Any one from Desert Storm and 101st have Hep C?

I have started a claim with my VA for Hep C while stationed at Ft.Campbell, KY 101St 326th Engineer Co. C and I am wondering if anyone has Hep C like I did. I found out early enough to stop it and have been clear for over 7 years now.  I am certain that it was from the air administer shot prior to deployment to the Gulf. If I can connect with one more Veteran then my and your claim will be valid, which I know it is anyways!

Let me Know.

[FlGuy]

Here is a good place to start....

http://www.hcvets.com

[FlGuy]

Here is a good place to start....

http://www.hcvets.com

[101_st_326th_Engineer_hart]

FIGuy, Thanks for the fyi I do use and visit that web site as well. I just hope to connect with someone from the 101st or even better my brigade, battalion or company.  Thanks for the info.

Chris H.

[FlGuy]

Sorry,  I was a couple of wars ahead of you.
When I first read your post back on the 12th, I poked around a little bit - but not a lot.  I thought I read somewhere that there was a presumption that non-specified infection time and place could be construed as service related.  I didn't look very far but also thought that I read that such a presumption might result in some small (like 20% disability).  I didn't read the part where a "buddy" was required.  But, good luck anyway.

[meakea]

I wish you the best with your claim Chris and thank you for your service to our Country!!

[ClippedWings]

Chris,
  If you look at the criteria in the CFRs for VA disability for Hepatitis C, you will see that the entering argument is:  "With serologic evidence of hepatitis C infection and the following signs and symptoms due to hepatitis C infection:” If you have cleared the virus, I don't think you meet the standard for being infected.  I may be wrong on this, but I do know that having an ongoing infection was listed as criteria in my rating decision.  Having said that, if you have damage from HCV and can establish service connection, you may be able to get a disability rating.  To establish a service connection, you need to show either evidence of infection while you were on active duty or be able to show that your service was "more likely than not" the cause of infection.  We all went through a thorough physical when we came on active duty.  If that physical did not reveal evidence of hepatitis infection but your exit physical did show infection, you should have an easy go of establishing service connection assuming you had no IV drug use in service.  Trying to prove a service connection without evidence of infection while on active duty is very difficult, but some vets have prevailed.  The VA has established criteria and in my experience they have applied the criteria fairly, but the evidence must exist for them to find in your favor.  I was able to obtain service connection for my HCV, but I was not nearly as fortunate as you in clearing the virus.  I actually had the opposite course of disease progression and had a liver transplant three months ago for HCV related cirrhosis.  Let me know if you have any questions about the VA process, I'd be happy to help.
Bill
USN Retired

[orphanedhawk]

I know  many guys who were infected during the Vietnam war era. Sorry to hear the military haven't cleaned up their act.

[Mizzicat]

Hi, thank you for serving.Will try to get back to this tomorrow with specific links. My hubby is a Viet Vet with hepc. He did find a directive in the VAs procedure manual still in effect that says when there is reasonable doubt in your favor, they are supposed to find in favor of the Veteran. I will see if he can find it.
There is a site as well with the Va's official stance on the airgun issue, will get URL's Later.
+ more. it is not very promising without malpractice. In other words did they clean it between shots in a manner as presribed in the pertinent Operations Manual. If they were supposed to wipe or spray it with a partcular disinfectant and didn't.
They still deny most claims. 5 or 6 Veterans have Been Awarded high dollar ammounts when the Supreme Court found in thir favor so that may help if you decide to push it.
We hooked up with a number of people we served with on Classmates.com in their military section by unit and duty stations, etc., as well as at Miltary.com. It's all listed by branch of service etc and you look up how many members of your unit are on the list and make contact. Facebook, MyLife, etc. There are also many services where for a small fee, you get a public data search done by a pro if you know their names.+++we found some old friends that way.
Good luck.Later, Mizzicat
If you had any other blood contact it would help.

[Steve_MHModerator]

You may want to cross-post in the Military Health Issues Community  forum (http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Military-Health-Issues/show/265). Someone there may "know someone who knows someone".