Your dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits. We encourage you to apply, no matter your separation date. Former Secretary David Shulkin, who was fired by President Trump in late March, voiced his support of the Blue Water Navy during his tenure. The VA has no idea how many people are actually being diagnosed.. 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. Well send you a decision notice when we complete our review. By using our website, you agree to the use of certain cookies. The VA informed her that it has received her request, and she is now waiting to hear whether she will get one. 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? 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. 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 may be able to reevaluate your claim. Veterans with glioblastoma and their family members say the process of filing a VA claim is painstaking and at times downright cruel. Stenvold did three tours in Vietnam and in 2002 he was diagnosed with diabetes linked to Agent Orange. WebIt is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. . This information is not a substitute for legal advice. 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. 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. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. 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. Pete met his future wife, then Kate Kane, after returning home to Berkshire County in rural western Massachusetts. More than 5,000 veterans have been added to theIn MemoryHonor Roll since the program began. These ratings are based on the severity of the disabilities. But theyre not the kind of forensic medicine thats needed here.. 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. The federal agency sent its sympathies but no money. Veterans who are not enrolled and who meet eligibility requirements will have an opportunity to enroll and receive the screening. The diseases now on the VAs Agent Orange list are ischemic heart disease, lung and trachea cancers, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, Hodgkins disease, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Parkinsons Disease, type 2 diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, AL amyloidosis, chronic B-cell leukemia, chloracne, early-onset peripheral neuropathy, porphyriacutaneatarda, and soft tissue sarcomas. 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. See this episode and all of our previous episodes here at https://www.vvmf.org/echoes. In March, now-dismissed VA Secretary David Shulkin told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee that he, had recommended adding a handful of conditions. Were all Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange? In great part, Agent Orange was used to clear the foliage and brush along many of the rivers Please enable Javascript in your browser and try The VA suggests that veterans can get help from thislist of government-accredited Veterans and Military Service Organizations. File a claim for disability compensation for conditions related to your military service, and manage your benefits over time. Since the end of the Vietnam War, veterans have reported numerous health effects. For instance, which pages you go to most. Its an uphill battle, said Maynard Kaderlik, the Minnesota-based chair of the Vietnam Veterans of Americas Agent Orange and Dioxin Committee. - Maynard Kaderlik, Vietnam Veterans of America, When the diagnosis came, both Pete and Kate were sure they knew the cause: Petes. These cookies do not store any personal information. Learn about other presumptive conditions based on exposure to hazardous materials. WebAgent Orange was a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War to remove the leaves of trees and other My husband was my hero, he took care of me, Josenhans said. Nearly 3 million service members served in Vietnam and most returned home. You dont need to do anything. 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. 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. On the anniversary of Petes death last month, Kate and her daughters gathered at the family home. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. 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. But you dont need to wait for us to contact you before you file a Supplemental Claim. A Veteran who believes he or she has a disease caused by Agent Orange exposure that is not one of the conditions listed below must show an actual connection between the disease and herbicide exposure during military service. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. The Vietnam War may be over, but the battle continues for many Vietnam veterans. 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. Go to a VA regional office and have a VA employee assist you. 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 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. [See Veterans Day 2021 - The Wars End But Casualties Continue To Mount] So far his two adult daughters seem to be fine. So why is every veteran and widow who files a disability or survivor claim forced to re-litigate the issue?. (See. Expands 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. For veterans who qualify for disability These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and personal features. 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. Toxic exposure screenings are available at VA health facilities across the country. The .gov means its official. Kate filed more paperwork a few months after her husbands death for spousal compensation. 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. You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. 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. 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. Additional amounts are paid to certain Veterans with severe disabilities ("special monthly compensation") and certain Veterans with dependents. Learn about other hazardous materials presumptive conditions that may make you eligible for care or benefits. Please understand that, while your loved one's memory and service will be They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] But the VA has What he found was explosive. They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. By Haley FosterValley News Live Most of them are deceased. honors Vietnam veterans who returned home and later died, but whose deaths do . She has reapplied for the spousal benefit six times in the last three years, hoping the VA will reconsider its decision. 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. To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps. 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. If someone you know has lost their battle to Agent Orange learn how to honor them in our In Memory Program. Get a list of other Agent Orange presumptive conditions. In 1986, the group helped bring the case of. As of this date (11/ 01/ 2020), The American War Library estimates that approximately 610,000 Americans who served on land in Vietnam or in the air over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are alive today. 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. Learnabout evidence needed for accrued benefits, Learn how to apply for a Survivors Pension, Expands and extends eligibility forVA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of theVietnam, Gulf War,and post-9/11 eras, Adds 20+ morepresumptive conditions forburn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures, Adds morepresumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation, Requires VA to provide atoxic exposure screeningto every Veteran enrolled in VA health care, Helps us improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures, Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis, The airspace above any of these locations. Who is reviewing these claims?. 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. Sitting with Meghan and Erin on the back wall Pete built from stones he collected over the years, Kate reflected on the journey so far and her hope for the future. Have you been affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination? Cookies help us deliver the best experience on our website. Being on her own gives Kates quest for compensation added urgency. 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. 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. It makes it hard. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. But since then, thousands of Vietnam veterans have fought illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure. 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 All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. You must provide your name, e-mail address, telephone and/or fax number, and VA file number/Social Security Number. Agent Orange has been linked to a long list of medical conditions, many of which are severe and can be life-threatening. Pretty much zero because they die from complications related to Agent Orange. Because bodies and blood types vary, in one body Agent Orange might t 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. There are 430 confirmed Vietnam veterans with glioblastoma now in Scarletts database. We knew they wanted to help us, Scarlett said. Ask to get screened by the toxic exposure screening navigator. VA presumes that Veterans were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides if they served: If you fall into either category listed above, you do not have to show that you were exposed to Agent Orange to be eligible for disability compensation for diseases VA presumes are associated with it. I have a bad limp, neuropathy, phantom pain from nerve damage. Her husband, Frank Josenhans, spent six years in the waters off of Vietnam as a Navy diver. Michael Wildhaber, a longtime veterans law attorney who represents Blue Water Navy sailors, said the legislation is likely to pass but there could be a snag because the legislation specifies that these veterans must have been in Vietnams territorial seas, which is ambiguous. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated Pete Naylor enlisted in the Army at age 19. The same applies to veterans who served in or near the Korean demilitarized zone between 1968 and 1971. He was 76 years old and had recently had Covid and pneumonia. "You know we killed the jungle with back packs, sprayed so we had a good perimeter," said Stenvold. 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. In 1990, Zumwalt was then-Secretary of the VA Ed Derwinskis special assistant. 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). For one thing, the health risks of Agent Orange exposure were unknown at the time. Before Peter died, and after Peter died, he was my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night, said Kate, tearing up. WebAgent Orange, mixture of herbicides that U.S. military forces sprayed in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War for the dual purpose of defoliating forest areas that might Some veterans and their widows have won their glioblastoma cases at VA, she said. 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. Until the late 1980s, the federal government claimed that the connection between the defoliant and the diseases veterans were developing was questionable at best. Petes medical bills, Kate said, were covered by a combination of Medicare and insurance through Kates job. Nearly 58,000 Americans and 2-3 million Vietnamese, many of them civilians, were killed in the war. Kate was among them, hoping get some good news at last. Pete took up stone masonry, from which he retired in 2012. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. 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). Minnesota-Based chair of the Vietnam veterans have been affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination disabilities! Notice when we complete our review allow these cookies allow the website remember... You before you file a Supplemental claim this information is not a substitute for legal advice the. With diabetes linked to Agent Orange presumptive conditions 5,000 veterans have fought illnesses to... 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