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<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Police investigation of Mr. Antolini</span></div> <div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<em><span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Officer: -Now sir I know you’ve been talking with us for quite some time but can you -please clear up one and for all your feelings for your student Holden -Caulfield.</span></em></div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">I still -remember that day. The day in which I found death and what was deep in my -heart. It all began when around dusk I was grading essays my students had -turned in. The crisp words and direct views slid through my mind. These -essays’s had no power or thought behind them, there was no voice hidden in the -typed paragraphs. After the sea of essays had ebbed to that of a trickle I -began looking forward to one essay in particular. As I was about to reach for -the paper marked with the initials H.V.C. the serenity in my dim cramped office -was broken by the sound of a huge crash in the east courtyard. There was a -second in which one quick thought passed through my mind. A thought that if -somebody who was a bit less frozen to the padded seat might have ignored. I am -unable to ignore any thought that passes through my mind much less one that -passes through while I'm stuck to my seat in terror. The thought was more like -a brief intuitive word, the word death. All of a sudden, <br> -I remember that this huge wave of awareness came crashing to me and the -knowledge that I was the closest teacher to the dorms came back. I remember -dropping my red pen and pushing away from the neat desk. Everything at Elkton -Hills always had to be organized. Everything had to have its place. Maybe -that is why I always enjoyed being near to that one person who seemed to be the -only one not to have a tidy little space to fit into. Any way’s I was running -down the finely painted corridor in a matter of seconds. The dim lights and -the elegantly printed bulletins were a blur in my rush to see what had -happened. The sun was about to go down and a cool breeze wisped past my dry -face. This quiet and magical time in the day is normally my favorite but that -evening was not the time to enjoy nature’s pleasant little gifts. The students -were bunches together in a wide ring seemingly frozen in place. I<br> - pulled one boy aside that I had seen walking the halls at night with a posse -of boys. For once, the boy's face seemed almost as white as Elkton Hills -marble staircase. There seemed to be a gloss to his eyes that is unnatural for -a boy that age."What's happened here?" I asked. The boy didn't answer me. I -began to shake him while saying "answer me boy, what's happened here?' I -received no reply so I let go of the pale boy and looked around. As I looked -toward the the center of the crowd I saw a lifeless hand. There was nothing -special about that hand except what was surrounding it. There was a navy blue -sweater that I could pick out anywhere. How many days had I caught myself -staring at that very sleeve? Who many times had I patted the back of the boy -that wore it? "Oh my God! Not Holden. Please God not Holden,” I found myself -whispering this I don't know how many times. I remember that it was barely -more than a hush. I was sure that nobody around could possible hear me say -this nearly silent prayer. I stepped closer to the body lying on the cold hard -cement of the courtyard. I believe I let out an almost girlish gasp as I -peered at the dead boy’s face. It wasn't Holden but how could that be, I -thought to myself? I was certain that the sweater was worn by the most -handsome male face I had ever seen. I remember that I scanned the crowd of -austere students pensively hopping I would see that one special face. There it -was I remember, nearly hidden under a fluffy white bathrobe was the face of -Holden Caulfield. He seemed at his wits end gazing at the dead body of his -school mate. All the while he stood there he had nothing on but that one -fluffy well made bathrobe. You could tell by the design and the H. V. C. -initials in gold thread that it had been bought at some fancy New York store -like Dayton’s or Cantona. Holden didn't seem aware that I was relieved to see -him well but he did seem a bit green. He shouldn't have to see this I -thought. He shouldn't see his peer dead while wearing his glorious blue -sweater. Now that I think of it the memory of Holden's sweater on that -lifeless body made me a bit sick too. When I couldn’t take it anymore I -checked the body for a pulse, not like there would have been any great -chance of life with all the carnage. I covered the blue sweater with my coat -or something unimportant and carried it all the way to the nurse. After I had -left the boy's body with the overpaid nurse i went back to my office, sat down -in my big fancy chair, and cried. I remember that despite what the principle -thought I wasn't crying for the dead boy but for the fact that it could have -been Holden lying dead on the cement. My Holden lifeless on the cement! To -this day I still receive chills down my spine just thinking about my oasis in a -dessert of heartlessness being destroyed by the cruel fates. Someday, maybe I -thought, Holden really could be mine. I guess that was when I discovered how -much I loved and wanted Holden for myself.</span></div> -<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 115%"><br clear= -"all"></span></p> -<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> </div> -<div style="margin: 12pt 0in; line-height: 200%"><span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%"><br clear= -"all"></span></div> -<div style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">· Life -is like a field of rye, if you’re not careful you'll fall of a -cliff.</span></div> -<div style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">In the novel -Holden has a great ambition to "save" children playing in the rye field from -falling "off the cliff". As in life if you just have fun and don't pay -attention to what’s around you it is possible to find yourself -falling.</span></div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">· Life -is like the movies, bound to stink.</span></div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 12pt 0in; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Throughout the -novel Holden claims that he hates watching movies and that they stink. In a -way he believes that life like the movies is full of phonies. He uses this -hate or distrust as a way to keep people away much like he keeps change away -with his hunting hat.</span></div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">·</span><span style= -"font-size: 7pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%"> </span><span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a tomb stone, -no matter what you do at some point or another you’re going to see the big old -f-you.</span></div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 12pt 0in; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">This pertains -to the last section of the book in which Holden sees the f-word repeatedly on -the school walls and in the museum of Natural History. He states that this -word and vulgarity in society can never be avoided and that when he dies even -his tombstone won’t be safe.</span></div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 12pt 0in; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 200%" -align="center"><span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Extras</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -prostitute, you never know what’s in store for you.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -prep school, filled with a bunch of phonies</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%"> Life is like -the ancient Egyptians, some secrets STAY LOST FOREVER.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -child, all you can do is sit back and watch.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -mute; just because it doesn’t always come out and say what it means doesn’t -mean it can’t speak to you.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -question about ducks, it’s Impossible to understand it all.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -merry go round, no matter how old you are you can always have a little -fun.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like a -hunting hat, you never know when another angle will end up being the best for -you.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Life is like -me Holden, sometimes it’s just plain messed up.</span></div> -<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 115%"><br clear= -"all"></span></p> -<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> </div> -<div style="margin: 12pt 0in; line-height: 200%"><span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%"><br clear="all"> -This is a skit half based from the novel and half based on what is known on how -Holden thinks. The skit shows how Holden puts up barriers and drives -everything down in a way to boost his ego.</span></div> -<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> </div> -<div style= -"background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Right now I -guess I’m just going to sit down and wait for old Luce to show up. While I wait -I believe I will entertain you with a flashback.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Narrator: The -Wicker Bar is in this sort o swanky hotel, the Seton hotel. I used to go there -quite a lot, but I don’t any more. I gradually cut it out. It’s one of those -places that are supposed to be very sophisticated and all, and the phonies are -coming in the window. They used to have these two French babes, Tina and -Janine, come out and play the piano and sing about three times every night. Old -Janine was always whispering into the goddamn microphone before she sang. She’d -say,</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Jannie: “And -now we like to geeve you our impression of Vooly Voo Fransay. Eet ees the story -of a letle Fransh girl who comes to a beeg ceety, just like New York, and falls -een love wees a leetle boy from Brookleen. We hope you like eet.”</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style= -"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%">Narrator: If you -sat around there long enough and heard all the phonies applauding and all, you -got to hate everybody in the world, I swear you did.</span></div> -<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 200%"> -<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%"> -Wow that was fun. I think old Luce is here. Even though he was obnoxious and -went to the bathroom with the door open I think I will ask him los of intimate -questions. That’s it for now, thanks for watching this brief <u>Catcher in the -Rye</u> skit.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><em><span style= +"font-size: 12pt; color: #1f1200; line-height: 200%"><strong><span style= +"font-size: 18pt"> </span></strong></span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong><span style= +"font-size: 28pt; color: #17365d">Agent Orange:</span></strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong><span style= +"font-size: 28pt; color: #17365d">The Silent Killer</span></strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong> </strong></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 14pt; color: #17365d">Tay Dinh and Marci Sanchez</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 14pt; color: #17365d">Honor’s American Literature</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 14pt; color: #17365d">Dr. Reinartz</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 14pt; color: #17365d">June 6<sup>th</sup>, 2008<strong><br clear= +"all"></strong></span><em><span style= +"color: #17365d">Introduction</span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"> </div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">The Kohima Epitaph states, “When you go home, tell +them of us and say, for their tomorrows, we gave our today.” Yet, what happens +when the lucky few that return home after the way are slowly killed off before +their stories can be heard? What happens when to even step on Vietnamese soil, +your body can be infected you with a deadly disease causing agent that +deteriorates health and kill years later? The slow killer named Agent Orange +turns these rhetorical questions into part of everyday life for Americans +Vietnam War’s Veterans. Originally, Agent Orange was a pesticide that was used +in an attempt to defoliate the foliage in the jungles of Vietnam. This in +theory would deprive enemy Viet Cong hiding places. The spraying of Agent +Orange occurred between January 1965 and April 1970 and totaled about six +million acres of land sprayed. All four military zones of Vietnam were sprayed +with herbicides and more than 19 million gallons of herbicides were used. The +three most infamous pesticides were Agents Orange, White, and Blue. Today all +Agents used in the war are referred to as Agent Orange. Preceding the use of +Agent Orange, Agents Purple and Pink were the first defoliants used. The +defoliation campaign which allowed for Agent Orange to be used was originally +referred to as code name “Operation Hades,” but later changed to “Operation +Ranch Hand” used Air force planes and helicopters to disperse the +defoliants. While many believe that Agent Orange is a visibly orange gas, in +reality it is invisible to the eye and sight alone cannot detect +it.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">The origins of the name Agent Orange actually +comes from the orange colored streak on the label of the drums that hold the +pesticide. It is the presence of TCDD otherwise known as Dioxin that is harmful +to the human body.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">In <em>Journal of Occupational And Environmental +Medicine</em> released in August of 2003, a report that even 30 years after +defoliation ended there are still high levels of dioxins in food and residents +of Vietnam. As a result of killing natural resources, 21 species of animals are +now on the endangered species list. These animals include the Tonkin, +snub-nosed monkey, and the clouded leopard.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Within this oral history, the stories of three +different men infected with Agent Orange will be shared along with health +information, treatment, and the effects of Agent Orange even 30 years after the +initial use of the toxins.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%" align="center"> +<em><span style="color: #17365d">The Story of a Navy Man</span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">For many in the Navy recon teams, costal posts in +Vietnam was where the men ate, slept, and had recreational time. Life was not +spent in the deep jungles sprayed to kill off plants for John J. Morrison. He +contracted Agent Orange in a quite unimaginable way. He caught it, “Just being +around it, ah on the harbor in patrol boats on the river.” Mr. Morrison told us +when asked how a man who wasn’t in the Army or Marines as part of the ground +troops had contracted the Agent Orange pesticide. “Ah we didn’t see it, I +didn’t see it, it was in the water. The water spray and breathing it +in.” During the war Mr. Morrison had never seen the Agent Orange marked cans +let alone the spraying of the pesticides itself. “It wasn’t anything you could +sit and watch.” The base camp in which his hooch, rec room, and mess hall were +located at was deprived of defoliation and part of a jungle like camp on the +bay. It’s ironic that he contracted Agent Orange through the water since all of +his water patrols were “a more or less voluntary bit of mine. I would get bored +sitting around camp when I was off duty so I’d get on my boats…” The ways of +Agent Orange are still a mystery to him as is evident from, “I don’t know how +they made it, ah that’s getting into the technical part.” The first time he +heard about Agent Orange was “maybe middle-late seventies, around there. I was +having ah breathing problems. I was being treated up at the V.A. and they were +treating me for asthma at first. Then they ah thought it might have been +emphysema. None of their treatments were workin’ then they started treating me +for COPD. It’s been working so far.” With that he shifts from a memory to an +almost outwardly hopeful tone as if to wonder if his breathing troubles could +remain as distant as Vietnam itself. He didn’t hear about Agent Orange’s +negative side effects until long after he was affected. The effects he lives +with now and for everyday for the rest of his life include “prostate cancer, +skin cancer, COPD (a pulmonary disease),” and colon cancer. Yet he still is +looking at the bright side since he said, “Thankfully, I don’t have diabetes +which is another one of the effects. But I don’t have that.” Through the V.A. +Mr. John J. Morrison’s medical expenses are paid for him. When asked about how +often he has to go to medical visits he stated, “Oh, there sort of taking it +off now since they figured what was really wrong with me. The treatments are +good. It started out I was going about once a week for two years. And then +after several years, once they decided I had CODP I went to monthly.” There was +a pause then he continued on happily, “Now I go in about 3 maybe four times a +year for check-ups. Now that’s just CODP, I’ve got skin cancer and I go every +couple of months.” The effects of the diseases caused by Agent Orange +influences his current everyday life. “I’ve got to watch things ah, like I’ve +developed allergies to most plants. The floral scents… that’s just to name a +few of my allergies so I’ve got to watch what I’m doing. And if I ah, I’ve also +got to watch what I’m doing because it effects my breathing. Sometimes all I’ve +got to do is kneel down and pick something up and stand up and already I’m +(made comic panting noises and put his hand on his chest in a playful +exaggerated manner).” Mr. Morrison wasn’t the only member of the U. S. Navy to +come back to America with Agent Orange poisoning. In fact, while we were +interviewing Mr. Morrison, he pointed out and described different Veteran’s +eating lunch at different tables within the American Legion that had diseases +originating from Agent Orange contact. “Just about everybody. The V.A. ah, +finally came around to acknowledge that all you had to do was set foot in +Vietnam and you were exposed. Because it’s in the air, it’s in the water, its +everywhere.” With so many people affected by the devastating consequences of +Agent Orange it can be surprising that few veterans discus its impact amongst +themselves. Mr. Morrison summed it all up by saying, “We just keep on +going.” Despite all that has happened to Mr. Morrison he thought that while in +the military “it [life] was good, I thought it was good. Now a lot of people +will disagree with me but no, I enjoyed my carrier in the Navy and I’d do it +all over again.” </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%" align="center"> +<em><span style="color: #17365d">The Story of an Army Man</span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%"><span style= +"color: #17365d"> John Lowe, a sergeant of the Army’s 9<sup>th</sup> +Infantry Division from November of 1965 to November of 1967 gave a different +outlook on his memories with Agent Orange, commenting, “I’m also 100% percent +disabled posttraumatic stress order, so I don’t have much of a memory anymore.” +Preceding the war, Lowe commented that he had various problems with trust and +developing relationships. “The way we were treated, in general, by the public +and the media, a lot of us didn’t trust people. They kind of stigmatized us as +a generation.” He also commented that from many veterans were “making sure the +same things don’t happen to the guys coming back,” because of the less than +positive reactions to today’s war.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%"><span style= +"color: #17365d"> “I used to have combat nightmares, daytime combat +flashbacks in stressful situations that bring on anger,” Lowe mentioned, +continuing on his emotional state following the war. “I used to go to bars just +to start fights,” Lowe had said, laughing. “’Cause I needed the +adrenaline.”</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">He commented that he first heard about Agent +Orange in 1977 but it took him many years before he could go to the VA because, +he reminded us, he had a hard time trusting people after the war. He said +straight out that he didn’t use the internet a lot, and refused to enter sites +where he had to register with his name, email, address, etc. He came out as an +extremely cautious person, watching his back. “But the VA’s great now.” Lowe’s +physical traumas weren’t as prominent as his emotional ones, claiming, +“Diabetes, they wasn’t any manifestations. It took a while to adjust to +diabetes.”</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">“We were never sprayed directly with it, it was in +the waters, the streams,” Lowe said, stating what all other veterans had said. +He believed the purpose of Agent Orange was to accelerate the growth of plants +so it would die and deny the Viet Cong their hiding. He talked about how it his +troop’s duty to “defend Saigon from the Cambodian border to the sea, the +southern access to Saigon.”</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">He and his fellow veterans don’t linger too much +on the diseases that Agent Orange caused, but rather talk about their memories +in the Army and reminders such as, “have you filed that claim yet?” Lowe was +part of the original class suit against various chemical companies developing +Agent Orange. “We got only, maybe, 37 dollars afterwards. I know there was a +fund, but I don’t know what happened it.” Lowe said, telling us how class +action suits never worked, and even then it took years for the government to +apologize for using them as guinea pigs.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%" align="center"> +<em><span style="color: #17365d">The Story of a Marine Man</span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%"><span style= +"color: #17365d"> The marines are renowned for their difficult +training, harsh rules, and even harsher active combat. For Mr. Carlson this +harsh life under the U.S. Marine Corps was an undeniable truth. A sergeant E5 +he enlisted in 1964 in order to get his school buddy five more days of +leave. Little did he know that that decision would bring killing, death, and +even personal sickness into his life. At the young age of seventeen his father +challenged him as if to ask “Is this what you really want?” Yet Mr. Carlson +educated in an all boys catholic school in downtown Minnesota did not know what +he wanted. It was this indecision that forced him into the Marines until +1968. For a man who lived for four years in fear that his post would be +attacked both day and night his new fears are of Agent Orange’s cruel game with +his body. Every day he faces the “silent killer”, as he like to call it. Every +year since 1998 when he went to the V.A. for mandatory treatment of his jungle +rot, a disease that resulted from the harsh weather conditions of Vietnam that +often leaves his skin peeling from his hands and arms, he found out in an all +too real way what Agent Orange was. Every six months he makes the routine trip +to the doctor’s office for, “blood checks, eyes, feet, and skin disease +checks”. His body has been shown to have an active form of skin cancer. To +prevent further spread of the Melanoma he must repeatedly go to the doctor’s +office and get his skin, stretched out, cut out, and put back together +again. Resulting in this he feels pain for months on end and his fingers are +closer together. The diabetes in his body causes him to take longer to heal +than most. For an aging man this causes many fears about the ability of his +body to keep pace with the damage the outside environment has on it. “Large +amount of diabetics are dying earlier in life than they normally would”, he +told us. Besides the physical pain, Mr. Carlson admitted to us with tear +brimmed eyes that his everyday life has been utterly changed by Agent +Orange. He can only eat certain things now for fear that it will react poorly +with his body. He had to give up smoking and drinking which was no easy feat +since he had done been smoking for 47 out of the 62 years of his life. From the +curses of Agent Orange Mr. Carlson still feels a bit bitter over troops being +used like a “guinea pigs” during the war. He told us of farmers dying early in +life due to the pesticides they used and wonders why such obvious signs were +not noticed by the companies that manufactured the defoliant. He wished that +the V.A. had come forward with their knowledge earlier in life before the +symptoms of Diabetes such as loosing feeling in feet started showing in him and +his peers. For all his hassle he gets 30% disability. 10% of his disability +comes from the jungle rot and the other 20% from the Agent Orange. He knows of +stories of a nurse that now has Agent Orange from being stationed in +Vietnam. In seemed to him that everyone in Vietnam was affected by Agent +Orange. Even his Barber has prostate cancer after serving in the war. Although +he says “thank you very much lord” for his time in Vietnam and his safe return +to the United States, he “would still do it all over again”. The Agent Orange, +the fear of the Viet Cong, even the Jungle Rot as he explained to us, helped to +shape the person he is now. </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%" align="center"> +<em><span style="color: #17365d">Health Effects</span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Those who were exposed to Agent Orange suffered +various health problems, whether by water or just the pesticide being in the +air. Many hadn’t realized that they had been exposed and are suffering the +effects until years after their service in Vietnam had ended. In 1978 the +Veterans Affairs created Agent Orange Registry Health Examinations. Since then, +more than 315,000 veterans have had the examination done. In the examination, a +patience’s medical history is checked followed by a physical exam, lab testing, +chest x-rays, urinalysis, blood testing for diabetes, and testing of their feet +for jungle rot. It wasn’t until June 9<sup>th</sup> of 2003 that the Supreme +Court voted to allow compensation and medical care for those who were affected +by Agent Orange. A trust fund for $180 million was provided for Agent Orange +victims by the companies that had created the defoliation products. This was +after lawsuits for health endangerment were filed by the +veterans. </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">One disease is chronic lymphocytic leukemia is one +of the main types of leukemia and generally occurs in people at least 50 years +old. It increases the production of white blood cells, and eventually “crowding +out” normal blood cells. The chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells are then unable +to fight an infection as efficiently. In 2003, the VA announced there were as +many as 1,000 new patients for chronic lymphocytic leukemia alone among Vietnam +veterans. </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Another is peripheral neuropathy (transient acute +or sub acute). Peripheral neuropathy is a nervous system condition that causes +numbness, tingling, paralysis, increased sensitivity and muscle weakness. Only +the short-term acute and sub acute forms of this have been associated with +herbicide exposure, generally within one or two years of service.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">One of the most common effects from Agent Orange +is Type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes mellitus) which is defined by high blood sugar +levels that are a result from the body’s inability to respond correctly to the +hormone insulin. All three veterans; Lowe, Morrison, and Carlson have diabetes. +The second is prostate cancer, occurring when the prostate cells mutate and +begin to multiply out of control. Other effects, although less common but still +a possibility is Chloracne, a skin condition that is similar to acne companied +by numerous blackheads. Multiple myeloma, respiratory cancers, including lung, +trachea, and bronchus cancer are also possible when exposed to Agent +Orange. Porphyria cutanea tarda, Hodgkin’s disease, soft tissue sarcoma, +non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are also possible effects. </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">In 1999 a Canadian study in Alvoi Valley took +place. Children who were born near Agent Orange defoliation were 8% more likely +to develop hernias. They were also 3% more likely to develop cleft plates, be +mentally retarded, or be born with birth defects. </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Children of veterans who encountered this +pesticide may have spina bifida which is a neural tube birth defect that +results from the failure of the bony portion of the spine to close properly in +the developing fetus during early pregnancy. Common birth defects of children +are kidney abnormalities, enlarged liver/head, club foot, intestinal +hemorrhage, missing or abnormal fingers/toes, missing or abnormal reproductive +organs, missing, abnormal or displaced body parts. Miscarriages are also a +large possibility. </span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Recently, the VA announced that it might possibly +provide coverage for veterans who suffer from hypertension from the results of +Agent Orange.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%" align= +"center"><em><span style="color: #17365d">Compensation</span></em></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">According to John Lowe, “It took many years, I +know, one of the groups I was involved in, Vietnam Veterans Salute of America +was behind the push to get recognition over exposure to Agent Orange and it +took a lot of years to force the government to recognize the problem.” Once the +government did recognize the problem, they were “very good about it. If you +were in country in Vietnam, not matter what your duty was, if you were in +country in Vietnam, now it’s an automatic 20% disability with the Veterans, and +any of the diseases they’ve identified to relate to Agent Orange, they cover +the medical cost for any treatment of it.”</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">To get compensation, the VA requires a medical +diagnosis of a disease that the VA recognizes as being associated with Agent +Orange during one’s service, evidence of one’s service in Vietnam, and medical +evidence that the disease began within their time in the war. Compensation +rates are based on the veteran’s combined severity for their +“service-connected” disabilities. There are additional amounts that are paid to +certain veterans with severe disabilities, known as “special monthly +compensation.”</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Over the yearse, many groups have filed various +lawsuits against the government and various companies that were involved in +creating Agent Orange to recieve compensation for the effects of Agent Orange, +the latest was on March 10<sup>th</sup> of 2005 when Judge Jack Weinstein of +the Brooklyn Federal Court dismissed the suit filed by Vietamese victims of +Agent Orange against chemica companies that produced Agent Orange and other +herbicides that were tainted with a high level of dioxin. Weinstein dismissed +the case because he believed it did not fit his definition of “chemical warfare +and thereby did not violate international warfare.”</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">Other veterans who have also filed lawsuits +against chemical companies have reached the supreme court but were sent back to +Weinstein, who proceeded to dmiss the case.</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%"> +<span style="color: #17365d">December 1, 1999, compensation for a veteran with +no dependents was $98 (ten percent severity) and $188 for twenty percent. From +there it grew gradually until in 2007, it reached $117 for ten percent, and +$230 for twenty percent. Along with the compensation payments, Lowe mentioned +that all medication for diseases associated with Agent Orange was covered by +the government</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%" align= +"center"><strong><span style="color: #17365d">Veteran Status: 30% - 70% With +Children (1999)</span></strong></div> +<table style= +"border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none; width: 100%; border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse" +cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="1"> +<tbody> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Dependent Status</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">30%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">40%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">50%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">60%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">70%</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Spouse & Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$348</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$493</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$689</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$863</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 077</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Child Only</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$312</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$445</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$629</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$791</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$993</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Spouse, One Parent and Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$376</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$531</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$736</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$920</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 143</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Spouse, Two Parents and Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$404</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$569</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$783</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$977</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 209</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">One Parent and Child</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Two Parents and Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$340</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$368</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$483</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$521</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$676</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$723</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$848</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$905</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 059</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 125</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%"> </div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 200%" align= +"center"><strong><span style="color: #17365d">Veteran Status: 30% - 70% With +Children (2007)</span></strong></div> +<table style= +"border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none; width: 100%; border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse" +cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="1"> +<tbody> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Dependent Status</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">30%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">40%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">50%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">60%</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #4f81bd 3pt solid" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">70%</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Spouse & Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$429</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$610</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$850</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 068</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 332</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Child Only</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$384</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$550</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$776</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$978</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 228</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Spouse, One Parent and Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$463</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$655</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$907</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, ,136</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 411</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Spouse, Two Parents and Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$497</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$700</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">964</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 204</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; background-color: transparent" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 490</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: white; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.36%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" nowrap="nowrap" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">One Parent and Child</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">Two Parents and Child</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$418</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$452</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 16.98%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="16%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$595</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$640</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$833</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$890</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #f0f0f0; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 17.02%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="17%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 046</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 114</span></div> +</td> +<td style= +"border-right: #4f81bd 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-left: 5.4pt; background: #d3dfee; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #f0f0f0; width: 15.66%; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: #f0f0f0" +valign="top" width="15%"> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 307</span></div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><span style= +"font-size: 11pt; color: #17365d">$1, 386</span></div> +</td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%"> </div> +<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 200%" align="center"> +<em><span style="color: #17365d">Conclusion</span></em></div> +</div>