Legislative Update
K2 Legislative News!
On Wednesday, 12 August 20, Mark T. Jackson, SFF Legislative Director, met with Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R, FL-12). After a straightforward telling of the K2 story and our struggles for recognition, Congressman Bilirakis agreed to co-sign HR 5957.
The importance of this cannot be overstated. Congressman Bilirakis is the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee (HVAC). His co-sponsorship and support will breathe new life into HR 5957. It and will override the Department of Veterans Affairs objections to the bill. This is happening because K2 veterans have refused to accept no for an answer this time.
Over the next few days, we will have letters and guidance for reaching out to Congress. In addition to the House bill; we have five different pieces of legislation that explicitly name and benefit K2 or provide some relief and recognition.
However, none of these bills officially recognizes Uzbekistan as a deployed location.
K2 veterans will not be fully recognized until Uzbekistan is added to Chapter 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations. [(38 CFR) §§3.317(c)(1) and 3.317(e)(1)-(2)] These sections define the Southwest Asia theater of operations – including Afghanistan. They define several presumptive conditions, all of which have occurred in K2 veterans.
Learn more about K2 here.
I’m a Air Force vet that worked on C141B aircraft and I have been out of the service 30 years. Watching Brad Lea show had me curious. I’m sending this info to other people I know and my veteran friends. I am a nobody but people need to learn this stuff. I appreciate your service to our country and I am sickened by this. I can not join the American Legion or Am Vets because of dates set forth by Congress so I feel your anguish. Thank you all K2 vets and the rest that didn’t go there.
Craig, Thank you for your service and your support! Our K2 Veterans need all the voices they can get. Even one voice will eventually multiply into many.
I came home in 03 from K2 after an 8 month deployment in the Army. I developed all of the ptsd symptom’s but had not been in direct combat. Finally, after my wife wrote a letter to former president Bush, I was diagnosed with cognitive brain disorder due to Mefloquine toxicity. Today, 28 Oct 2020 is the first I’ve heard of SFF. As an construction engineer I had many encounters with digging up small vials of something with chemical masks, working outside the berm in a depleted uranium site. I was the NCOIC of constructing the DOD approved ASP. During those 8 months we were sucking in the contaminated dust from all the dirt work we were doing. I am interested in getting involved as is my wife who actually is responsible for my 100% service connected disability rating. If there is anything that we may be able to help others with, we’re in. Thank you for this site.
Donnie
Thank you Donnie for your support!
I serve at K-2 from 2003 to 2004. During this time there was constant construction and digging occurring. After I returned I developed a respiratory condition that has yet to be well controlled. They called it Asthma but I have no history of asthma at any point in my life, have always maxed the P.T. test without any health issues. Now, I can only control my symptoms with the use of steroid inhalers with occasional oral steroid dosing. I often have Gastrointestinal issues that also is hard to control. Many of other soldiers who served with me, also are having the same problems. What we may have come in contact with is still in question. It needs to be recognized and appropriate care needs to be in place. I hope all of you get the care you deserve.
Colonel Retired.
Thank you for your service. If you are not a part of our K2 group, I hope that you will join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/K2ToxicExposures