On a veteran board known as Hadit.com where I have been a member since October 2002 James Scripps posted this notice at 1230 am this morning, excited to say the least

On November 2, 2009, I won the first ever VA claim for Agent Orange exposure, "inside the Continental United States." The claim was granted for Chloracne, Diabetes and Heart Disease with ICD implant, as due to Agent Orange exposure at Fort Gordon GA., in the years 1967-1969. You will be able to read the Board Of Veterans Appeals detailed decision along with the supporting evidence at WWW.va.gov in a couple of months when it is posted. From the web site choose Board of Veterans Appeals, then click on Decisions. Next type in the search box Docket No.08-11 937. Due to the AICD implant, Class 3 CHF and a LVEF of 25% there should be a 100% P&T award. Other than a $15.00 Medicare copay, here and there, no money was spent on an IMO, so take heart, you don't have to be rich to win! James M. Cripps,

Vietnam Veterans OF America Tennessee Agent Orange Committee Chairman.

In otherwords he recieved his notification letter from the Board of Veteran Appeals. This tells me two things, that veterans with heart disease will now have their claims granted as being related to Agent Orange exposure, as this is the first grant known by the Board since Secretary Shinseki made the conditions presumptive.

This shows other veterans where ever they were exposed to AO that if they have heart disease, they will get their veterans benefits, thanks to President Obama's appointee making this decision to make heart disease presumtive to AO exposure.

Many veterans have felt that their heart problems were somehow related to the dioxin exposure, other medical studies had shown this relationship, but the federal government relied on research data from a study named "Ranch Hand" which was conducted by the Air Force as it was mostly Air Force planes that sprayed the toxic substances in Vietnam.

Many people had complained that the study ignored to many suspected medical issues like heart disease, due to the high cost of liability if that connection was ever made, even Admiral Zumwalt was concerned about this, his son died from cancer related to AO exposure he received while on military service in Vietnam.

This is a great day for James Scripps and his family, it is a greater day for all of this nations veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange either in Vietnam or anyplace else in the world, if they can prove they were exposed even in CONUS or as the rest of us call it the United States, and they have heart disease, the nation will now keep the "PROMISE" and most of the future veterans making the same claim that James Scripp made will not have to wait four and a half years to obtain their veterans benefits.

Congratulations to James and his family, and my eternal thanks to Secretary Shinseki for doing the right thing regardless of the cost in making the right call to add these three medical conditions as presumptive and stopping the denial of compensation to these veterans and their families. It has been 34 years since the Vietnam war ended officially, this win for the nations veterans was a long time in coming, and I don't believe it would have happened without Eric Shinseki making that call. President Obama picked this nations veteran the best advocate they have had in years. Thank you.

UPDATE It has been pointed out to me that James Scripps claim was handled similar to those of Vietnam Veterans exposed to AO they get diagnosed with Diabetes type 2 then get cardiac problems service connected as a secondary conditions to their DM2 diagnosis and this may not have anything to do with Secretary Shinseki's recent decision to make cardiac conditions as a presumptive condition as a stand alone issue.

We will not know the real reason for the BVA award until the decision is posted online at the BVA site in about 2 months, the only difference is that this is the first case of AO that has been service connected for exposure in the United States, yes all Nam vets are automatically considerd to have been exposed to Agent Orange veterans in other places have to fight on a case by case basis, Guam, Thailand, Korea, Panama etc, this man was at Fort Gordon Georgia where he sprayed the AO himslef as part of his military duties. So the whole truth won't be known for a few months yet.