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VA extends benefits to more Vietnam War veterans
exposed to Agent Orange
Parkinson’s
disease, two other illnesses recognized
It was
announced on Oct. 13, 2009, that VA will extend Agent Orange benefits to
more veterans. Parkinson’s disease and two other illnesses will be
recognized. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to
establish a service-connection for Vietnam veterans with three specific
illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the
herbicides referred to Agent Orange and released in an independent study
by the Institute of Medicine. The illnesses affected by the recent
decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s
disease; and ischemic heart disease. Agent Orange is the name given to a
blend of herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 to
remove plants and leaves from foliage in Vietnam that provided enemy
cover.
The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses
recognized by the VA. Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s
“presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the
Vietnam War
are:
• Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral
Neuropathy
• AL Amyloidosis
• Chloracne
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
• Hodgkin’s Disease
• Multiple Myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
• Prostate Cancer
• Respiratory Cancers, and
• Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma,
Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or
Mesothelioma)
Eligibility for Disability Compensation Agent Orange left a legacy of
suffering and disability that continues to the present. An estimated 2.6
million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially
exposed to
sprayed Agent Orange. In practical terms, veterans who served in Vietnam
during the war and who have a “presumed” illness do not have to prove an
association between their illnesses and their military service. This
“presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for
benefits. Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation if they
have a service-related disability and were discharged under other than
dishonorable conditions. Vietnam veterans who believe they have a
disease caused by herbicide exposure, but that disease is not on VA’s
list of diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure, may be eligible
for service-connection on a “direct” basis. These veterans must show
that their diseases are related to their military service to get
disability compensation. Agent Orange Registry Health Examination VA
established the Agent Orange Registry to track the special health
concerns of veterans who
may have been exposed to Agent Orange during their military service.
Veterans who served in Vietnam or elsewhere where the herbicide Agent
Orange was sprayed are eligible for the Agent Orange Registry
examination. The Agent Orange Registry examination is cost-free, no
copayment requirement by veteran. Veterans should speak to the
Environmental Health Coordinator or Patient Care Advocate at the nearest
VA medical facility for information
about participating in the Agent Orange Registry. Additional information
about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed
to the chemical are available at www. publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
Visit the nearest Texas Veterans Commission Claims office or your
Veterans County Service Officer to discuss filing a claim. Find the
nearest office location and contact information on the
TVC website at www.tvc.state.tx.us.
Source: US Department of Veterans Affairs |