I'd like to see these studies cross referenced against a control sample. How can Grandchildren inherit physical disorders from the Grandparents? Was the DNA messed up in Vietnam vets? Is that possible?

If you really want to find problems you will. In my family there has been asthma, alcoholism, criminal court appearances, divorce, learning problems, mental issues. If I wanted to be a victim I could say it must have something to with my Grandfather having served in WWI, mustard gas and whatever else was being tossed around. I know the reality is that his service has had bugger all to do with those events, and despite them life is still actually pretty good.

So many victims these days (anyone looking for a topic for a OLO peice?)

I am the daughter of a veitnam vet and I suffer terribally from physical and mental health problems including reprodutive problems an auto immuine disease, joint pain, debilitating daily headaches, sleep deprovation and vision problems to list just a few. This makes my quality of life very poor. It also affects my child and partners lives as they have to live with someone who is sick all the time.

I have been to many doctors and specialists including travelling for 700kms every month to see them, which for someone who is always sick is a difficult task. The doctors after trying lots of treatments including steriods and a number of other drugs all with terrible side effcts and eight lots of surgery to remove polops, don't know what to do for me all they offer is pain killers which no longer work as it has been years of suffering.

All we are asking for is a study so maybe doctors for people like me will know how to manage out illnesses better. After what out fathers gave for this country I don't think it is asking to much. Please help us by honoring them by at lest trying to ease their heart ache of now seeing their children suffer what more horror do they need to insure.

Dysfunction as a result of Vietnam has plauged our family since before my birth, I suspect it will continue after my passing.

Developing a "Don't Care" attitude has cost me many failed relationships including a marriage and a child.

As to the Government they still appear, at least to "us" to be in denial. Denial of the effects of their decision/s regarding both the going to and ther coming back from Vietnam a legacy well endowed by current political heirachy.

There are several four letter words that come to mind at this point, so I'll just wander back off into obscurity.

Harryc stated

"I'd like to see these studies cross referenced against a control sample. How can Grandchildren inherit physical disorders from the Grandparents? Was the DNA messed up in Vietnam vets? Is that possible?

If you really want to find problems you will. In my family there has been asthma, alcoholism, criminal court appearances, divorce, learning problems, mental issues. If I wanted to be a victim I could say it must have something to with my Grandfather having served in WWI, mustard gas and whatever else was being tossed around. I know the reality is that his service has had bugger all to do with those events, and despite them life is still actually pretty good."

The reference to mustard gas which was also known as H, yprite, sulfur mustard and Kampstoff Lost, and which has a chemical formula of Cl-CH2-CH2-S-CH2-CH2-Cl, would seem to be a bit of a throw-away line to trivialise the effects chemical exposure has had on vietnam vets. Mustard gas was terrible weapon that not only caused irritation and blistering of the skin but caused blindness. Mustard gas is a known mutagen and is thought to be a human carcinogen too. So who is to say that some of the problems experienced by Harryc's family was not caused in someway by his grandfathers exposure to some chemical.

Helo177,

Three possibilities occur to me,

I have no doubts its possible that you have inherited a psychological condition possibly derived from post traumatic stress syndrome suffered by your grandfather and further contributed to by the actions and reactions of his extended family and projected into your psyche.

You could be Twelve

or perhaps a Labour voter.

No matter how you take it your anger will be derived from a family upbringing that saw your grandfather return to a loving embracing country. I say lucky you.

Any way you cut it, good luck to you.

I feel for the vets and their families. A few people will criticise me but I want to juxtapose the plight of our veterans with that of the very generous treatment our government gives to new arrivals into our country. And no, I do not consider it a straw man argument.

Our vets are forced to jump through the various government hoops to get treatment. Vets are usually made to go all the way to the Veterans' Review Board to get war-caused disabilities accepted and treated and perhaps a pension. The families of veterans virtually have no access to the VRB. On the other hand we spend about AUD$7.2 billion on multiculturalism each year ('The Cost of Multiculturalism', Rimmer, SJ).

A totally and permanently incapacitated veteran (TPI) can get dental treatment free of charge. If that veteran needs a dental crown he can get it to the value of *$652. However, that $652 is the upper limit and the veteran is only entitled to it in one calendar year. So if he needs two dental crowns he has to wait a year for the second one. On the other hand, a refugee or asylum shopper can be in the dentist's chair 5 minutes after arriving at Port Augusta and their is NO upper limit placed on any dental treatment.

Why do we place the health needs of strangers above the health needs of our veterans and their families? Are we really saying that teaching English to a migrant is more important than looking after our veterans and their families?

* amount adjusted in line with dental costs.