Military Veterans Advocacy

Non profit organization

Military Veterans Advocacy is a Louisiana-based nonprofit organization that provides legal advocacy on behalf of the military and veterans.[1][2][3] The organization is focused on veterans’ health issues, such as toxic chemical exposure and Veterans Affairs benefit processing.[4][5]

Military Veterans Advocacy has pursued legal action to expand disability benefits for veterans of the Vietnam War, many of whom were exposed to Agent Orange while serving offshore of Vietnam.[6] Advocating for the "Blue Water Navy Association," the organization brought the case Procopio v. Wilkie, which extended the presumption of herbicide exposure to those who served in the territorial sea of South Vietnam.[7][8] It has similarly advocated for the “Agent Orange Survivors of Guam.”[9][10]

In 2020, Military Veterans Advocacy filed a lawsuit against then-Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie, seeking a review of his decision not to issue rules related to veterans' claims for herbicide exposure in Guam.[11]

## Leadership

[edit]

Rob Maness serves as executive director of Military Veterans Advocacy.[12] He is a former U.S. Senate candidate and retired Air Force colonel.[13][14]

The organization's founder, chairman of the board of directors, and director of litigation is John Wells, a retired U.S. Navy commander.[15][16]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "MVA Threatens Legal Action Over Inadequate Herbicide Rule, Secretary 'Misleading' Veterans". DisabledVeterans.org. 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
2. ^ III, Leo Shane (2019-01-29). "Court rules VA must pay disability benefits to 'blue water' Vietnam veterans". Military Times. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
3. ^ Burkhalter, Eddie (2019-07-31). "Advocates, veterans sue to speed benefits for 'Blue Water' vets". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
4. ^ "Military Veterans Advocacy: Agent Orange effects go beyond Vietnam". Connecting Vets. 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
5. ^ Military Veterans Advocacy with Commander JB Wells, retrieved 2019-12-16
6. ^ Kesling, Ben (26 June 2019). "New Agent Orange Law Benefiting Vietnam-Era Veterans Could Leave Some Behind". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
7. ^ "Procopio v. Wilkie". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
8. ^ "Appeals court gives 'Blue Water' vets the win Congress denied". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
9. ^ Post, John O'Connor | The Guam Daily. "Advocates: VA needs to make rules to compensate Guam Agent Orange vets". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
10. ^ Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio. "'Veterans are sick and dying': Group looks for way to help vets with Agent Orange exposure". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
11. ^ "Veterans group sues VA over alleged use of toxic herbicides on Guam". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
12. ^ Novelly, Thomas. "SC Navy vets with Agent Orange illnesses will finally have VA benefits processed in 2020". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
13. ^ Journal, Andrea Drusch, National (2015-12-08). "Rob Maness Files for Louisiana Senate Race". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2019-12-13.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. ^ "Air Force colonel learns man he helped on 9/11 at Pentagon lived". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
15. ^ "VA to hold off on sharing medical records after veterans' lawsuit says it violated privacy". Connecting Vets. 2019-10-03. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
16. ^ "Military-Veterans Advocacy Secures Strategic Victory In Privacy Rule Lawsuit". DisabledVeterans.org. 2019-10-04. Retrieved 2025-02-26.