Editor:
All veterans organizations are looking on with complete disgust. The Republican Senate and Republican Congress and the Veterans' Administration are marching in lock step, when it comes to the many thousands of veterans' claims on asbestos exposure being denied.
The allowing of a company called Haliburton, who is responsible for the asbestos exposure of millions of veterans, to have control of allowing of claims to those veterans who are dying in the thousands each and every day is criminal.
Also, only city and state employees in the twin towers attack are the only ones taken care of when it comes to asbestos exposure. All companies in the United States who supplied asbestos material are liable. The Republican Senate and the Republican Congress under the leadership of Orrin Hatch and Dick Cheney, then an act of Congress, gave complete control over a fund to take care of claims to the company most responsible to the distribution of asbestos material in the United States.
The company, Haliburton, and the V.A. are responsible to take care of those asbestos claims. It is not being done; thousands of veterans who were exposed are going to their graves each and every day. They are only accepting death by lung cancer and that is only rarely.
Exposure to asbestos causes heart disease and any part of the human body can be destroyed by asbestos exposure.
The means of transportation of our troops overseas in war-time was by ships laden with asbestos. Every American veteran was highly exposed to asbestos and asbestos products. Most all fire suits were of asbestos. All piping aboard ships were wrapped with asbestos. "Asbestos," was outlawed in Europe in the 1800s. All companies in America were aware of the dangers and the libelity under the law.
As for the rule of law for all Americans, both citizens and those in uniform when it comes to asbestos damage, the law is very clear.
The Veterans' Administration has lost the ability to deal with veterans fairly on legal claims of injury while serving in war-time.
The lack of transparency and the many secrets of doing business behind closed doors, cannot continue. Hundreds of thousands of veterans are going to their graves without their day in court. A nation that claims to believe in the rule of law has failed to protect its veterans. They are being denied their just claims by the veteran organization that represents all veterans. They operate behind closed doors.
No transparency - no day in court!
Billie E. Jewett
Sebring
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - www.newssun.com/ltr-121212-Jewett