Vietnam Vet battling house woes,....

[SEATJERKER]

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Vietnam veteran battling house woes

By TERRY BROWN, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Saturday, August 19, 2006

Vietnam War veteran is battling more than his Agent Orange exposure and service-related ailments.

Benny Ortega and his family are battling major structural problems with their house. They are now living in a three-bedroom home with no kitchen floor, no sink, stove, refrigerator and other appliances -- as well a big hole in the side of the roof and holes in walls.

"When it rains, it rains inside the house," said Ortega's wife, Aquayo. The couple have three children: Chris, 15; Lyenn, 12, who has cerebral palsy; and Nino, 14, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

When the kitchen floor started to buckle about four months ago, Ortega decided to have the kitchen renovated and expanded by 4 feet. He wanted to add enough space for a laundry room on the first floor. The current laundry room is in the basement.

"The stairs are too narrow for my wife, whose knees are going bad, to go up and down," he said. Ortega has two other children, Patricia and Elisha by a previous marriage, and four grandchildren.

"All we want to do is to be able to use the kitchen and for the family to have a hot meal together," he said after he showed the unfinished work. "It must be done before winter or we'll have to move in with relatives in Westchester County."

Several weeks ago, a couple of residents of Vet House, a shelter for homeless veterans across the street from Ortega's home, told the residence's cook, John Brooks, "Benny's in trouble. ... You've got to see his kitchen."

Brooks and the others visited Ortega to find out if they could do anything for him and his family.

After he visited the Ortega home, the cook suggested to the Vet House director Mike Ray, "How about we make a hot meal every day for his family?"

Ray agreed and then got permission from the Joseph Sluszka, executive director of the Albany Housing Coalition, which oversees the Vet House. Since then, the Vet House has delivered a hot meal daily.

Ortega's health troubles began when he was exposed to Agent Orange while serving as a Special Forces sergeant and scout with the 9th Infantry Division in the Mekong Delta. During his second combat tour with the 1st Air Cavalry in the Ashau Valley jungle and Hue.

He earned several medals for valor during those combat tours in 1967-1969.

Ortega earned a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for being wounded as he rescued two wounded soldiers from a rice paddy during a firefight against a North Vietnamese Army soldiers in the Iron Triangle.

Ortega was wounded by a grenade that left shrapnel in the backs of his legs as he pulled the wounded out of the paddy.

He earned a Bronze Star when he saved another wounded soldier in another battle. He also earned an Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Combat Infantry Badge.

He said his worst day in the Vietnam War occurred when his best friend was killed.

"My best friend died in my arms," he recalled as tears filled his eyes.

After Vietnam, he became a plumber in New York City.

After his Agent Orange ailments weaken his knees, caused type 2 diabetes and left his legs with rashes, boils and lesions that don't heal, he stopped plumbing 19 years ago and moved to Albany. He met his second wife and became a full-time cab driver.
Today, the veteran doesn't have the strength to work full time. He says he has only 20 percent use of his kidneys.

Both he and his wife have to take insulin shots several times a day to keep their diabetes in check.

Type 2 diabetes is on a Veterans Affairs list of diseases probably caused by Agent Orange exposure.

He did file a claim for compensation from the VA.

"I called the VA in New York City to get a status of the claim," he said. "I was told it was approved. But two weeks later I get a letter from the VA saying the claim was denied."

Ortega says he's considering appealing the denial.

He does receive a monthly $886 Social Security disability check for post-traumatic stress disorder. The family also receives $940 monthly from Social Security for the children.

For now, Ortega is able to drive a Duffy's Taxi cab two days a week and earn no more than $800 monthly.

With only $400 in the family's bank account, $712 monthly mortgage payments, medical and other bills, they can't afford to hire someone to complete work on their home.

Persons interested in donating money and services for the kitchen and roof work should contact Joseph Sluszka, executive director of the Albany Housing Coalition, at 278 Clinton Ave., Albany, NY 12210, phone 465-5251 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or via e-mail at jsluszka@ahcvets.org.


News of your soldiers and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or by e-mail at brownt@timesunion.com

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[Packo]

Exposure to AO is granted automatically if you set foot in Vietnam. Type 2 Diabetes is also automatic if you set foot in Vietnam. Now, he gets money from SS for PTSD but nothing from the VA? He was granted AO benefits but then they took them away? I know the VA is crazy but something smells of month old fish here. The VA just lost in court on granting AO benefits to a Sailor who never set foot in Vietnam. He won the case saying the AO blew out over the ocean and affected him. Now, I won't comment much on this but either this other guy didn't set foot in Vietnam or he has the greatest case ever against the VA. If he's getting SS PTSD benefits then he should also file with the VA. I'm surprised with his "Combat record" nobody explained this to him. Odd. I am always skeptical when I hear "Special Forces" and "best buddy died in his arms". Sorry....but I am.


Pack

[39mto39g]

While walking in VN some c-130's flew over us and the area was then wet. Someone said it was a defolant to kill vedgitation , I didn't care then and don't care much now. Although agent orange was one of the chemicals used it wasn't the only one, some people are truthfull in there symptoms and others are trying to get something .
Ron

[WateringHole]

You hit the nail right on the head with your message Packy

I was going to print I'm also skeptical about this dude being an ex Green Baret and his best buddy dying in his arms. I've heard stories like that before from allege organization sending letters to my home asking for money to help former Serviceman with mental and physical peoblems.

[colmurph]

Glad somebody else said it first. I don't buy the story either. Didn't know that the 9th ID has SF "Scouts" and I don't believe that the 1st Air Cav was ever in the Au-Shau Valley as that was in our (Americal Div.) AO in I Corps and the 1st Air Cav was down in III or IV Corps.

"...as a Special Forces sergeant and scout with the 9th Infantry Division in the Mekong Delta."

Huh? Kinda had the idea that those SF boys had their own units. Didn't notice none in my little chunk of the 9th.

[colmurph]

Can't seem to find anybody with that name in the DOD data base. There is one E-5 Benjamin Ortega who was a 95B40
but I don't think you'd find that MOS out in the middle of a rice paddy.

[Packo]

Murph et al,

In May of 69 there was a rumour we were going to the Ashau to assist something that was happening there with the 101st. Hamburger Hill it turned out to be. Anyway, the 2nd of the 8th was then in a huge battle at LZ Carolyn. That ended us going to the A Shau....thank God. I don't know of any Cavalry unit that ever served in the A Shau either. Ira Drang....yes...A Shau, no.

I think this guy's bullshit.

Pack

[39mto39g]

The A Shau Valley

[Robert Ryan]

Doc you being with the 9th in Nam would know that for sure. What a maroon this guy is. Col Murphy, that's right 95B40 is military police, I know because that was thrid MOS. Primay 11B secondary 11C, and third was 95B.