Can a Fathers Agent Orange Exposure Cause Birth Defects? 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. 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. Scarlett said those numbers are misleading because the majority of the hundreds of glioblastoma-related claims submitted to the VA she knows of are not for disability benefitsthey are survivor-benefit claims. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | 3033 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300 | Arlington VA 22201 | 202.393.0090 These cookies dont collect information that identifies you. But the VA has denied his disability claim. 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 federal agency sent its sympathies but no money. 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. APPLICATION 202. You can view the current Compensation Rate Tables to determine the amount you may receive. I was telling Ashley I know of at least 70 in North Dakota alone where the daughters can't have kids, said Stenvold. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. [See Veterans Day 2021 - The Wars End But Casualties Continue To Mount] So far his two adult daughters seem to be fine. Vietnam reports that some 400,000 people have suffered death or permanent injury from exposure to Agent Orange. Several other diseases bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, hypertensionandParkinsons-like symptomshave been under consideration to be added to the list. Pete Naylor was born on March 18, 1947, and enlisted in the Army in July 1968, at age 21. 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 exposure to herbicides in a location other than Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone. Stichman says his organization helped an Alabama widow persuade the VA to pay her $247,508 in retroactive benefits. If you served in any of these locations, you may be eligiblefor health care or benefits. So, were going to have sit down and do what we think is right for these veterans.. If youre a Veteran or survivor, you can file claims now to apply for PACT Act-related benefits. 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. This law helps us provide generations of Veteransand their survivorswith the care and benefits theyve earned and deserve. Zumwalts son, also named Elmo, died of lymphoma and Hodgkins disease in 1988. WebVietnam War Veterans health issues. But there are also many other health conditions that we presume are caused by exposure to toxic (or hazardous)materials. David DePodesta, a 69-year-old veteran who lost sight in his right eye due to enemy shrapnel while serving with the Marines in Vietnam in 1969, was fortunate that he did pay attention to the list as it grew. 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. not. WebHow many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange? Veterans with glioblastoma and their family members say the process of filing a VA claim is painstaking and at times downright cruel. To see all the honorees, please visit theIn MemoryHonor Roll. Being on her own gives Kates quest for compensation added urgency. WebAgent Orange was a tactical herbicide the U.S. military used to clear leaves and vegetation for military operations mainly during the Vietnam War. Six of the 46 veterans had served in Vietnam, Cashour said. Competent medical evidence of a current disability. Some veterans and their widows have won their glioblastoma cases at VA, she said. Is There a Test for Agent Orange Exposure? 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. The medical opinions of doctors who arent familiar with the science of service connection may be well-intentioned, Cross said. The report. receive communications related to AARP volunteering. Survivor benefits can be higher depending on their situation, including whether they need a caregiver to assist them with everyday activities like bathing and dressing. Since then he says he's made a vow to raise awareness. 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. In 1966 they told me, We will always take care of you, said Kaderlik. If you dont have an upcoming appointment, or if you want to get the screening sooner, contact your local VA health facility. And what he found was that, obviously, the veterans had been telling the truth.. 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. However, the military was unaware at the time of how many veterans would be adversely affected by the chemical in years to come. Organize a candle event at a local memorial site, park, or wherever you can gather. 988 (Press 1). 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. Just two weeks ago, after a 2-year fight, she won her case. 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. Learn more about featured topics of the Vietnam War and Vietnam Era. This month, the House Veterans Affairs Committee approved legislation to extend Agent Orange-related benefits to the Blue Water Navy. 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. 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. You can also call us at800-698-2411(TTY: 711). WebHow many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange? Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. 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. In 1986, the group helped bring the case of. You can also file by mail, in person, or with the help of a trained professional. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. In March, now-dismissed VA Secretary David Shulkin told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee that he, had recommended adding a handful of conditions. Agent Orange May Be Responsible For More Veteran Deaths Than The Government Is Willing To Recognize Peter Naylor died of esophageal cancer in 2015, , which was resolved with a consent decree in 1991, forced the VA to address its responsibilities to veterans exposed to Agent Orange. 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 The VA suggests that veterans can get help from thislist of government-accredited Veterans and Military Service Organizations. He died in November 2015. But the VA has Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try When the diagnosis came, both Pete and Kate were sure they knew the cause: Petes exposure to the chemical defoliant Agent Orange during his time as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam. These cookies collect information about how you use our website. Even if the National Academy of Medicines forthcoming report does find definitive evidence of a link between Agent Orange and esophageal cancer, thats no guarantee the disease will be added to the list of approved service-related illnesses. Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, Call us today at 800-544-9144. 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. Did it save lives? These veterans dont need to prove that they were exposed to Agent Orange to qualify for benefits related to ailments on the list. 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. It can only advise the department, which hastaken decades to acknowledge how harmful TCDD, the dioxin in Agent Orange, really is. Nearly 58,000 Americans and 2-3 million Vietnamese, many of them civilians, were killed in the war. Note:If we denied your claim in the past and we think you may be eligible now, well try to contact you. Enrollment is free. This change expands benefits for Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veterans. Please remember, though, that the English language version is considered the most accurate. While the VA to date has not budged, the tide now appears to be turning toward the sailors. 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. The federal agency sent its sympathies but no money. 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. Competent medical evidence of an actual connection between herbicide exposure and the current disability. Learn about other hazardous materials presumptive conditions that may make you eligible for care or benefits. 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. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Funds (VVMF) In Memory program honors those who returned home from Vietnam and later died. We encourage you to apply, no matter your separation date. Curt Cashour, press secretary of the VA, told The Daily Beast the agency relies on medical evidence from internationally recognized scientific authorities, as well as its own independent review of the latest science, to make its determination on Agent Orange-related claims from veterans and their families. Legacy of Agent Orange in Vietnam In addition to the massive environmental devastation of the U.S. defoliation program in Vietnam, that nation has reported that As Kate listened to the speakers, it became clear to her that shed have to do more than just repeatedly file appeals with the VA. After Evans spoke, she made a beeline for his table outside the auditorium. WebJesse Trevino, 1946-2023. Kate was among them, hoping get some good news at last. Weve added more than 20 burn pit and other toxic exposure presumptive conditions based on the PACT Act. 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. And your care may be free as well. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Funds (VVMF) In Memoryprogram honors those who returned home from Vietnam and later died. Unless the VA agrees that the zone is 12 miles out, many Navy veterans still could be excluded because many Navy vessels never got anywhere near three miles of the coast of Vietnam, including aircraft carriers and their big-draft support ships, such as oilers and ammo supply ships, Wildhaber said. She has reapplied for the spousal benefit six times in the last three years, hoping the VA will reconsider its decision. Apply for VA health care, find out how to access services, and manage your health and benefits online. File for VA disability compensation online, Learn more about how to file a disability compensation claim. Kathy, whos struggled physically and financially without her husband, has been fighting the VA for her survivor benefits for the last seven years. We get by with Social Security and the compensation and substitute teaching.. What her husband would have wanted is for the VA to take care of those who served. They cant do this by themselves, says Schwartz. Former Secretary David Shulkin, who was fired by President Trump in late March, voiced his support of the Blue Water Navy during his tenure. 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. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and personal features. However, I furnished them with information 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. There shouldnt be a category for you to get help, said Kaderlik. Veterans, Active Duty, and Military Families. 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. 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. But will they? Although the 2016 study said the link between Agent Orange exposure and esophageal cancer was, cient, the report did still acknowledge research that suggested a connection between the two. fit the Department of Defense parameters for inclusion on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall). We're all going to die from it, eventually, or a lot of us will," said Stenvold. But you dont need to wait for us to contact you before you file a Supplemental Claim. 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. These were blue-collar veterans, so the VA wasnt listening, Congress wasnt listening, Wilcox said. This website adheres to the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- 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). Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. By April, he was dead at 68. 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. A pile of paperwork shes filled in her pursuit of compensation sits before her. Attention A T users. This "presumptive policy" simplifies the process for receiving compensation for these diseases since VA foregoes the normal requirements of proving that an illness began during or was worsened by your military service. Its been three years since Kate Naylor lost her husband, Pete, after his short battle with esophageal cancer. 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.) An official website of the State of North Dakota. Ask your neighbors to display orange porch lights. 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. Her husband, Frank Josenhans, spent six years in the waters off of Vietnam as a Navy diver. 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. The State of North Dakota provides automatic translation for nd.gov websites, courtesy of Google Translate. Untold numbers were wounded. 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. And while Pete had been a smoker for 25 years a high risk factor for esophageal cancer he had quit 25 years before his death, and had no history of alcohol use/abuse, another risk factor. Since 2003, VA has granted service connection forglioblastomato 46 veterans out of 150 who have applied for disability compensation. Enrollment is free. Who is reviewing these claims?. Nearly 3 million service members served in Vietnam and most returned home. The Blue Water Navy veterans were exposed to Agent Orange in many different ways that VA has known about for years, Moore said. exposure to herbicides in a location other than the Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone. We encourage you to file a Supplemental Claim. He served for nearly three years, including 11 months as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam. to the list in a request to OMB last fall, but the agency was still looking at data and reviewing financial estimates. The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) define Agent Orange as a highly toxic herbicide used by the U.S. military to kill vegetation during the Vietnam War. There are a number of ways to spread Agent Orange Awareness and you can do it right in your own community. You served your country. VA recognizes certain medical conditions as being associated with Agent Orange exposure and thus provides presumptive service connection for these conditions to veterans with qualifying service. I cant go to work.. Every Veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive an initial screening and a follow-up screening at least once every 5 years. Copyright 2023 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. All Rights Reserved. The Vietnam War may be over, but the battle continues for many Vietnam veterans. Part of HuffPost Politics. For many health conditions, you need to prove that your service caused your condition. In Memorywas created in 1993 by the group Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. An official website of the United States government. For instance, which pages you go to most. 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. Herbicides were also used by the U.S. military to defoliate military facilities in the U.S. and in other countries as far back as the 1950s. Get a list of other radiation presumptive locations. The committee voted unanimouslyto send a bill to the full House. Today, many believe over 400,000 Vietnam veterans are currently suffering from their exposure and tens of thousands have already died. "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. We did everything they told us to do. They were married on Oct. 4, 1975 and had two daughters, Meghan and Erin. The studies authors found that veterans with a higher rate of exposure to Agent Orange were 2.49 times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than those with lower levels of exposure. 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. Veterans Crisis Line, Dial 988, then Press 1. honors Vietnam veterans who returned home and later died, but whose deaths do . again. Pete took up stone masonry, from which he retired in 2012. Like veterans, survivors also can sometimes get retroactive payments in addition to qualifying for monthly death benefits. 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. "Its an everyday question kind of, you know, what's passed on, what's not passed on," said Busby. In 1979, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of 2.4 million veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during their Kathy Josenhans, who spoke along with Scarlett at the National Academies meeting, is both a Blue Water Navy widow and a glioblastoma widow. 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. If you served during the Vietnam Waranytime between November 1, 1965, and April 30, 1975you may be at risk of certain health conditions. Free online workshop! 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