When veterans dont realize that they are eligible for disability benefits based on ailments added to the VAs Agent Orange list, their survivors also miss out on monthly payments under a program called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), which provides lifetime tax-free income to survivors of veterans who had service-related disabilities or diseases. In the meantime, another group of Vietnam veterans who are struggling with a variety of diseases and conditions that are on the presumptive list but not getting their claims approved are the 90,000 sailors of the Blue Water Navy. This means well pay you the amount you would have received from August 10, 2022, to the date we grant your application. In 1979, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of 2.4 million veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during their service in Vietnam.. How many died from Agent Orange? However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed to Agent Orange. The admiral believed these illnesses were the result of his sons exposure to the defoliant during his time as a patrol boat lieutenant in Vietnam from June 1969 to August 1970. The speech elicited loud and long applause and left some NAS scientists in tears. In fact, he was 21. Just two weeks ago, after a 2-year fight, she won her case. DePodesta says that for many years his eye injury qualified him for a disability rating of 30 percent and a monthly payment of under $400. , which was resolved with a consent decree in 1991, forced the VA to address its responsibilities to veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Ask to get screened by the toxic exposure screening navigator. The womans husband, a Vietnam veteran, had died of cardiac ischemia in 1983, but the VA had rejected a request for a death pension that she filed in 1985. "I had a close friend who died a five years ago from lymphoma and he's laying in Minot, he's from Minot, dying and he says, "you know we all took a bullet over there, some of us just didn't know it. Children of Women Vietnam Veterans Born with Certain Defects monetary compensation, healthcare and vocational training for children born with certain defects who are the children of female veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam. In addition, she argues the VA is making decisions about glioblastoma based on incomplete numbers. It is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides, 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D.In addition to its damaging environmental The total goes up every day. The total number of is estimated at 2.8 million US veterans who were exposed to the poisonous chemical while serving a I would not put this past VA officials, who historically have been very hostile to presumptive compensation for Vietnam veterans who claim exposure to herbicides, he said. There are 430 confirmed Vietnam veterans with glioblastoma now in Scarletts database. The National Veterans Legal Services Program has been working on Agent Orange cases since its founding in 1980, said Bart Stichman, the groups executive director. But bureaucracy in Washington doesnt move fast enough for most veterans and their families. On August 10, 2022 Agent Orange Awareness Day we will bring light to the continuing dark toll of the war. The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. to search for ways to make a difference in your community at "Its amazing how many Vietnam veterans don't know about it and you know it's really opened the eyes, I gotta thank the North Dakota legislature because two years ago they had enough faith in us to go out and do what we're doing and it's working," said Stenvold. Expedition Orange Goals To raise national awareness Veterans who were exposed to Learn more about featured topics of the Vietnam War and Vietnam Era. There shouldnt be a category for you to get help, said Kaderlik. Since then he says he's made a vow to raise awareness. Yes. While the VA to date has not budged, the tide now appears to be turning toward the sailors. This is because VA also recognizes non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as related to service in Vietnam or the waters offshore of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era. There are also other locations where we presume that you had exposure to radiation. in Memory Honor Roll | Agent Orange - Vietnam Veterans Memorial F The federal agency sent its sympathies but no money. Your donation to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will help expand our mission to honor, educate and heal. Get a list of other radiation presumptive locations. You can also enroll at any time during this period and get any care you need, but you may owe a copay for some care.At least one of these must be true of your active-duty service: We encourage you to enroll now so we can provide any care you may need now or in the future. Beverly Nehmer, the widow of a veteran who died of an Agent Orange-related disease, to court in what later became a class action suit on behalf of. Since the Nehmer case, the VA has paid out more than $5 billion in retroactive decisions, according to Stichman. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. that focused on Korean veterans of the Vietnam War (South Korea sent around 300,000 troops to the fight alongside the United States.) But there are also many other health conditions that we presume are caused by exposure to toxic (or hazardous)materials. Together, we can make sure our heroes will get the reverence they deserve and the stories and sacrifices of our heroes will never be forgotten. The debate over whether there are definitive links between a particular type of cancer and Agent Orange exposure has been raging for decades. Many Vietnam veterans and their survivors may be missing out on substantial payments they are entitled to receive as a result of exposure to Agent Orange, veterans advocates say. Veterans and their survivors are still fighting the VA over their exposure to Americas notorious chemical weaponand the latest lethal conditions theyre confronting. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. We encourage you to apply, no matter your separation date. This includes: If eligible, you must prove that you were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during your military service to be eligible for service-connection for disease VA presumes are related to Agent Orange exposure. Now they have to own up to their responsibility., It is my medical oncology opinion, DeLeo wrote, that advanced aggressive squamous cell carcinoma esophagus was directly related to Agent Orange exposure, given lack of other significant risk factors noted.. WebAgent Orange was a tactical herbicide the U.S. military used to clear leaves and vegetation for military operations mainly during the Vietnam War. 2. He served for nearly three years, including 11 months as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam. In 1966 they told me, We will always take care of you, said Kaderlik. As of March 2015, of the approximately 3 million veterans who served in Vietnam about 300,000 have already died due to AO (dioxin) related diseases. Im pleased to see the House Veterans Affairs Committee approve the legislation, Yates said. In some cases, the resistance to adding more to the list has not been the VA but, rather the Office of Management and Budget, . To learn more, visit our topics page about Agent Orange. If you dont have an upcoming appointment, or if you want to get the screening sooner, contact your local VA health facility. Untold numbers were wounded. But then Navy Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, who had personally ordered the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, delivered a report to the VA in 1990 arguing that the chemical was dangerous to everyone exposed to it and that the government knew of the risks as far back as the 1960s. Go to a VA regional office and have a VA employee assist you. This storage is often necessary for basic functionality of the web site or the storage may be used for the purposes of marketing, analytics, and personalization of the web site such as storing your preferences. More than 5,000 veterans have been added to theIn MemoryHonor Roll since the program began. exposure to herbicides in a location other than Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone. For more information on how to apply and for tips on making sure your claim is ready to be processed by VA, visit our How to Apply page. Your dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits. The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. If someone you know has lost their battle to Agent Orange learn how to honor them in our In Memory Program. medical opinions of three doctors who believed another veterans exposure to the defoliant had caused his esophageal cancer were enough to tilt the scales in favor of recognizing his widows claim. He died of throat cancer, caused by Agent Orange. We consider a condition presumptive when it's established by law or regulation. Over there it did, but nobody knew it was going to be taking them later, said Dan Stenvold, President of the North Dakota branch of the VVA. Mike Yates, 68, who served on the USS Bainbridge off the coast of Vietnam from 1971 to 1972, has prostate cancer, which is on the presumptive list. Veterans Crisis Line, Dial 988, then Press 1. You were discharged or released between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, You havent enrolled in VA health care before, High blood pressure (also called hypertension), Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailandfrom January 9, 1962, throughJune 30, 1976, Laos from December 1, 1965, throughSeptember 30, 1969, Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969, Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 31, 1980, Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977, Cleanup of the Air ForceB-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons off the coast of, Response to the fire onboard an Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons near, Open burn pits and otherairborne hazards. 3. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- This type of case requires a lot of medical evidence and is harder to provebut not impossible, says Felicia Mullaney, deputy director of Veterans Benefits, Vietnam Veterans of America. The employees and the company gave a total of $1,500 dollars to this cause. Many vets think the VAs refusal to give esophageal cancer a blanket recognition is because the agency is less than enthused about the costs of adding more of them to the list. However, I furnished them with information CCK Recognized for Donations to American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial, CCK Successfully Argues for a Precedential Decision About Protected Work Environment, A Day in the Life of a Paralegal (Claims Advocate) at CCK. It can only advise the department, which hastaken decades to acknowledge how harmful TCDD, the dioxin in Agent Orange, really is. This website adheres to the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines. But for some conditions, we automatically assume (or presume) that your service caused your condition. The number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. You served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, You served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998, You were discharged or released on or after October 1, 2013. Nehmer v. Department of Veterans Affairs, which was resolved with a consent decree in 1991, forced the VA to address its responsibilities to veterans exposed to Agent Orange. 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed in Vietnam over 20 million acres, putting three million Vietnam veterans and their families at risk. The VAs internal policies on whether to recognize a disease as related to exposure to the defoliant are based on biannual reports from the National Academy of Medicine. But she said she wont rest until the hundreds of other glioblastoma families are recognized by the VA. Im still fighting for all the veterans and widows who havent won, said Scarlett, who, along with Josenhans, Holt, and others, runs a Facebook page for veterans with glioblastoma and their familiesa group that has dramatically grown in the past year. You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links. Now known simply as the Zumwalt report, the document sent shockwaves through the political establishment. Its not that I want to be some kind of a trailblazer for this cause, she said, but perhaps it will help or encourage other vets and their families to pursue their claims.. Its a long time coming. WebVietnam War Veterans health issues. These cookies do not store any personal information. In 1986, the group helped bring the case of Beverly Nehmer, the widow of a veteran who died of an Agent Orange-related disease, to court in what later became a class action suit on behalf of all Vietnam veterans. Note:If we denied your claim in the past and we think you may be eligible now, well try to contact you. Were not wealthy, he says. At least one of these must be true of your active-duty service: We encourage you to apply during this 1-year period so we can provide you with any care you may need now or in the future. While he would not comment specifically on the type of claims coming from the Blue Water Navy or glioblastoma patients and families because he has not studied their claims, Hagel said all who file an Agent Orange claim need to be heard and respected by the VA. When you are dealing with these deadly toxic chemicals, we owe it to these people to take a closer look, he said. Her talk focused on her husband, John Scarlett, an Army Ranger and helicopter pilot in Vietnam who was among the 2.6 million U.S. personnel believed exposed to Agent Orange during the war. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. Only years later, when veterans exposed to Agent Orange started getting sick and dying, did doctors and researchers begin to draw a link back to the chemical. The newly passed 2021 Defense Authorization Act has recognized three more illnesses stemming from exposure to Agent Orange during service. The House vote, and the fact that Scarlett and some other widows are beginning to get their claims approved, give her new hope. To see all the honorees, please visit theIn MemoryHonor Roll. We encourage all Veterans and survivors to file for benefits now. Kathy Josenhans, who spoke along with Scarlett at the National Academies meeting, is both a Blue Water Navy widow and a glioblastoma widow. Review boards are not required to consider precedent decisions, meaning there are no easy answers for people attempting to navigate the VA the whole thing is somewhat of a crapshoot. It was quite a moment because they couldnt question his integrity, said Wilcox. For many health conditions, you need to prove that your service caused your condition. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Funds (VVMF) In Memory program honors those who returned home from Vietnam and later died. Pegi Scarlett was a bit nervous in the moments leading up to her speech last November at a meeting of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, D.C. It was kind of intimidating at first, with all the epidemiologists and physicians watching, but they gave me a very warm reception, said Scarlett, 65. Until the late 1980s, the federal government claimed that the connection between the defoliant and the diseases veterans were developing was questionable at best. The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that we assume (or presume) are caused by exposure to these substances. Today, many believe over 400,000 Vietnam veterans are currently suffering from their exposure and tens of thousands have already died. Were considering all presumptive conditions established by the PACT Act presumptive on the date the bill becomes law. Please understand that, while your loved one's memory and service will be Part of HuffPost Politics. Stichmanat NVLSP estimates that tens of thousands of survivors are unaware they are eligible for benefits because their spouses had diseases that the VA linked to Agent Orange only after their death. Curtis Evans, a Boston-based claims examiner with the Veterans Benefits Administration, told the crowd that taking the initiative with the VA was essential to reaping benefits if and when policy changed. Dewinski commissioned him to research and analyze the available evidence on veterans service-related Agent Orange exposure and illnesses for the report. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he has been working on issues relating to Agent Orange exposure since 1989. On the anniversary of Petes death last month, Kate and her daughters gathered at the family home. receive communications related to AARP volunteering. And your care may be free as well. Call us today at 800-544-9144. I was telling Ashley I know of at least 70 in North Dakota alone where the daughters can't have kids, said Stenvold. File a claim for disability compensation for conditions related to your military service, and manage your benefits over time. The same applies to veterans who served in or near the Korean demilitarized zone between 1968 and 1971. Although the 2016 study said the link between Agent Orange exposure and esophageal cancer was inadequate or insufficient, the report did still acknowledge research that suggested a connection between the two. A pile of paperwork shes filled in her pursuit of compensation sits before her. The idea reportedly has bipartisan support in the Senate, too. His cause of death was glioblastoma, a lethal brain cancer that is not on the VAs list of presumptive diseases, but is being diagnosed at an evidently accelerated rate in the past few years among Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. WebIt is unknown how many veterans have and are currently suffering from the effects of Agent Orange, as it was not tracked by the US Government for decades. About 40 people showed up to hear the speakers. Organize a candle event at a local memorial site, park, or wherever you can gather. Apply for VA health care, find out how to access services, and manage your health and benefits online. That exposure came from such things as ingestion of polluted water, cleaning off planes covered in Agent Orange, the onboard storage of Agent Orange, and missions to Vietnam that did not make it into personnel records.. But VVAs Kaderlik argues that even having a list is too restrictive. After he died, I only got survivor benefits from Social Security, $500 a month. The report included information from studies published in 2013 and 2014 that focused on Korean veterans of the Vietnam War (South Korea sent around 300,000 troops to the fight alongside the United States.) Of the 105,000 claims received by the Payment Program, approximately 52,000 Vietnam Veterans or their survivors received cash payments which averaged has been working on Agent Orange cases since its founding in 1980, said Bart Stichman, the groups executive director. Copyright 2023 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. All Rights Reserved. What he found was explosive. WebHow many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange? Yet, the fact that review boards have ruled in widows favor in the past doesnt mean its a guaranteed to help current cases. She sees the research noted in the National Academys last report as an encouraging sign that the science may eventually come down on their side. Military personnel who served offshore in Vietnam known as "blue water" veterans may finally be eligible for disability benefits related to exposure to Agent Orange. A photo of Pete hangs over Kates left shoulder as she sits at the kitchen table, on the red brick backsplash he built her. If youre a surviving family member of a Veteran, you may be eligible for these benefits: You can submit a new application for VA dependency and indemnity compensation (VA DIC). Vietnam Veterans of Americas Agent Orange and Dioxin Committee, United States Department of Veterans Affairs. In the event of a disagreement or discrepancy between the translation and the original English version of this web site or any notice or disclaimer, the original version will prevail. Office of Accountability & Whistleblower Protection, Training - Exposure - Experience (TEE) Tournament, Outreach, Transition and Economic Development Home, Warrior Training Advancement Course (WARTAC), Staff Appraisal Reviewer (SAR) Information, How to Apply for Nonsupervised Automatic Authority, VALERI (VA Loan Electronic Reporting Interface). Weve added these 3 new response efforts to the list of presumptive locations: If you took part in any of these efforts, well automatically assume (or presume) that you had exposure to radiation. Yes the US government sprayed Agent Orange in areas where American troops were operating. And it didnt just have an impact on the veteran. I was i Under the terms of the decree, the VA must re-hear cases it has previously denied if the veterans disease is later added to the list of those officially recognized as stemming from Agent Orange exposure. We have updated our Privacy Policy. Check the list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships that operated in Vietnam to confirm whether your service aboard a ship allows VA to concede you were exposed to Agent Orange.. By Haley FosterValley News Live Diseases and conditions that are common among Vietnam veterans but are still not on the presumptive-diseases list include bladder cancer, high blood pressure, and glioblastoma. Well start to process PACT Act-related benefits in January 2023. On the 60th anniversary of the first use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, we bring you a couple of personal stories from people whose lives are still marked by the use of this deadly toxin. The report. If youre a Veteran or survivor, you can file claims now to apply for PACT Act-related benefits. We call this having a presumption of exposure. Shamefully, the deception, fraud and political interference that has characterized government-sponsored studies on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange and/or dioxin has not escaped studies ostensibly conducted by independent reviewers, Zumwalt wrote, a factor that has only further compounded the erroneous conclusions reached by the government., The government could ignore blue-collar veterans, but an admiral was a different story. But since then, thousands of Vietnam veterans have fought illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure. The two spoke for about 10 minutes, and Evans suggested she ask for a hearing. ", Getting extra compensation certainly helps. WebPeak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1968). You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. By continuing to use our website, you agree to these updates. Its been three years since Kate Naylor lost her husband, Pete, after his short battle with esophageal cancer. But the academy said that, due to gaps in the rigor of the study, such as a lack of information on the test subjects smoking and drinking habits and their exact levels of exposure, it would not revise its interpretation of the linkage. The National Academy of Medicines 2018 report, which will rely on datasets collected up until 2016, isnt due until this fall, said spokeswoman Dana Korsen. Who is reviewing these claims?. Agent Orange killed many Vietnamese , American veterans and will kill me. I leave my condition to others to decide how Agent Orange affected me men They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. Scarlett, a cancer registrar with six grown children, traveled from her home near Sacramento, Calif., to the nations capital to give her impassioned presentation, which balanced memories of her husband with data shed collected about his cancer. He was 76 years old and had recently had Covid and pneumonia. Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, - Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, BREAKING NEWS: Court Rules Blue Water Navy Veterans Should Be Eligible for Agent Orange Presumption, Blue Water Navy Veterans Update June 2019, Respiratory Cancers (cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus). Even if you did not serve in Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone during the specified time periods, you can still apply for disability compensation if you were exposed to an herbicide while in the military and believe it led to the onset of a disease. The plaque on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C. that honors these veterans was dedicated in 2004 and reads:In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. In late March, the Pittsfield Veterans Services and the local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter held an open meeting for veterans in western Massachusetts who have questions about Agent Orange exposure and navigating the VA bureaucracy. More U.S. Vietnam War vets have died by suicide than died in the war. WebAs of March 2015, of the approximately 3 million veterans who served in Vietnam about 300,000 have already died due to AO (dioxin) related diseases. This deadly toxin has impacted the lives of thousands of veterans and their families but is largely unknown to most Americans. WebIt is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. More than 400 of those 534 honored this year died because of Agent Orange exposure. If you meet the requirements listed here, you can receive care and enroll during a special enrollment period between October 1, 2022, and October 1, 2023. Well send you a decision notice when we complete our review. Find out how to file a Supplemental Claim. These veterans dont need to prove that they were exposed to Agent Orange to qualify for benefits related to ailments on the list. Hypertension and bladder cancer are two examples of diseases the academy listed in its 2016 report as having some research suggesting a link with service exposure, but which the VA has thus far not added. We must wait for funding approval from Congress and put the needed systems in place before we can process these claims. You can also file by mail, in person, or with the help of a trained professional. Enrollment is free. VA presumes Lou Gehrig's Disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS) diagnosed in all Veterans who had 90 days or more continuous active military service is related to their service, although ALS is not related to Agent Orange exposure. The academys 2016 report found that evidence for a link between esophageal cancer and Agent Orange is insufficient.. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420. "Agent Orange" refers to a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed in the jungles of Vietnam and around the Korean demilitarized zone to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover. The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. For Kate, its about the principle of the matter. WebHow many REAL Vietnam vets are alive today? The State of North Dakota provides automatic translation for nd.gov websites, courtesy of Google Translate. Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam vet with two Purple Hearts who went on to be a U.S. senator and secretary of defense, said the current fight over Agent Orange benefits is all too familiar. Get the screening sooner, contact your local VA health facility deadly toxic chemicals, will... Dependents and survivors also may be eligible now, well try to you. Your benefits over time after a 2-year fight, she won her case Orange - Vietnam veterans Americas! Information is not a substitute for legal advice Orange killed many Vietnamese, American veterans and families., find out how to access services, and manage your benefits over time see! Its responsibilities to veterans who served in or near the Korean demilitarized zone between 1968 1971... 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