Friday, October 23, 2009

To the Staff Writer with the Ashland City Times who asked me the agent orange related questions.

In answer to your first question, the address of the meeting place is correct, we are right next to the fire hall. 

In answer to your second question, “ how to file a claim for an entitlement, compensation and /or medical benefits?” Simple! The veteran merely travels down the street to the local Cheatham County Veterans Service Office, and signs up.  

But hold on, I seem to have forgotten! Cheatham County is one of the two or three Tennessee counties that has no County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO). We cannot afford one. Oh my! Now we are talking about an entirely different process!

Now lets redirect this veteran.

The veteran travels to downtown Nashville with an early start, that’s no trick for a disabled veteran, we are tough. Parking? No problem. At the intersection of Ninth and Broad, there are about twelve parking meters on the West side of the Federal Courthouse building. The third floor of the courthouse is the home office of the Tennessee Department Of Veterans Affairs and that office is the veterans final destination.  If he continues to circle the block, for about an hour or so, he probably will find out that he barely missed an open metered parking spot, as many other disabled veterans are circling the block for the same reason.

Beware, there is a loading zone nestled between the metered parking slots, income generated from parking violations there probably are sufficient to cover the courthouse electric bill each month. Numerous veterans have fallen for that trap before our veteran came along and made the meter maid’s daily quota. The vet’s next best parking option is the lot at the Frist Center if he has a minimum of five bucks in his pocket. That is not an option for our veteran as he just spent his last dollar at Walmart, our man had to pour that last buck in the empty gas tank, in order to make his journey. Now you tell me, where is the average disabled veteran going to get five bucks, especially considering that day being so close to the end of the month?

The next tried and proven option is to ease on down towards first avenue, and look along the way for a vacant parking meter, somewhere, anywhere. With his disabled veterans tag he won’t have to pay the meter, if he indeed manages to find one vacant. No such luck and low on fuel.

Now what? No choice. Go ahead and park in one of the paid lots somewhere between 4th and 2nd avenue. Look between the seats, then remove the back seat. Somewhere, there has to be lost coins, the ammunition needed to feed the numbered slot. Found it! Now replace the rear seat so you can get to your oxygen bottle, you might want to take two, its all up hill from here. You had better hurry along soldier! A few quarters are not going to keep that tow truck pinned down for very long. 

Remember, you are disabled, or you wouldn’t be trying to charge up hill in the first place. Don’t mind the rain, you’ll be soaked by the time you defeat that hill, no matter what the weather does. A little extra therapy on that prosthetic leg of yours can’t hurt you either, just take it all in stride.

Also, don’t forget to stop at the east side of the building, drop to your knees, reach through the wrought iron fence and plant that pocket knife in the leaves below the bushes, it is not allowed inside. Now take five. Study that West side revolving door, it favors an ambush. Here is where you’ll get some the extra therapy. That peg leg of yours will come in handy. Be glad that you took a rest. Plan your strategy. Now, prepare to charge, advance on that door at quick step. Stay alert, and take advantage of the situation. Let that point man go through that revolving door first ahead of you.  Protect your right flank, defend your rear and anticipate the ambush of that second door advancing from behind. Remember your training, I’ve got your six.

Remove everything from your pockets, right now! Put those pocket items in the tray, yep, those medications too. Explain to the Federal Marshal that you really have nothing in that back pocket. That detector went off because of the shrapnel that you carry in your buttocks. While you are at it, go ahead and try to explain that if you take the belt off, your pants will fall down, because you no longer have a left hip, or should it be, a hip left? Whatever, the pants will still end up on the ground in either case.

Next, they will try to tell you that it will be ok to walk between the metal detectors because they are pacemaker / defibrilator safe. You are not going buy that one again are you? Demand the alternative and assume the position, prepare yourself for the forthcoming total body search. When they detect the implanted defibrillator in my chest. I feel so violated, and I am embarrassed by the publicly executed total body search, and the pat down.  I understand how you feel as you stand there allowing your pacemaker to be reprogrammed by the hand held wand. Just do it! It just means another trip to the VA hospital next week to have them reset your micro switches.

Your next obstacle, sign in on the visitor list, if those numb fingers will allow it. Did I just hear the security guard say to you, “don’t bother to sign in, they all just left the building for the day. We don’t see veterans after 12:00 hours on Fridays come back next week.” “Oh, by the way sir, I must have disturbed your colostomy bag, you have a stain on your clothes there.”

Don’t say anything man, just focus on the next mission. Retreat! Negotiate that revolving door again and don’t give it another thought, “It don’t mean nothing,” and the homeless person who got your pocket knife, he probably needed it more than you do anyway.  As our hero suspiciously descends the hill his eye brow twitches and a tear whales up in his eye. Only for a second will he allow his subconscious thoughts to roam as he revisits this exact spot on the sidewalk where, in 1969, a young lady called,“America”, spat on his uniform and called him a baby killer. Return to us now, old soldier, look at the bright side, the sun is at your back now, and it’s all downhill from here.

Don’t fret as you gaze between the yellow stripes at the spot in the parking lot where you left the truck, you knew that you didn’t have the gas to get back home when you parked it there.  His keen ears now hear the roar of the plane as it glides on its landing path, and reflexes give him cause to bolt. At ease brother! That is no C-123 and there is no Agent Orange spewing from its wings. That happened to you a long time ago. Stand down man! 

It’s late now and the warm air that is drifting up from the gutter vents beckon Henry to sit there a while and warm up. I think I’ll stay here a little while.  With those thoughts being his final thought and the turn of an oxygen valve, an old soldier retires. Why couldn’t we afford a County Service Offi._–-_–_———————————————?

In answer to your third question, 

As for tomorrow old man, just sleep in, you’ll be awarded your marker, there is no need for you to apply, I am honored to handle that detail for you brother. I also understand that freedom isn’t free, and that somebody paid! My pledge to you today is to work feverishly with our Cheatham County officials, so as to ensure that the now vacant position of Cheatham County Service Officer is filled. In the interim, everyone else can contact me for further information on how to file for those military benefits and entitlements that you so well deserved. Thank you for your service and welcome home Henry.

James M. Cripps

SP-5 US Army 1967-1970

(615) 952 3213

Henry’s story, however true, was conjured from a mixture of my own experiences, and those of my fellow veterans, and Henry’s. I reserve all rights, whether expressed or implied and dedicate this story to my life long friend, Henry. 1932 – 2008