Question:

Hi Mr. Jim, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer and Secondary Bone cancer in July.... I am in this middle of filing my claim for this because I didn't know where to start. I had genetic testing done because I don't have any family with this cancer on either side.... My testing came back negative, no markers for any of it. The type of breast cancer I have my doctors told me women in their 60s have, not someone in their 30s. My blood work comes back normal..They don't understand it. Do you think I have a chance with this claim. Aviation Ordnance 2000-2010 OEF/OIF  Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance.

Jim's Reply:

Many people get cancer of one sort or another after their military service, some sooner than others. But cancer is very common as life goes on so if we want to seek a service connection and a VA disability rating we have to prove the connection or the cause and effect. Men who served in Vietnam and who are diagnosed with prostate cancer don't have to prove service connection, VA cedes the connection (agent orange) and a disability rating is assured. If you don't have that sort of presumption, you must provide conclusive evidence of why your cancer was caused by your military service.

Some veterans do that by proving they were exposed to a known cancer risk in their duties around aircraft and then providing an expert medical opinion that the chemical exposure was likely the cause of the disease. If you were in aviation ordnance, we can assume you were exposed to a lot of very dangerous chemicals from the aircraft and fuel as well as the explosives, electronics and sometimes radioactive and other classified materials you worked with. I'm a bit in awe, yours was one of the most hazardous of the military specialties that I'm aware of.

You should file a claim seeking service connection. Begin now to document a timeline of the hazardous materials you were exposed to. Ask a sympathetic doctor to verify that the hazmat exposures you experienced are likely to have caused or contributed to your disease. To be sure, seek an Independent Medical Opinion (IMO) from an expert disability physician here

I'd also like for you to get in touch with an attorney I know who may be able to offer you some insight -- who is an OEF/OIF veteran who was a loadmaster on military aircraft during his deployments. Tell him I asked you to get in touch with him so he'll understand why you called. I'd bet he'll have some tips to offer about your potential claim. Good luck.