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WPEC-TV CBS12 News :: News - Treasure Coast News - Vietnam vet appeals to DOJ for claims chemical warfare testing caused cancer

Vietnam vet appeals to DOJ for claims chemical warfare testing caused cancer

STUART, Fla. -- Covered in more than 60 tumors, a local veteran is taking his VA claim all the way to Washington. But as we uncover in this CBS 12 exclusive, there are dozens more facing the same fate. All who served at a military base for chemical and biological warfare testing during the Vietnam War.

Sal Conti began serving his country in 1954, but when his appeals through the Congressman's office were denied, he decided to take it all the way to the Department of Justice.

Sal Conti/Vietnam Veteran: I don't know why I have these things and what is causing it.

Since his days spent serving the mess hall at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah, a testing site for biowarfare and chemicals, Sal Conti counts the tumors growing on his body.

Sal Conti/Vietnam Veteran: All total I had over 60 of them removed from my body.

In the last decade, he had a five-pound impacted tumor removed from his spine and lost his jaw to palate cancer.

Sal Conti/Vietnam Veteran: From the tip of my nose to the back here they had to remove my whole jaw. I never smoked a cigarette in my life. Never wanted to. I says why do I get cancer of the palate?

The claims submitted to the Veteran's Affairs under the Radiaton Exposure Compensation Act of 2006, all denied. In fact it says his condition is not related to radiation exposure, and the government will cover zero percent, zero of his medical issues.

Sal Conti/Vietnam Veteran: They don't want to admit it. If they admit it, then a lot of guys stationed there at that time that got a disease would probably put claims in. So in the meantime they wont admit they were doing all this stuff there.

Congressman Tom Rooney's office agrees.

Mike Mahaffey/Congressman Tom Rooney's office: We think there's significant evidence this should be covered by VA and so we've worked with him to file multiple appeals with the VA, and we're now working with the Department of Justice through a program they set up to file a civil claim to get his nuclear exposure covered.

CBS 12: What happens if they don't cover this?

Sal Conti/Vietnam Veteran: I go out of pocket every time I go to the VA.

At Dugway we know scientists and technicians from the 1950's who've been diagnosed with lung cancer are being covered by veteran's benefits. But the Congressman's office says there are 6 more soldiers cases like Sal, suffering from chemical exposure at Dugway and dozens more who already died. Their claims too have been denied. The Congressman's office in D.C. says even if denied this time, they will appeal again until the benefits are received. Vietnam vet appeals to DOJ for claims chemical warfare testing caused cancer

Thursday, July 12 2012, 01:29 AM EDT

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