Expedition Orange

09/18/2026

Howdy All! We are planning something special in Norco, CA for a very special Vietnam veteran on Saturday, October 24th and could use the help of some folks that are connected to the Norco, CA horse community and/or veteran community! I can't say too much about it but if you're interested in details and helping, please send us a PM or email us at [email protected]

Many thanks!

08/23/2026

Everyday we are working towards the goal of recognition for our active service members and veterans suffering from the effects of toxic exposure. If you have a moment to share this post and tag your congressmember, I'd personally be very grateful!

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Dear Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives:

I am writing on behalf of Expedition Orange to respectfully ask for your support in creating the Toxic Exposure Medal of Military Merit (TEMMM), a military decoration recognizing service members and veterans who were injured, became seriously ill or disabled, or died as a result of toxic exposure during their military service.

For generations, American service members have been exposed to toxic substances while serving our country. Agent Orange in Vietnam, burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, radiation, and other hazardous environments have left veterans with injuries and illnesses that sometimes did not appear until years or even decades after their service ended.

We have made tremendous progress in recognizing these exposures and providing veterans with healthcare and benefits. But I believe there is still something missing. Recognition.

That is the purpose of TEMMM.

This medal is not intended to recognize someone simply because an exposure occurred. It is meant to recognize the service member who suffered a lasting injury, illness, disability, or death because their military service placed them in a toxic environment. Their wounds may not have happened in a single moment or been immediately visible, but the sacrifice they made is very real.

The name Toxic Exposure Medal of Military Merit is also important and intentional.

“Toxic Exposure” identifies the type of military injury being recognized. “Military” makes clear that the exposure happened because of the individual's service to our country. “Merit” recognizes that the service and sacrifice of that individual are worthy of formal recognition by the nation they served.

The medal does not honor the exposure. It honors the person.

TEMMM would also have its own distinct place among our nation's military decorations. The Purple Heart recognizes qualifying wounds and deaths resulting from enemy action and other circumstances established under current law and regulation. Toxic exposure is different. In many cases, these wounds happened silently and followed veterans home, sometimes taking decades to reveal themselves. TEMMM would recognize that unique sacrifice without changing or diminishing the meaning of the Purple Heart.

For me, this is personal. My father, Staff Sergeant Clifford Romberger, United States Air Force, served in Vietnam. Years later, he died from a brain disease his doctors attributed to Agent Orange exposure. My dad's story is just one of thousands. There are families across this country who watched someone they love suffer from the lasting effects of toxic exposure because they raised their hand and served our nation.

Some wounds happen on the battlefield. Some wounds follow you home. Both are a consequence of military service, and both deserve to be remembered.

I respectfully ask the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to consider establishing the Toxic Exposure Medal of Military Merit. Healthcare and benefits are important, but recognition matters too. These men and women deserve a permanent symbol that says their sacrifice was real, their service mattered, and their country remembers.

Respectfully,

C**t C. Romberger
President, Expedition Orange
Iraq War Veteran
Retired Law Enforcement Officer

07/04/2026

12/31/2025

As we close out 2025, please consider purchasing an item from our online store! 100% off all proceeds go directly to support our mission!

Store of Expedition Orange .

12/23/2025

It's not everyday you get invited to the unveiling of a mural hand painted on a real working locomotive! North Shore Railroad commissioned this beautiful piece of artwork as a tribute to our nation's 250th anniversary and it was an honor to be a guest at the special event yesterday. And yes... The words to the Declaration of Independence are in fact hand painted on this train!

12/02/2025

Today is giving Tuesday! Please take a moment to consider donating to our mission. Every dollar counts and goes a long way. If you’re interested, please follow the link below 👇

Expedition Orange | Ways To Donate

11/25/2025

“Ride for My Dad” 🎵❤️

Dad came home from the jungles of the Vietnam War,
He carried scars inside he could never ignore.
Agent Orange left its mark, he fought a fight unseen,
Taught me how to stand tall, taught me what honor means.
We were best friends, side by side every day,
He showed me how to love, how to work, how to pray.

That poison stole him, left a hole in my heart,
I held him close when we had to part.
A day after my birthday, he slipped away,
I whispered, “I love you more,” as I begged him to stay.
I promised I’d ride, carry his story and fight,
For the ones still suffering, lost in the night.

Now I’m riding horseback from the West to the East,
Through mountains, desert valleys, and busy city streets.
Every mile is a promise, every step I take,
I ride for my Dad, for the stand he would make.
For the fathers, the sons, and the battles they hide,
I ride with my Dad forever by my side.

I ride for the heroes who fought in that war,
For the ones still hurting from their Vietnam tour.
For the Dad I lost, for the love he poured,
I whisper to Heaven, “I love you more.”
Every hoofbeat, every mile, every tear I’ve cried,
I ride… I ride for my Dad, right there by my side.

11/21/2025

Please sign our petition to create the Toxic Exposure Medals of Military Merit. Use this link👉 https://www.change.org/p/toxic-exposure-medal-of-military-merit-toxic-exposure-military-recognition-act

11/21/2025

Your signature counts! Members of the US Congress are taking note of our Toxic Exposure Medal of Military Merit (TEMMM) effort and the below petition has been mentioned yet again! Please take just a few minutes to click and sign. Public support for this decoration is fundamental. It took over 40 years for the US Congress to pass a law creating the Prisoner of War Medal (POW.) Lets make sure it doesn't take nearly that long to create TEMMM!
Click Link Below 👇

Toxic Exposure Medal of Military Merit - Toxic Exposure Military Recognition Act

11/18/2025

From the dusty streets of Tombstone, AZ to the US Capital in Washington DC. The mission continues to bring recognition to military service members effected by toxic exposure. 🇺🇸🤠🫡