THE ALLDREDGES

BY: Melanee Mills

Dwight Craig Alldredge
served in the U.S. Army as the
morning report secretary directly
under General Westmoreland
from 1966-1969 during the
Vietnam War. There, he was
exposed to an herbicide
defoliant used by the U.S. during
the war, commonly known as
Agent
Orange.
Dwight,
along with
countless
other
veterans, has
experienced
adverse
health
problems due
to the direct
exposure to
the chemical orange. Dwight
currently lives in a VA residency
hospital where he is considered
100 percent disabled. He recently
underwent both leg amputations
due to diabetes, kidney failure
(needs dialysis every other day),
and heart problems directly
related to his exposure to Agent
Orange. His health problems also
include Chloracne (acne due to
chemical exposure), Skin Cancer,
5 MIs (heart attacks), and the loss
of sight leaving him with one eye
(the other is a fake eye now).
The VA now recognizes most
of these complications as a
direct result of Agent Orange
exposure, but it is not easy
getting government
compensation for these
ailments.
In recent years, the issue of
birth defects and disabilities due
to parental exposure to Agent
Orange has been a high area of
study. There have been
numerous accounts of birth
defects of many kinds. COVVHA
(Children of Vietnam Veterans
Health Alliance) compiled a list

[Pick the date] [Edition 1, Volume 1]

of almost 500 reported health
and defects from children and
grandchildren of those exposed;
however, the VA only recognizes
one defect for compensation,
Spina Bifida.
Members of Dwights family
would like to share their personal
health complications to show just
how Agent Orange has and will
affect future generations.
The most observably affected
is Dwights second oldest, Kirt. He
suffers almost exactly what his
father does, but at a much earlier
age. His complications include:
kidney failure (dialysis), diabetes,
amputated limbs, and sight
problems. Being as young as Kirt
is, it is strange that he suffers from
these diseases and disorders.
Two of Dwights daughters
have had female reproductive
system problems. One not being
able to have children, and the
other with a miscarriage. His other
daughter has thyroid problems
AGENT ORANGE: WHAT IS IT?
Agent orange is a toxic and
2,4-D. The strategical purpose for
using agent orange was as a
weapon to destroy the crops and
resources of the enemy. Little did
the United States Department of
Defense know just how
detrimental Agent Orange would
that causes many other
symptoms.
Not only has Dwights own
children been affected, but his
grandchildren also have had
unusual health issues that many
studies have linked to exposure of
Agent Orange.
The most life threatening of
the effects on his grandchildren
was Dwights youngest sons
daughter, Lilly, who was
diagnosed with Leukemia at the
age of 6. Leukemia is a rare
cancer of the blood, and is
especially rare in children. Many
studies have found that cancer is
one of the effects that relatives
gain from parent or grandparent
exposure to Agent Orange.
Another granddaughter
affected was diagnosed in 2016
with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a
rare connective tissue disorder.
This disorder led her to having 18
knee surgeries due to her
connective tissues being unable
be to the health of the
Vietnamese and Americans alike.
Directly following the use of
Agent Orange, it was seen that it
had adverse effects on the
people exposed to it. Soldiers
and Vietnamese people both
had health problems due to
to heal. She was also
simultaneously diagnosed with
POTS (Postural orthostatic
tachycardia syndrome), a
syndrome in the heart that
causes abnormally fast increases
of heart rate. Both disorders are
on the reported list of effects
seen in relatives of veterans. She
and her sister also have severe
depression/anxiety which is linked
to Agent Orange altering the
chemical makeup of the brain.
These are some of the
prevalent and diagnosable
health problems seen in Dwights
family, but there are many other
smaller complications that may
be linked to Dwights exposure to
Agent Orange.
Dwights family has felt the
impact of agent orange and
wants to raise awareness and
help veterans and their families
everywhere get the
compensation they deserve.
exposure. However, it has only
been in recent years that people
have come to realize that Agent
Orange is continuing to effect
people related to the soldiers
exposed during Vietnam.