonB Hepatitis and told it would go away in four years. It didn't. I continued working in the medical field until 1991 when things got really bad. Then the severity of my illness forced me into medical retirement. I was a back office nurse as a civilian. I loved my job. I worked in emergency meds, Peds, ObGyn. I did volunteer work for Hospice and Special Olympics. It turns out I got Hepatitis C from cuts and gouges in the field I worked in during my tenure in the military service. We didn't use gloves, masks, or eye goggles back then, even though we encountered a lot of blood in my field (we did wear gloves during surgeries.)

We didn't know the risks. Or that any illness lurked out there back then. They didn't exists to our knowledge in the medical field. So, precautions weren't taken like they are now days. Because of seriological evidence in my military records midway in my tour, and because of witness testimony (everyone saw the wounds, they happened often), VA finished my disability rating really fast. The evidence was so solid. They gave me a 100 percent Total and Permanent disability rating. We are dealing with the "global effects" of my disease and the secondary illnesses it has caused. It affects the brain and my intestines. I'm on anti-seisure meds and they are working well. I am unable to take Interferon. We've tried twice. I am one of the "one percent" that gets worst on it. But I don't want that to discourage others with HepC from taking it!My husband and I are a team, we are fighters. We will never give up!!!

68% of our Viet Nam Vets are infected, so a fellow Vet gave this to me, but it wasn't knowingly. I've prayed for that Vet a million times. I wonder if he or she is still alive or suffering. I PRAY to God they are ok.

If your reading this and your a Viet Nam Vet,..please be tested. There is now admission by the CDC that some of the gamma glob shots we rec'd at the time carried the virus, then there was exposure by our Vets to blood in the field. (In field blood transfusions. No time during combat to go get blood!) Blood transfusions with blood from unknowing carriers. Then I worked on them when they returned. So please get tested. It is imperative. Life changes can be made that may help you live longer! Though I cannot take Interferon treatments, they do work for some. But finding out early is key!

UPDATE - DEC. 2003: THOUGH THIS ISN'T WHY I GOT MY RATING, I GOT MINE AS A VIETNAM ERA VET WHO GOT IT FROM "WORKING ON" FELLOW VETS WHO OBVIOUSLY "WERE" INFECTED AND I HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTS W/BLOOD TO BLOOD CONTACT AND THEY WERE WITNESSED BY CO-WORKERS. THEN I BECAME SICK. BUT IT CERTAINLY "MAY" APPLY TO ONE OF MY BROTHERS OR SISTERS FROM THAT TIME. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! IF YOU GOT HEP/C FROM YOUR SERVICE YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HELP! GOD BLESS, MARY ANN

**READ THE FOLLOWING**

YREKA - My office just received some really good news for veterans suffering with Hepatitis C. The newly created specialty rating team in Cleveland, Ohio known as the "Tiger Team" awarded a Vietnam veteran a service connected disability for Hepatitis C.

The decision, which just came out in August of this year, was as a result of the "Jet Injectors" used for inoculations of most service members during the Vietnam Era

A research project headed by Lawrence Deyton, MSPH, MD, the Director of Aids/Hepatitis at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington D.C. said in part, "Anyone who had inoculations with the jet injector is at risk of having Hepatitis C and should be tested." Research indicates that the Hepatitis C virus still exists on medical instruments after cleaning with many solutions. I don't believe that this statement could be any clearer. Most of us who served during this era can remember the long inoculation lines and blood running freely down many of our arms during these inoculations with the jet injectors.

END OF UPDATE FOR DEC-03

There are not enough livers donated to save everyone who needs them.

Yet there are enough accidental deaths to cover every single organ donation ever needed!!! HEARTS, LUNGS, KIDNEYS, LIVERS, etc.

Many people don't realize that even if you have a living will,.. even if you marked on your driver license a desire to be an organ donor, all that has to happen is for ONE FAMILY member to state they don't want it ... and your wishes in the majority of States, will not be followed. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME...

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS KNOW YOUR WISHES,..SEND THEM A CERTIFIED LETTER IF NEED BE.. THEN KEEP THAT ON FILE!!JUST MAKE SURE YOUR WISHES ARE WELL KNOWN!

I wanted to share this information with all of you. In talking to people, a lot of them didn't know this about being an organ donor.

God Bless America,..and all our Allies in the years to come. Our New President has his work cut out for him, many allies to gain back, A lack of Foreign policy to fix, and he needs to reverse the damage that the Clinton Administration has done to our Economy. Data shows we were already "in" a recession!

I thank God that we FINALLY have dignity and honor restored to our White House. We respect President Bush,.. and we salute him~~ We are praying his policies will reflect that which is the very best of America. We have faith that the ADULTS have returned, and feel safe knowing a man of Faith is our President. There is a difference in "acting" like you believe, and truly being a person of religious conviction!! President Bush and the First Lady are just what our country needed. He has a wonderful Cabinet and Staff, and we thank God for him during this period in our Country.

~~Mary Ann/FemaleVet~~

UPDATE 6/3/03: I wrote the paragraph about the President after the election, and before 9/11. I never knew how prophetic those words would end up being.

UPDATE

12-03 WE STILL FEEL THIS PRESIDENT IS A BLESSING TO THIS NATION. IT TOOK 8 LONG YEARS, AND LOTS OF TARGET PRACTICE FOR THE TERRORIST TO GET IT RIGHT, AND THEY DID, THEY HIT THE WTC'S AND HIT THE PENTAGON KILLING OVER 3,000 AMERICANS.

LIKE THE HEROIC PEOPLE ON FLIGHT 93 SAID "LETS ROLL". NOW WE FIGHT THOSE WHO WOULD TRY TO DESTROY US "IN IRAQ". THE TROOPS LOVE THIS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AND SO DO WE. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF IN THE HARD DAYS AHEAD! We either fight this in Iraq, or the terrorist come here. Our troops are awesome. God Bless our troops!

UPDATE Nov. 22, 2004. God Bless President Bush on his SECOND term as President!