Agent Orange Symposium

A Discussion Regarding Veterans’ Healthcare –

Registration starts a 5:30

Agent Orange and other toxins have been associated with many illnesses and deaths over the past years. The lingering effects have impacted military veterans, their families, and others. Related issues will be discussed by two eminent professional experts who dedicated much time and research to the impact of military weapons on soldiers and civilians in war zones.

Recent legislation enacted by the US Congress and signed by the President will be discussed. Known as the PACT Act it is an extremely important piece of legislation that affects Veteran’s healthcare that not only impacts those who served in Vietnam but also, those who served in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Guam, Samoa the Johnston Atoll, and other places. Both speakers have a wealth of knowledge regarding the PACT ACT and will be able to answer questions after their presentations.

Robert L. Owen, MD – Professor Emeritus- Medicine, Epidemiology & Bio-statistics – U.C. San Francisco, School of Medicine

He has been the Environmental Health Physician responsible for Agent Orange Database examinations at the San Francisco VA Medical Center for most of his medical career and was privileged to travel to Vietnam with the San Francisco-Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee in 2011 to visit residual Agent Orange contamination sites in Vietnam.  Dr. Owen’s UCSF and VAMC clinical work includes gastroenterology, general internal medicine, intestinal infectious diseases, HIV infection and AIDS, travel medicine, and especially the medical effects of military occupational environmental exposures in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Vietnam (Agent Orange) and Ionizing Radiation exposed veterans.  

Paul Cox –  Marine Veteran, Board Member of Veterans for Peace and Sword to Plowshares. American Legion Member.  

Paul Cox joined the Marine Corps in 1968 and served 18 months in Viet Nam He is now a retired civil engineer. He has worked for peace, justice, and an end to war, with a particular emphasis on healing damage from two ongoing legacies of the Vietnam War – Agent Orange and unexploded ordnance. Presently he serves on the board of Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign, a national project of Veterans for Peace. He is also a board member of Swords to Plowshares Veterans Rights Organization and served as Board Chair from 2009 to 2012.

The Committee is a non-political educational people to people program. It is organized under the laws of the state of California, and is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. FEIN: 94-3198119