Whilst we didn't have a planned guest speaker, Rotarian Richard Metcalfe asked if he could share something with the Club. Richard is known to be an incredibly generous person but normally a private individual, so we were very interested in what he then had to tell us. In 1969 fighter pilot Richard, as a young man, volunteered to go to Vietnam as part of the NZ Air Force contingency being sent by our Government. He was contracted out as an FAC (forward air controller) to the USA forces, he was part of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Regiment - known as the Blackhorse Troop. He flew his plane for hours on end, helping not only the men on the ground but the fighter pilots as well - always with his life on the line. He returned home later that year. Just four years later his health started deteriorating, with his blood pressure getting so high that due to the medication he was considered to no longer be capable of flying... and that is another story. However over the years, health-wise he's had one thing after the other - until ending up barely able to walk. Richard hadn't considered these health issues may all be connected but when finally that conclusion was reached he made the big decision to make a claim with Veteran Affairs for exposure to Agent Orange. A little back story here... Agent Orange as it was known is a chemical herbicide and defoliant used by the US military in response to South Vietnam's request to try and clear the jungle as their enemy hid there. During the war approximately 76 million litres were sprayed. Later once it was shown to be detrimental to humans it was finally stopped. USA claimed that both Australia and NZ were not in areas that were exposed. Our governments continued to deny for decades that Agent Orange veterans were not eligible for help; there had to be documented proof it had been sprayed in the area they were based, and there were only a few medical conditions that were considered and some you had to show symptoms within 12 months of the war. Only in 1994 did the Australian government finally admit that it was true that defoliants had been used in areas of Vietnam where Australian forces operated and the effects of these may have been detrimental to some Vietnam veterans and their children - NZ finally admitted this in 2008. Many veterans have been trying to claim, but few have succeeded. So no small surprise then that Richard's first claim four years ago and his subsequent claim two years later were unsuccessful. But after a chance conversation in January, his compatriot took his file and gave it to someone who was fighting vigorously for claimants.... and yes his claim was approved and he is now eligible for compensation. But for Richard this was never about the money, but more the acknowledgement of what he has gone through and to help less fortunate veterans in their search for support. 

Editor's note: I was a baby at the time, and had little knowledge aside from movies or books so this has been exceedingly interesting to learn the history and I urge you to do the same, there are many articles online. Thank you Richard on behalf of the Club for sharing this with your Rotary family; hearing and feeling the raw emotion brought it home to us and we appreciate the effort it took.