case study header - a deployment to Tehkli

During a client's deployment in Takhli, he stated that he continued his duties as a photographer, but was also responsible for hand delivering strike zones from the F111A aircrafts on the flight

line, approximately 100 feet from the perimeter. He further reported that his sleeping quarters in both U-Tapao and Takhli were located near the perimeter as well (approximately 100 yards).  In sum, the Veteran stated, "Being on, near, or around the perimeter was simply routine during my time of active duty in both U-Tapao and Takhli - it was not off limits."In another case, we managed to win where:

In the case at hand, the Veteran's service personnel records reflect that he was stationed as a cook at the Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) in U-Tapao, Thailand, from June 4, 1969, to July 25, 1970.

The Veteran contends that he served near the perimeter at this base.  The record also contains a January 2015 affidavit from someone else who served at that base and describes the layout of the base, and the Veteran has submitted a diagram of the U-Tapao RTAFB. As summarized in the February 2015 Board hearing testimony, the Veteran contends that his duties took him to the perimeter of the base. 

Specifically, it was noted that the Veteran worked at the kitchen that was on the flight line on the maintenance side of the base, and that "everyone who worked on the flight-line side had to take the north access road every day or night to get to work." 

He reported that he would "walk east down the road.  Just follow the road around the north side of the base and then back to the west side, just kind of a half u or a u."  He endorsed his representative's characterization that "when you left the barracks, you walked through base to the main gate.... And then you followed the perimeter fence around the north side...." 

He reported that he spent approximately half of his time in the east side chow hall kitchen and about half of his time in the in-flight kitchen. His representative also noted that the January 2015 affidavit described the north access road as running right between the north end of the runway and an off base public access road and estimated that there were about 100 to 150 feet between the north access road and the public road off base.  The diagram of the U-Tapao RTAFB illustrates the relative locations of the kitchens and the base's perimeter.