MSI Press Blog

The story of Agent Orange does not end with the veterans who were exposed. It extends into their homes, their marriages, their children, and their grandchildren. Toxic exposure is never purely individual; it becomes a family inheritance — biological, emotional, and social. 1. The Biological Toll: When Exposure Crosses Generations Dioxin, the contaminant in Agent Orange, is persistent. It binds to fat tissue and can remain in the body for years. Research has shown that exposure can affect reproductive health and may contribute to birth defects and developmental disorders in the children of exposed veterans. Families have lived with: Congenital anomalies in children born after service — heart defects, cleft palate, spinal malformations, and other conditions documented in both U.S. and Vietnamese populations. Reproductive challenges — miscarriages, infertility, and hormonal disruptions. Chronic illnesses in later generations that may be linked to epigenetic changes caused by dioxin exp...

  Chris Richards' book,   Nothing So Broken , reached  #74 in Vietnam War biographies and #160 in disability biographies. Book description:  In the shadow of loss, a path to healing begins. Chris Richards grew up in a small New England mill town, where life was tough and loyalty ran deep. At just 19, his world was shaken when a close friend was left permanently disabled by a devastating accident. At the same time, Chris’s father began to show troubling symptoms linked to his service in the Vietnam War—unseen wounds that would slowly unravel the man he once knew. The weight of watching two people he loved unravel under the strain of trauma and physical decline left deep scars—ones Chris carried silently into adulthood. For years, he buried his grief and fear, never imagining that one day, facing his own crisis, he would turn to their stories for strength. This powerful and moving memoir explores the enduring impact of trauma, the quiet power of resilience, and ho...

    For years, bowel cancer was framed as an “older person’s disease,” something that happened after decades of cellular wear‑and‑tear. But that story no longer fits the data. Gen Z and younger millennials are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at rates that would have shocked doctors twenty years ago. Even more troubling: their symptoms are often dismissed — by themselves, by urgent care, even by specialists — until the cancer is advanced. This isn’t a moral failure. It’s a systems failure. And a cultural one. The Symptoms Gen Z Doesn’t Recognize as Cancer Younger adults tend to normalize or explain away symptoms that, in an older patient, would immediately trigger a colonoscopy. The most commonly missed signs include: Rectal bleeding Often blamed on hemorrhoids, constipation, or “sitting too long.” Changes in stool shape Pencil‑thin, ribbon‑like, or consistently narrow stool can signal a tumor narrowing the passageway. Persistent bloating or cramping Written of...