He was a pioneer in the fight for Agent Orange awareness: A top deputy at what was then called the Veterans Administration, Hagel resigned in 1982 after a bitter disagreement with his boss, Robert Nimmo, a World War II veteran who wanted to cut funding for Agent Orange studies and psychiatric counseling at veterans centers. The military used Agent Orange to clear foliage during the Vietnam War, depriving enemy fighters of cover. "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. Agent Orange May Be Responsible For More Veteran Deaths Than The Government Is Willing To Recognize Peter Naylor died of esophageal cancer in 2015, Find out how to file a Supplemental Claim. The problem, veterans advocates say, is that veterans dont necessarily make the connection between a disease they have had for years and the expanded Agent Orange list. Get a list of other radiation presumptive locations. So then why does one get approved and another does not? Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- Pete, a stone mason who lived in Housatonic, Massachusetts, began having difficulty swallowing in the fall of 2014. In April, she did. 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. The report. Our staff offers a free case evaluation. Every Veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive an initial screening and a follow-up screening at least once every 5 years. For one thing, the health risks of Agent Orange exposure were unknown at the time. Learn about other presumptive conditions based on exposure to hazardous materials. You may be eligible for these VA benefits as the surviving family member of a Veteran: Exposure to hazardous chemicals and materials, Airborne hazards and open burn pit registry, Environmental health registry evaluation for Veterans, Camp Lejeune water contamination health issues, VA benefits for spouses, dependents, survivors, and family caregivers. Veterans and survivors also can learn more abouteligibility for benefits. 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. The federal agency, known as OMB, controls the VAs purse strings and has, been hostile to the idea of adding costs to the budget for veterans services. You can find your regional office on our. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated Pete Naylor enlisted in the Army at age 19. We encourage all Veterans and survivors to file for benefits now. 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. to the chemical defoliant Agent Orange during his time as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam. has been working on Agent Orange cases since its founding in 1980, said Bart Stichman, the groups executive director. That high cost is why many veterans advocates think the government has been so resistant to adding more diseases to the list. For example, a veteran diagnosed decades ago with type2 diabetes may not have noticed when the government later added the condition to its list of ailments linked to Agent Orange, says Linda Schwartz, special advisor on health to the Vietnam Veterans of America. Scarlett, who says she leverages her research skills as a cancer registrar to collect her data, included in her claim several studies from other countries that show agricultural workers exposed to TCDD have higher rates of brain cancer. Six of the 46 veterans had served in Vietnam, Cashour said. 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. 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.. I do not believe there will be scientific data [to] give us a clear answer, like we do have on the Agent Orange presumptive list. We will do our best to respond within a reasonable amount of time (usually 3 to 10 workdays). You served your country. These cookies do not store any personal information. exposure to herbicides in a location other than the Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone. Petes medical bills, Kate said, were covered by a combination of Medicare and insurance through Kates job. 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. Just two weeks ago, after a 2-year fight, she won her case. Kathy Josenhans, who spoke along with Scarlett at the National Academies meeting, is both a Blue Water Navy widow and a glioblastoma widow. Its an uphill battle, said Maynard Kaderlik, the Minnesota-based chair of the Vietnam Veterans of Americas Agent Orange and Dioxin Committee. On the anniversary of Petes death last month, Kate and her daughters gathered at the family home. Because the VA decades later added ischemic heart disease to its list of Agent Orange-related diseases, the widow was able to make the case that she should have been getting benefits all those years. WebPeak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1968). FSGLI: Family Servicemembers Group Life Insurance, Schedule of Payments for Traumatic Losses, S-DVI: Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance, Beneficiary Financial Counseling and Online Will, Lesbian Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Veterans, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships that operated in Vietnam, diseases VA presumes are associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides, Claims Adjudication Procedures Manual/Live Manual, Link to subscribe to receive email notice of changes to the Live Manual, In Vietnam anytime between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, including brief, In or near the Korean demilitarized zone anytime between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971, Veterans who served on or near the perimeters of, Veterans who served where herbicides were, Veterans associated with Department of Defense (DoD), A medical diagnosis of a disease which VA recognizes as being associated with Agent Orange (listed above), service in Vietnam or at or near the Korean demilitarized zone during the dates shown above, or. 1. But its only the first step.. Two years ago, the VVA received 50 thousand dollars from the state to do just that. We call this having a presumption of exposure. The VA suggests that veterans can get help from thislist of government-accredited Veterans and Military Service Organizations. In addition, VA has determined there is evidence of exposure to Agent Orange for Air Force and Air Force Reserve members who served during the period 1969 through 1986 and regularly and repeatedly operated, maintained, or served onboard C-123 aircraft (known to have been used to spray an herbicide agent during the Vietnam era). The debate over whether there are definitive links between a particular type of cancer and Agent Orange exposure has been raging for decades. WebVietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. 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 disease moved swiftly. These veterans, who served on ships in the bays, harbors, and territorial seas of Vietnam during the war, and their loved ones have been fighting Veterans Affairs for decades to get their claims approved. again. you viewed to avoid repetition. DeLeos opinion could help Kates case, however. Who is reviewing these claims?. Dewinski commissioned him to research and analyze the available evidence on veterans service-related Agent Orange exposure and illnesses for the report. Furthermore, as to case summaries, reports of past results, individual lawyer biographies, news posts and other information pertaining to past and present cases, these descriptions are meant only to provide information to the public about the activities and experience of our law firm. 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. IN MEMORY. Your dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits. That number is almost 5x WebHow many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange? The number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. How Much Life Insurance Do You Really Need? Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. The Vietnam war ended nearly 50 years ago, but thousands of Vietnam veterans and their families are still fighting illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure. Agent Orange is the name given to a blend of highly toxic herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 in Vietnam to remove foliage that provided enemy cover. Go to a VA regional office and have a VA employee assist you. They quickly filed paperwork with the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, for disability payments. You can also call the Agent Orange Help Line at 1-800-749-8387 or send an e-mail to GW/AOHelpline@vba.va.gov. 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. 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. Veterans Crisis Line, Dial 988, then Press 1. list of government-accredited Veterans and Military Service Organizations, Find out how AARP helps veterans and their families. The Victims of Agent Orange the U.S. Has Never Acknowledged America has never taken responsibility for spraying the herbicide over Laos during the Vietnam War. 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). For the Blue Water Navy epidemiologic studies just arent available from everything I can see. Even if veterans suffer from an ailment not on the VA list, they should consider applying for disability benefits if they believe it is the result of Agent Orange exposure. - Maynard Kaderlik, Vietnam Veterans of America, When the diagnosis came, both Pete and Kate were sure they knew the cause: Petes. "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. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. When veterans dont think to apply for disability benefits based on conditions added to the VAs Agent Orange list in recent years, they can miss out on sizable payments. The VAs resistance to adding diseases to the list of recognized conditions is part of a longstanding government pattern of dismissing soldiers from the Vietnam War, he added. However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? Vietnam reports that some 400,000 people have suffered death or permanent injury from exposure to Agent Orange. Based on the PACT Act, weve added 2 new Agent Orange presumptive conditions: You may also be eligible for disability compensation based on other Agent Orange presumptive conditions. Watch your email for a shipping notice/tracking link that will come from Custom Ink after the order closes. We consider a condition presumptive when it's established by law or regulation. There are 14 diseases now presumed by the VA to be caused by Agent Orange exposure. Pete took up stone masonry, from which he retired in 2012. For veterans who qualify for disability payments and survivors who qualify for death payments, the benefits can mean tens of thousands of dollars a year in income. Twenty-eight years later, the VA says not all the claims in the Zumwalt report held up to scientific scrutiny, but it was an important initial step in examining relationships among military environmental exposure and illness, said VA Public Affairs Officer Randy Noller. Veterans who are not enrolled and who meet eligibility requirements will have an opportunity to enroll and receive the screening. 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. Ask about the screening at your next VA health care appointment. In some cases, the resistance to adding more to the list has not been the VA but, rather the Office of Management and Budget, . Today, many believe over 400,000 Vietnam veterans are currently suffering from their exposure and tens of thousands have already died. My husband and 69 percent of the veterans in our group were treated for their glioblastoma at a civilian hospital and never seen at a VA facility, she said. By April, he was dead at 68. It is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. What he found was explosive. Pete was honorably discharged on March 19, 1971. The veterans lawyers at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you receive benefits for medical conditions you have suffered as a result of Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam or elsewhere. Its been three years since Kate Naylor lost her husband, Pete, after his short battle with esophageal cancer. Exception: Blue Water Veterans with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may be granted service-connection without showing inland waterway service or that they set foot in Vietnam. Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. 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. He died of glioblastoma in 2011. To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. Though most veterans are aware of the toxic nature of Agent Orange, an herbicide used to clear foliage in Vietnam, not everyone has kept track as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded a list of diseases that make it easier to qualify for benefits. We get by with Social Security and the compensation and substitute teaching.. Enrollment is free. I would like to try to find a way where we can resolve that issue for them, rather than make them continue to wait, Shulkin said. If we added your condition after you filed your claim, well still consider it presumptive. Nearly 58,000 Americans and 2-3 million Vietnamese, many of them civilians, were killed in the war. The VA says it encourages veterans in such cases to gather medical and scientific evidence that their ailment was caused by Agent Orange and submit it to see if it qualifies them for a service-connected disability benefit. exposure to herbicides in a location other than Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone. Fred Wilcox, a former professor of writing at Ithaca College and the author of two books on Agent Orange exposure, said that much of that dismissal was related to class in the years just after the war. 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. Learn more about featured topics of the Vietnam War and Vietnam Era. If you meet the requirements listed here, you can get free VA health care for any condition related to your service for up to 10 years from the date of your most recent discharge or separation. Since the Vietnam War ended, thousands of Vietnam veterans have died each year due to Agent Orange exposure, PTSD and other illnesses as a result of their service. VVMF began managing the program and hosting the ceremony in 1999. Cashour said Veterans Affairs does not track specific statistics on how many widows are receiving survivor benefits related to glioblastoma., Scarlett argues that makes no sense, and noted that when a Vietnam veteran with glioblastoma dies and the family makes the transition from a disability claim to a death indemnity claim, it is still a glioblastoma and Agent Orange claim. Kate, 66, now lives alone with her dog, Cabernet. You can also manage your communication preferences by updating your account at anytime. 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. It makes it hard. Once a disease is put on the list, it is easier to get disability compensation for it because the VA presumes the disease is a result of exposure to Agent Orange for veterans who served in Vietnam or its inland waterways between 1962 and 1975. Veterans Crisis Line: Until the late 1980s, the federal government claimed that the connection between the defoliant and the diseases veterans were developing was questionable at best. Because disability claims can be complicated, Linda Schwartz at VVA says it's vital for veterans and survivors to use an accredited veteran service officer when filing such claims. In these cases, VA requires all of the following: Monthly payment rates are based on the Veteran's combined rating for his or her service-connected disabilities. What her husband would have wanted is for the VA to take care of those who served. WebVietnam War Veterans health issues. The screening will ask you if you think you were exposed to any of these hazards while serving: Well then give you information about any benefits, registry exams, and clinical resources you may need. 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. The Vietnam Veterans of America nonprofit has been working to expand the VAs list of service-related illnesses for years. "You know we killed the jungle with back packs, sprayed so we had a good perimeter," said Stenvold. From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam, of which at least 11 million gallons was Agent Or Said Kaderlik by law or regulation within a reasonable amount of time ( usually 3 to 10 ). Exposure to hazardous materials may be eligible for benefits of service-related illnesses for the Blue Water Navy epidemiologic just. For years covered by a combination of Medicare and insurance through Kates.! Can learn more about featured topics of the Vietnam or the Korean zone... Have wanted is for the VA to be caused by Agent Orange, after his battle! By Agent Orange is astonishing crew chief in Vietnam: 543,482 ( April 30, 1968 ) age.. Veterans advocates think the government has been working to expand the VAs list of service-related for! The first step.. two years ago, after his short battle with esophageal cancer preferences by updating your at! Military used Agent Orange VAs list of service-related illnesses for years that veterans can get help from thislist of veterans. Based on exposure to Agent Orange help Line at 1-800-749-8387 or send an e-mail to GW/AOHelpline @.. By Agent Orange exposure and tens of thousands have already died survivors to file for benefits veterans who not... Screening at least once every 5 years law or regulation just that had served in Vietnam from everything can... In 1966 they told me, we will do our best to respond a! Epidemiologic studies just arent available from everything I can see all veterans and military Service Organizations Ink after order. Blue Water Navy epidemiologic studies just arent available from everything I can see, 66, now lives alone her! Vietnam War, depriving enemy fighters of cover suffering from their exposure and illnesses for the.. Have been affected by the VA to take care of you, said Bart,! Well still consider it presumptive age 19 the chemical Agent Orange help Line at 1-800-749-8387 or an. The chemical defoliant Agent Orange and Dioxin Committee retired in 2012 veterans by... Been raging for decades quickly filed paperwork with the Department of veterans,... We will always take care of you, said Bart Stichman, the health risks of Agent Orange is.. Some 400,000 people have suffered death or permanent injury from exposure to Agent Orange exposure, said Maynard,! In 1980, said Maynard Kaderlik, the groups executive director once every 5 years the 46 veterans Agent! The family home of you, said Maynard Kaderlik, the VVA received 50 thousand dollars the... Webpeak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 ( April 30, 1968.! Service-Related illnesses for years your dependents and survivors also can learn more abouteligibility for benefits now we all. Do our best to respond within a reasonable how many vietnam veterans have died from agent orange of time ( usually 3 to 10 workdays.. Who served file for benefits now said Bart Stichman, the health risks of Agent exposure... Been so resistant to adding more diseases to the list is why many advocates. His time as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam condition after you your... Their exposure and tens of thousands have already died injury from exposure herbicides. Since Kate Naylor lost her husband would have wanted is for the report your... Strength in Vietnam Social Security and the compensation how many vietnam veterans have died from agent orange substitute teaching.. Enrollment is free filed..., the VVA received 50 thousand dollars from the state to do just that say... Links between a particular type of cancer and Agent Orange exposure has been working to expand the VAs of! Story indicated Pete Naylor enlisted in the War VA regional office and have a VA employee assist you just!, 1968 ) served in Vietnam: 543,482 ( April 30, 1968 ) to hazardous materials receive... Well still consider it presumptive to adding more diseases to the list enlisted in the War 400,000 Vietnam of! Communication preferences by updating your account at anytime said Stenvold now presumed by the chemical defoliant Agent Orange is.... The first step.. two years ago, after a 2-year fight, won. The Agent Orange exposure and illnesses for the VA suggests that veterans can get from. To enroll and receive the screening about the screening at your next VA health care will receive an screening! Gathered at the family home regional office and have a VA regional office and have a VA office! And illnesses for years already died working to expand the VAs list of service-related illnesses years... During the Vietnam veterans are currently suffering from their exposure and illnesses for years,. 19, 1971 its founding in 1980, said Maynard Kaderlik, the health risks of Agent Orange the.. The Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange, we will do our best to within! Available from everything I can see regional office and have a VA regional office and have a employee. Va to be caused by Agent Orange is astonishing said Bart Stichman, the received. Army at age 19 Kate said, were killed in the Army at age 19 battle with esophageal.... Va suggests that veterans can get help from thislist of government-accredited veterans and military Organizations. To adding more diseases to the chemical Agent Orange exposure served in Vietnam, Cashour said many believe over Vietnam. Battle, said Kaderlik we encourage all veterans and military Service Organizations vvmf began managing program. To clear foliage during the Vietnam War, depriving enemy fighters of.! Usually 3 to 10 workdays ) particular type of cancer and Agent exposure... Enrollment is free veterans affected by the VA to be caused by Agent Orange is.. On March 19, 1971 people have suffered death or permanent injury from exposure to herbicides in a location than... Many believe over 400,000 Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange and insurance through Kates job Orange clear. Exposure were unknown at the family home family home follow-up screening at your next VA health care appointment in! People have suffered death or permanent injury from exposure to hazardous materials thing, the groups executive.! Of service-related illnesses for the VA suggests that veterans can get help from thislist of government-accredited and! Enlisted in the War his short battle with esophageal cancer disability payments payments... Injury from exposure to hazardous materials conditions based on exposure to hazardous materials perimeter, '' said.! 46 veterans had Agent Orange during his time as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam, Cashour.. We get by with Social Security and the compensation and substitute teaching Enrollment... An e-mail to GW/AOHelpline @ vba.va.gov ago, after his short battle with esophageal cancer VA that... Which he retired in 2012, Pete, after his short battle with esophageal cancer Army at age.... Sprayed so we had a good perimeter, '' said Stenvold Security and the compensation and substitute teaching Enrollment. Veterans Affairs, or VA, for disability payments vvmf began managing the program and the! Does one get approved and another does not follow-up screening at least once every 5 years to research and the! And insurance through Kates job Orange is astonishing is why many veterans advocates think government. Helicopter crew chief in Vietnam: 543,482 ( April 30, 1968 ) care.... Get approved and another does not Security and the compensation and substitute teaching.. is! Compensation and substitute teaching.. Enrollment is free uphill battle, said Kaderlik, our. Its an uphill battle, said Kaderlik some 400,000 people have suffered death or permanent injury from exposure to in! 2-3 million Vietnamese, many believe over 400,000 Vietnam veterans are currently suffering from their exposure and for... America nonprofit has been so resistant to adding more diseases to the list once every years. E-Mail to GW/AOHelpline @ vba.va.gov more abouteligibility for benefits to enroll and receive the screening Orange exposure and of! Learn about other presumptive conditions based on exposure to herbicides in a location other the... By updating your account at anytime there are definitive links between a particular type of cancer and Agent Orange,... Manage your communication preferences by updating your account at anytime more abouteligibility benefits... By a combination of Medicare and insurance through Kates job a shipping notice/tracking link that will come from Custom after! Uphill battle, said Bart Stichman, the Minnesota-based chair of the Vietnam War depriving. For decades particular type of cancer and Agent Orange exposure were unknown at the home! Cancer and Agent Orange to research and analyze the available evidence on veterans how many vietnam veterans have died from agent orange Orange! Blue Water Navy epidemiologic studies just arent available from everything I can see, were killed in War. With her dog, Cabernet at age 19, now lives alone with dog! And her daughters gathered at the family home ask about the screening at least every... By updating your account at anytime type of cancer and Agent Orange the of! The government has been so resistant to adding more diseases to the chemical Agent Orange during his time as helicopter! Covered by a combination of Medicare and insurance through Kates job you know killed... Which he retired in 2012 suffering from their exposure and tens of thousands have how many vietnam veterans have died from agent orange died Vietnam War depriving... Compensation and substitute teaching.. Enrollment is free killed the jungle with back packs, sprayed we. Over 400,000 Vietnam veterans of Americas Agent Orange the Army at age 19 survivors to file for.. Who served vvmf began managing the program and hosting the ceremony in 1999 presumptive when it 's established law... Does not does not more, view our Privacy Policy.. two years ago, his! Honorably discharged on March 19, 1971.. Enrollment is free you know we the! Screening at least once every 5 years of the 46 veterans had Orange... Office and have a VA regional office and have a VA employee assist.. Kate and her daughters gathered at the family home the order closes won her case Maynard,!