Just as message to all members especially ones with agent orange health issues .Ive wanted to make reunion since first found out my unit had formed .Didnt make first found out it was happening to late to schedule in .Was sick and on dialsis every since .One life long desires to make trip to reunion but because on dialsis 3 days a week mon wed fri 6 hrs a trip im going nowhere .If i can get a kidney transplant only shot to close to normal life i could travel .Seems the va more interested in my death then any shot at something illegal imigrants and othor non americans get free of charge at tax payers expense

Dick-Elizabeth is very busy and it takes her a while to get back to everybody but I am sure she will. She is a Veterans Affairs Director for Iowa but has volunteered to help the 589th as much as she can-workload in Iowa permitting. Hang in there Buddy and know your Brothers of the 589th are thinking of and praying for you.

Dealing with PTSD and agent orange for 45 years now Ive had several service officers .They have habit throwing me under the bus .Perry called me when first complained .He told me get in touch with elizabeth .Wrote email to only elizabeth listed on 589 site .Have heard nothing back .When va wouldnt pay my medical bills .Joined DAV life member .They were looking into getting med bills paid thousands of dollars several occurances all agent orange the service officer quit and that was the end of that so im member of yakima dav and get no help either .Had am vets service officer several years back she got into car accident recieved a million dollar settlement i got thrown under the bus again been involved with vietnam vets good and bad in their orginization .Was involved with american legion mostly because my mom wanted to be a member on my behalf .They got my training for diesel mechanic at Bellingham tech school lately everybody just waiting for me to die .Thats why never settled my being on dialsis for 2 years before settleing this year figured id die first same thing with transplant praying for me to die instead of accepting responsability and takeing care of agent orange diseases only place left to turn is try to get as meny people made aware of treatment as possible .Im going down with my computer in ny arms

Hey everyone. A quick note to bring you up to date with Charles Begley. He called today to let me know he's doing OK. Still in ICU from the surgery but all the Path reports came back clean. He will be in Hospital for another 3-4 weeks but told me he WILL be at the Reunion and is looking forward to seeing everyone. Drop him a note if you can and send good thoughts his way. Thanks

Wow! Carp and Dick have sure had a rough road to hoe with the VA. I do not know if you guys have met with a rep from the American Legion, VFW, Viet Nam Veterans of America or other Veteran organizations but everything I have found out is to get yourself an advocate and do not try to do this alone. The 589th Engr Bn Assn (Vietnam) put together a summary of what our members have done with VA and the best results have come with an advocate. Look at the Home page of our website and contact Don Baux and he can give you a phone number (Elizabeth) that might be able to help. We at the 589th are not an organization that contacts the VA for you but we can try to give you advice to get help. I can not say enough how important it is to get an advocate. Please do not blame the 589th for problems as there is nothing we can do to remedy them. Look me up on the list and call me and I will also try to see if we can get some advice to try and lead you in the right direction. Hang in there and hope this gets better!

Dennie, I called charles the day before his surgery. He said he would be at the reunion in sept. How are you doing? Patsy and I are still moving around.I have a lots of pain. E-mailed Al Cochran and he is not coming to the reunion this year. Al is in bad shape and I don't know anything we can do for him. Will see you at the reunion in sept.

carpenter know little about your pains from last connect .Feel for you .Recently joined vet friends life member .They said they would print my story on their news letter so sent them 45 years of abuse fro veterans administration keep rembering things i missed but hopefully get the word out .I get to be in pain from arthritise every day also deaf in left ear and teeth fell out add kidney transplant to list kiss that good by va doesnt even know what a kidney is let alone be responsable for transplants and top all that off with thousands of dollars in medical and ambulance bill they refuse to pay been through murray congress woman big joke got email from cantwell this am she treating me like a blue water vet only shot left is John McCain he hasnt bailed on me yet but he.s congressman for az dont know how long can depend on his help .Dont wish anybody walk in my shoes hang in bro Dick

i heer what your saying richard . for all the brothers that read this , i know what richard said about the va in washington is so true its scarry. i was told by my doc. because i had t h c in my blood i would never get pain meds agim from the va . i told my doc , the guy that sells the pot also sells pills , ill just by my paiin pills on the srteet . 3 days later i got pain pills in the mail . also i have about 1/2 usage of my left leg after the va left me in a bed for 13 mounths with siatica , i have called and ask senators and every one that would listin and all my words fall on deph ears . so its medicar for me and co pay . what a great goverment .thanks for listing guys and stay the hell out of washington state . love yea bro. welcome home

Hi carpenter look foreward to see you again .My kidneys shut down since last seen you so on dialsis 3 days a week .Follow up on bleeding ulcer 2 years ago .A month later heart attack diagnosed ishumatic heart disease agent orange .Wanted to make reunion but not makeing anything any more.If could get transplant closest i come to be able to get around .But you of all people know how washington state and veterans administration treat vets hers .On top of all that the va refuses to pay my medical and ambulance bills so have sheriff comeing with arrest warrants for non payment of debts .Happened 2 times now .Aint life a hoot Had a belly full of va 3 months ago quit dialsis .My brother called the va crisis hot line .They told him to get me to emergency room at seattle va and tell them the story .what a joke .They kept me for 2 weeks in 7 west physic ward .Found fluid in my lungs drained no idea where came from took xray 64 in all of heart stuck xray camera in my leg ran up to my heart have a look more nothing at least seattle has dialsis treatment been trying to get back for hearing treatment they tested my hearing,said i was deaf in left ear but never tried to correct or find out why teeth fell out years ago they wont fix tried to get meds for arthritise pain they told me i expect to much out of va .Was buying my ownarthritise meds but then the va wouldnt buy my kidney failed meds so had to give up arthritise for dialsis meds .They told me if my protien was not under control i would have to be on dialsis machine longer .Im on 3 hours now not doing any longer .Being from washington can pretty much kiss kidney transplant good by .Even though ive never failed any test theyve given so far just the way nam vets are treated in this country Laters Dick

richard vernon hey brother im sorry i havent called , talked with john he said you was having troubles , im so sorry i havent been in touch , it toulk 40 years to mess this place up and 3 to fix it . its alot warmer now i will saddle up and me and the wife will ride over soon , ill call first , sorry to heer you so sick bro. i was one of the first in cco.like yourself , ill call . welcome home carp

WOW! What a great week end with Freddie Guth, Ralph Downing (our wives) and Sam Hollenkamp! We met up with LT Herbert Hines for the first time in almost 45 years when he left Nam in Aug 68. LT and his wife and us all met near INDY and had an awesome time getting to know each other again and meeting his wife. For every bit as awesome as Herbie was his wife is even more so (Hey, she puts up with him everyday). For those that don't know LT was our leader that kept us safe and sound while we were TDY up north at LZ Jane and other places (if you went to the 2012 reunion you saw LZ Jane). We all feel that without the leadership of LT the outcome would have been different. To be able to sit and talk abouthow things were and how we are today was neat. If you have not met up with your buddies or attended a reunion you need to do so. Ask those who have and it is a wonderful feeling. Thanks for joining us LT and we are all looking forward to next time. Sign up for the reunion guys--seeing old freinds is a wonderful gift! See you in September!

looking for richard a palmer mos 62m20 Please contact me

Hey guys, wanted to let you know that I had a call from Charles Begley to let me know he is scheduled for surgery on March 11 at the Lexington VA Hospital. Said he may be there for up to 4 or 5 weeks. So if anyone lives near there or is passing through, I'm sure he would enjoy a visit. His son will keep me updated and I'll pass it along. Send some good thoughts his way.