“It would make sense for these areas suspected was Parkinson’s disease—an to be defoliated, so our jets and other illness linked to Agent Orange exposure. forces could see the North Vietnamese On the advice of others, he visited DAV entering South Vietnam,” said Reichert. at the St. Louis VA Medical Center at “Somewhere along the line, I came into Jefferson Barracks in February 2018. contact with Agent Orange.” That’s when he met Afghanistan war Reichert was in country for nine veteran and fellow Marine Michael months before he was injured in Franko, who, at the time, was a DAV combat, ending his time on the front Department of Missouri service officer. lines. While approaching a village, The two quickly bonded over their the Marines began taking small-shared familiarity with war, despite arms fire from enemy troops who serving decades apart. Although were exceptionally well dug in. “They Parkinson’s is what brought Reichert into Marine Corps veteran Dennis would hop up,” said Reichert, “and kill DAV, he asked Franko if “it was OK” to Reichert had been silently the Marines at the top of the column.” have post-traumatic stress disorder. battling post-traumatic stress The Marines took cover and called “When you look at somebody who disorder for decades, but it in close air support. has been through the thick of it, they wasn’t until he sought help for After the explosions settled—which don’t always have the life in their eyes,” Agent Orange exposure that he Reichert said were “so intense that said Franko, who submitted claims for received the care he earned. trees would go sideways”—the enemy VA benefits and compensation. was still there. The element was lying After Reichert received a Parkinson’s prone on the ground when a Marine about 6 feet from diagnosis in May 2018, Franko walked him through Reichert was shot. what to expect with mental health examinations “For some reason, I was looking at him when the and explained that he was only a phone call away if bullet hit his head,” he recalled. “He slowly sank into he needed any help. Reichert would frequently visit the ground, and I knew he was dead.” Franko throughout the claims process, and the two Not long after that, a piece of shrapnel would swap stories, as veterans often do. flew across the field, hitting Franko became a DAV national service officer in Reichert’s leg. He and the other July of that year, but he still kept up with Reichert’s wounded were evacuated to a claim and would frequently update him on its progress. medical ship at sea. In September, Reichert received his final decision Reichert was honorably letter granting him VA benefits and compensation for discharged from the Parkinson’s disease, PTSD and his wounded leg. Marine Corps in “He’s finally getting the treatment he deserves,” August 1968, but added Franko. “You could tell he walked a little taller the battle-scarred and was much happier.” veteran continues Franko says he was driven to become a service to live with the officer to give back to veterans like Reichert. effects of the “In my heart and mind, I feel like I won a battle Vietnam War. More for this individual,” he said. “Before Dennis received recently, he began the decision, he appeared to be a shell of himself. Once noticing physical he got a confirmed diagnosis, you could see he wasn’t tremors, which he just going through the motions anymore.” ■ DAV | @DAVHQ | DAVHQ | COMPANY/DAVHQ | DAVETERANS | DISABLEDVETERANS 7