Family's war on Agent Orange continues after death

Agent Orange exposure is an ongoing war still being fought. As the widow of a veteran of Vietnam, it is hard for me to feel much pride without bitterness for my husband’s sacrifice, especially on Memorial Day or Veterans Day. It was not just a war on foreign soil that claimed the life of my husband at 67 years old. It was the after effects and the battle cries here at home that kept him fighting and suffering long after his courageous service in the U.S. Army.

There were no cheers for the boys returning home from Vietnam; no proud welcomes or feelings of accomplishment. Instead my husband returned home as many did; broken, a nervous wreck dripping with the poisonous orange chemical each time he showered; no help, no counseling, health care or even sympathy from the VA.

My husband was not the only victim of the orange murderer that eventually took him from us. In addition to his comrades in combat, there were civilians in Vietnam who suffered the same fate. And it did not stop there. It worked its destruction over all of the 39 years of our marriage. Our family suffered each sleepless night when he paced the floor with anxiety… hands wringing, night sweats… and no talk or mental ease about his time at war. We watched as he deteriorated both physically and emotionally throughout our time together, slowly imploding as he bottled much of his anguish inside.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking time was when our youngest son, Daniel, was born in 1984 with spina bifida, a devastating disability recognizable as being caused by Agent Orange exposure. Even with the government’s admission of the presumed cause of our son’s condition, my husband’s claims were denied year after year.

In 1997, our son (not the soldier) won monthly compensation, but my husband continued to be rejected for any kind of compensation. He did not begrudge our son’s award of claim other than wishing HIS exposure had not damaged HIS offspring. But, my husband was the soldier and HIS own denial seemed unbelievable considering the exposure was through HIM. He was definitely hurt by such blatant injustice.

My husband put in numerous VA claims over the years, but was denied repeatedly, each time a knock to his belief in good government and justice. He retired early due to stress-related disability and was never quite right physically or mentally. He fought a long, hard battle, even putting in a final claim two days before he died.

Among other health issues, he had a history of blood disorder and heart disease and was diagnosed with leukemia just seven days before he passed… so suddenly… so final. He thought his leukemia would surely be his winning factor in getting the financial compensation he deserved. But it did not happen. I am glad that he did not live long enough to face that final disappointment of the VA denial. And when a veteran dies, so does all the retroactive pay they should have received had they won their case. Delay, deny and die, and so it went in favor of our government that turned its back on him.

As the widow of Edward E. Hornby, I have pledged to continue the fight in his honor; appealing the VA decision on my behalf. A year after my husband died, the doctor who signed the death certificate wrote a letter of support stating that Agent Orange was, indeed, a contributing factor in my husband’s death. This could, and should, mean compensation for me retroactive to the day of his death and forward, plus no more expensive premiums (more than $600 per month) for my health care.

After so much heartache and disappointment you would think our war would finally be over, but the battle still continues with the VA concerning yet another denied claim. I will appeal until the day I die. I owe it to my husband, my son, my family and to all those who have needlessly suffered because of the chemical and psychological exposure of war, as well as, the denials of the far-reaching effects of such exposure.

I am proud of my husband, Edward Hornby, who was a delayed victim of war. But, on holidays of military recognition, I am NOT proud of what our country put all of us through. It is a shame that war continues far after it is declared over. I know that nobody wins, least not our family. LEAST NOT the UNITED STATES of AMERICA that I still seek pride in.

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Barbara R. Hornby is a Blanchard resident.