Good morning all. The Resolution referenced on this webpage was passed 5-0 at the 9:30 AM Wharton County Commissioner's Court, held on the morning of 4-14-2014. I had asked Commissioner Chris King to put the Resolution on the meeting agenda. The next time you see the Wharton County Judge (Phillip Spenrath) or a Wharton County Commissioner (Leroy Dettling, Chris King, Steven Goetsch or Jimmy Kainer), you might want to thank them for passing the Resolution on behalf of our Navy Vietnam War Veterans, who are not getting the same benefits as "Boots On The Ground" Vietnam War Veterans are currently receiving.
Dwight Winkler
Wharton County Veteran's Service Officer
Following is a brief explanation of the creation of the resolution. I (Dwight Winkler) became aware of the Blue Water Navy Resolution after I helped a widow of a Navy Veteran file a compensation claim. Her husband had passed away from an Agent Orange disease associated with men who had served in Vietnam with "Boots On The Ground." The Veteran had served on a ship off the coast of Vietnam, and had never touched the ground of Vietnam, and thus, according to the VA (Veterans Administration), he was not entitled to the same benefits as those of us that had walked on the ground of Vietnam. I came across the website "Blue Water Navy Resolution" during the time the widow and I were preparing her claim. I decided to get the Wharton County Commissioner's Court to consider and possibly approve the resolution and I would then forward it to President Obama and members of the U.S. Congress in hopes of getting the "Blue Water Navy Veterans" the same benefits as other Vietnam Veterans now have. The resolution describes the increase in toxicity that the process of distillation caused when the Navy ships took in water for bathing, washing clothes, drinking, preparing food, and shaving, etc. from the waters off and inland rivers for the sailors on the ships. The sailors could possibly have been exposed to greater concentrations of Agent Orange than the men who were on the ground in Vietnam.
Dwight Winkler
Wharton County Veteran's Service Officer
The information contained on this webpage is intended for ALL Veterans in the Wharton County area, including the members of VVA Chapter 1069. You may call Dwight at his VSO Office (979-532-1311) if you have any questions about the information contained herin.
CLICK HERE to View or Print the Blue Water Resolution as a PDF document.