January 2009 Newsletter

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Subic Bay Marines is to perpetuate memories of our duty in the Philippines and to foster camaraderie among Subic Bay Marines at an annual reunion. The Subic Bay Marines will serve as a role model for all Marines, past, present and future.

We will honor our commitment to this mission until there is no longer a Subic Bay Marine standing.

We will be offering 2 tours on Friday, August 28th, 2009.
Tour  No.1 will leave from the hotel at 10:00 AM and visit the ‘United States Air Force Academy’, and then visit the ‘Garden of the Gods’, with lunch included, returning to the hotel at 3:30 PM.

Tour No. 2 will leave from the hotel at 6:00 PM and visit the ‘Flying W Ranch’ for a chuck wagon dinner and a western show and return to the hotel at 10:00 PM (See reservations at the end of the newsletter or on the website for tour prices)

There will be a complimentary hot, full buffet breakfast served every morning at the hotel. The hospitality suite will open and check-in will begin at 1200 hours (12 noon) on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 followed by a ‘Corner Street Deli Buffet’ at 1800 hours (6:00 PM)

Saturday night banquet choices will be Prime Rib of beef or Chicken Cordon Bleu. Our Sunday morning farewell breakfast will feature a choice of either scrambled eggs or french toast (both plated, not buffet).

We hope that this whets your appetite and we see all of you in Colorado Springs!

TAPS
We regret to announce the death of the following Subic Bay Marines.

Mr. Bill Shockly, 76-77, , LCpl, A Co,  died 12-11-08. Reported by his wife.

Mr. Richard "Dick" Lister, 57-59, Msgt, Sep Gd Co, died 12-07-08. Reported by Dennis R. Smith.

**Fallen Soldier Battle Cross image from www.starhq.com

SECRETARY NOTES
Our dues year runs from January 1 to December 31. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!  The annual dues are $25.00. These dues pay primarily for the web site, the periodic Newsletters and the recruiting effort. If you are philosophically opposed to paying dues and would wish to make a voluntary contribution to defray expenses, the Subic Bay Marines will appreciate it. Please send checks or money orders to: Subic Bay Marines, c/o Tony Amundsen, 4353 Scenic Dr, Pittsburg, CA 94565.

2009 Philippine Tour
The tour Chuck Viteck was preparing has been postponed due to an increase in the overall cost per person. Chuck will continue to look for an opportunity to put something together once costs come down to a reasonable level.

Gulf War Syndrome Is Real, Panel Concludes
Washington Post, November 18, 2008, Pg. 14

A report released yesterday concluded that Gulf War syndrome is a legitimate condition suffered by more than 175,000 U.S. military veterans who were exposed to chemical toxins in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.  The congressionally mandated report could help veterans who have battled the government for treatment of a wide range of unexplained neurological illnesses, including multiple sclerosis and brain cancer.  The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses concluded that Gulf War syndrome is a distinct physical condition.

"Scientific evidence leaves no question that Gulf War illness is a real condition with real causes and serious consequences for affected veterans," said the committee, which was appointed in 2002.  The panel, made up of independent scientists and veterans appointed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Congress should boost funding for research on Gulf War veterans' health to at least $60 million per year.

The committee challenged several earlier studies and reports by expert panels of the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine.  Most recently, 13 scientists assembled by the Institute wrote in September 2006, after reviewing 850 studies -- essentially all the scientific literature on the topic -- that "the nature of the symptoms suffered by many Gulf War veterans does not point to an obvious diagnosis, etiology [cause], or standard treatment." Half a dozen other expert groups have also concluded previously that Gulf War syndrome does not exist as a distinct condition.

The new report, however, found that Gulf War syndrome affects at least one-fourth of the 700,000 U.S. troops who served in the 1991 effort to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. Symptoms include persistent headaches, widespread pain, cognitive difficulties, unexplained fatigue, skin rashes, chronic diarrhea, and digestive and respiratory problems.  Many veterans with these symptoms say they met with skepticism when seeking treatment.  The panel found two possible causes: a drug given to troops to protect against nerve gas, known as pyridostigmine bromide, and pesticides that were used heavily during the war. It said other possible causes could not be ruled out.

The government has spent roughly $440 million on Gulf War health research since 1994, but spending has declined in recent years.

Agent Orange Was Held in Subic Bay Magazine
Over the past several years we have heard from the Subic Bay Marines that they may have been exposed to Agent Orange while in Subic Bay. Recently, the New Zealand Government indicated that their country shipped Agent Orange to the Cubi Point Magazine for storage and future deployment. The information below provides details on how to determine if you are eligible for benefits

Vietnam Veterans Benefit From Agent Orange Rules
Vietnam veterans may be eligible for compensation and health care for certain diseases associated with Agent Orange, the defoliant sprayed to unmask enemy hiding places in the jungles throughout Vietnam.

Special health care and compensation benefits are available to the 2.6 million men and women who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, only 3,300 of whom remain in uniform today. Those discharged during that period are the largest group of veterans receiving VA health care and monthly compensation. A small percentage of their disability claims are for illnesses that scientists have listed as being associated with Agent Orange. VA presumes that all military personnel who served in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange, and federal law presumes that certain illnesses are a result of that exposure. This “presumptive policy” simplifies the process of receiving compensation for these diseases since VA foregoes the normal requirements of proving that an illness began or was worsened during military service. Based on clinical research, the following diseases are on VA’s Agent Orange list of presumptive disabilities:

- acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy    -porphyria cutanea tarda
-chloracne                                                         -prostate cancer
-chronic lymphocytic leukemia                          -respiratory cancers
-Hodgkin’s disease                                           -(lung, bronchus, larynx and trachea)
-multiple myeloma                                            -soft-tissue sarcoma, acute
-non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma                               -Type II diabetes mellitus

In addition, monetary benefits, health care and vocational rehabilitation services are provided to Vietnam veterans’ offspring with spina bifida, a congenital birth defect of the spine. Children of female veterans who served in Vietnam are authorized health care and monetary benefits for certain additional birth defects.

Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war also are eligible for a complete physical examination. If a VA physician suspects a disease might be related to Agent Orange, VA will provide free medical care. Those who participate in the examination program become part of an Agent Orange Registry and receive periodic mailings from VA about the latest Agent Orange studies and new diseases being covered under VA policies.

Vietnam veterans and their families can contact VA for more information about these benefits. For the Agent Orange Registry physical examination, call a local VA hospital or clinic listed in the government pages of your phone book. To file a compensation claim for a current disability related to Agent Orange, veterans can call 1-800-827-1000 for an application form or visit VA’s Web site at: http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov.

Camp Lejeune Water Study
The United States Marine Corps encourages all those who resided at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between 1957–1987 to register now to receive updated information and notifications regarding the ongoing Water Study.  The Department of the Navy is funding health studies to determine when the drinking water was first impacted, who may have consumed it, and whether or not there may be an association between exposure to the water and certain health conditions. If you know of any family members or friends who were at Camp Lejeune during this period, please encourage them to register.
More information can be found at https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clsurvey/ or by calling 1(877) 261-9782. Please ensure the widest dissemination of this information to the entire Marine Corps Family!

Note from Chuck Vitek
Chuck has exhausted his supply of information and needs your help to find other Subic Bay Marines. Please search your PCS orders, address books, rifle or swim qualification roster from your PI Tours and forward that information to Chuck at chuckvitek@cox.net.

Call it ‘Camp Luh-jern’
There is a push to correctly pronounce the name of the Lt. Gen. John Archer Lejeune, one of the Corps’ all-time. Apparently, the pronunciation has changed over the years from the family pronunciation to the more commonly used speech.
A 30 foot wide billboard was placed at the entrance of Camp LeJeune for some time, but has been removed. It stated, “Welcome home ... to the most disciplined and aggressive fighting force the world has ever known! And Marines ... say and speak my name correctly: Luh-JERN. Semper Fi!” see more at the following link.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_lejeunename_092908w/

Commemorative Coins
Bob White, 76-77, has acquired some 1½” brass commemorative coins that he will be glad to furnish to you. One side has a Marine Corps Emblem with “Point, and “C” Co/ Subic Bay Marines” and “Brothers Forever” around the emblem and “A” Co/Hq, Mainside, “B” Co/Separate Guard Co, Cubi Detached Guard Co, San Miguel on the very outside. Colors are mainly red, blue and gold. The reverse of the coin has the American and Philippine Flags and a colorful jeepney with Marine Barracks, Subic Bay Philippines and 1899 – 1992 around the outside.
Total cost is $7.00 plus postage. Any profit will go to the Subic Bay General Fund. To order a coin or coins, call Bob at 815-544-3932 or e-mail him at bobwhiteludy@aol.com.

The Subic Bay Marines Web Site can be found at http://www.subicbaymarines.com. Check it out. Read the Bulletin Board and Newsletters. Sign the Guest Book. Find friends in the Guest Book and read the comments on one of the finest duty stations available to Marines. Please keep us posted if you find anything amiss on the site, such as unwanted postings, or apparent spam.