I can only guess that its the same deal. It was as intense a ramping-up of the defoliation campaign as in any major war zone in Vietnam at the time. We had to put him in a nursing home in August. He did not have the Cancer Gene. Bullsht list. I only found out last week that I can shop at the Exchanges. Copyright 2023 Military.com. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The U.S military sprayed over 19 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos from 1962-1971. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. You DESERVE a HIGHER VA rating.WE CAN HELP. Herbicide quantity is not available for some missions. Hes pretty sure they are waiting and hoping he dies soon. They denied his claim the first time he submitted it, and I had to resubmit a new one. have hearing loss, VA plans, budget, finances, and performance. FIND OUT IF THERE ARE VSOs (Veteran Service Officers) WHERE YOU LIVE. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The war in Vietnam saw the first full-scale use of herbicides in warfare. Map courtesy of the Hatfield Coinsulting, Ltd. Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! Once or twice the War Legacies team had to turn back, defeated by roads that were impassable after recent monsoon floods. AOVVM is an online memorial honoring the lives of our veterans and their children lost to, Toxic Military Exposures Our Health is a closed group on facebook. Yes, the village elders said, it had once been an airstrip. Documentation show used on the Island and there are photos. The town was destroyed during the 1971 invasion of Laos by South Vietnamese forces backed by U.S. airpower. George Black is a British author and journalist living in New York. The VA has updated its list of Agent Orange exposure locations where service members may have come in contact with the dangerous herbicide. I have Leukemia now in the early stage. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I had an issue with my father,WWII veteran, and the only way it got handled was his California congressman. One of them was the A Shau valley, and it would be the first mission aimed at destroying crops that might feed the enemy. The following January, a 25-year-old Army captain from the South Bronx arrived at the A Shau base. Its like nobody wants to help. The Air Force was already bombing North Vietnam, so the obvious answer was to escalate the bombing on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Camp Lejeune water contamination, also see Superfund Sites. Let us help you get the benefits YOU DESERVE. Call your congressman. Legislation a. 1972-73. The whole body was soft, as if there were no bones. The women added Suk to the list of people with disabilities they have compiled on their intermittent treks through Laoss sparsely populated border districts. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The name came. Helicopters delivered 55-gallon drums of a chemical herbicide to us, a forerunner of Agent Orange. The commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, Gen. Paul D. Harkins, now requested authority to hit six new targets. A week after the launch of the offensive, Nixon decides to respond with a massive air campaign against the North. The defoliant, sprayed from low-flying aircraft, consisted of approximately equal amounts of the unpurified butyl esters . 01/18/2019 08:32 AM EST. Brian isalso the CEOofMilitary Disability Made Easy, which is the worlds largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013. There were anecdotal accounts of airplanes trailing a fine white spray. He should also get back paid to when his claim was first filed if approved. You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits Youve Earned, 9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claim. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Agent 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 conceal Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces and destroying crops that might feed the enemy. VIETNAM FULL DISCLOSURE / VETERANS FOR PEACE Towards an honest commemoration of the American War in Vietnam, All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory . And my understanding is that the guys who were assigned to missions in Laos were sworn to secrecy. Boivin adds that the C.I.A. We understand the claims process inside and out and know how to navigate the system to get you the maximum compensation youre owed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). Take advantage of a FREE VA Claim Discovery Call. Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. It can take several months to get a ruling on his claim. As a result, many war veterans have developed health problems related to their exposure to the toxic herbicide. About 1970 to 1974+, Ft mcCullins in Alabama agent orange was stored and tested there. The abrupt spraying drop-off at the end of January 1968 corresponds to the Tet Offenssivewherein theNorth Vietnamese forces carried out massive, coordinated attacks throughout RVN for nearly 2.5 months. In Vietnam, the magnitude of the problem made it impossible to ignore, Hammond says. Club feet are commonplace. Agent Blue is arsenic. Thats when the governments of the United States and Laos will no longer have any reason to avoid taking action that is long overdue. Doctors reported a rash of mysterious birth defects. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Gathering the Data For These Maps (PDF) Map of Spray Missions in the A Shau Valley * Click on map or title above for larger image. He does not have diabetes, just painful neuropathy that makes any walking very difficult. The Honoring Our PACT Act expands the list of presumptions for Agent Orange exposure, making it easier for those who may have been exposed to herbicides during their time in service to receive benefits. Agent Orange was a weed killer sprayed on the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. Others included Agents Green, Pink, and Purple. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Full Disclosure represents a clear alternative to the Pentagons current efforts to sanitize and mythologize that war, and to thereby legitimize further unnecessary and destructive wars. At first, they recounted, they had no idea who was spraying and bombing their villages, or why. It is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides, 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D.In addition to its damaging environmental effects, traces of dioxin (mainly TCDD, the most . https://vaww.blogstest.va.gov/VAntage/70885/va-releases-updated-dod-list-identifying-agent-orange-sites-outside-vietnam/. do i just drive to the base or is there a web site i cant get this info. While US bombing and a stiffened ARVN defense was able to turn back the PAVN and NLF offensive, it remains politically impossible to reintroduce sufficient U.S. combat troops to stem the PAVN drive. You may be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides like Agent Orange for VA benefits purposes if you meet at least one of these service requirements: By reading our detailed article, you can learn more about the over 40 conditions on the presumptive list for Agent Orange Exposure and their VA service connection ratings. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Boivin later calculated that more than half a million gallons of chemicals had been sprayed on Laos, but other declassified Air Force documents show additional amounts not found in those initial records, and several village elders gave persuasive accounts of flights that didnt seem to conform to the official data. Presumed exposure on land in Vietnam, on a vessel operating on the inland waterways of Vietnam, or on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia as defined in Public Law 116-23 (Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act 2019) between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 I had to quit my job, and move to CA to do so. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including an Agent Orange Registry health exam, health care and disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. Apparently they think he only took one with him on his flights. already has an active disabilities program in Laos, which includes help for people injured by unexploded bombs. The missions began in summer 1961 and ended more. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Since this list is incomplete, it is incomplete for a reason which is money. Agent Orange outlived the borderless Vietnam War and, by skulking hereditarily, will outlive the conflict's veterans to endow not only Vietnamese, but also Cambodians, Laotians, and. Upwards of 20,000 PAVN troops cross the DMZ, forcing the South Vietnamese units into a retreat. But in addition to Laoss neutrality, there was a second problem: Where exactly was the trail? She fell in love with the place, abandoned thoughts of pursuing a Ph.D., moved to Ho Chi Minh City in 1996 to learn the language and spent the next decade organizing educational exchange programs and conferences to discuss Vietnams postwar humanitarian needs. In 2019, U.S.A.I.D. In principle, the smaller scale of whats needed should make it easier to address. Veteran Army Captain John Kirby IV used the PTSD Coach app to cope, and helps other Veterans do the same. Agent Orange is a chemical herbicide and defoliant, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides.It was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Heidi, The Department of Veterans Affairs has released an updated list of locations outside Vietnam where tactical herbicides such as Agent Orange were used, tested or stored by the military. The highest TCDD levels were recorded at A So, 897.85 pg/g (Total . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Agent Orange is a herbicide that was used during the Vietnam War to clear vegetation. DOD conducted a thorough review of research, reports and government publications in response to aNovember 2018 Government Accountability Office report. The purpose of the spraying was to defoliate the area around the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which the North Vietnamese Army used to transport supplies and troops into South Vietnam. When the United States finally agreed to clean up the Danang and Bien Hoa air bases in Vietnam, the two main hubs of Operation Ranch Hand, and aid the victims of Agent Orange in that country, it was an integral part of building trust between former enemies who increasingly see themselves as strategic allies and military partners. Despite President John F. Kennedys strong reservations about crop destruction, the mission went ahead. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". I can not get anyone to help me find out why our claim is not being looked at. During this time, approximately 1.5 million gallons of Agent Orange were shipped to Johnston Island. Arrows in A and C point to missions in Laos and in the Parrots Beak region of Cambodia (14). A street market in Xepon, a town on the main east-west highwaybetween the South China Seaand the Mekong River in Laos. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. All Rights Reserved. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Why has DoD not acknowledged? Dublin, GA is saying they dont have them. And much more. This information is important because it will help veterans get the necessary care and benefits. I was a teenager. Frequently Asked Questions Vietnam 2. The map below can be used to see defoliant spraying missions by U.S. and South Vietnamese forces over Vietnam, as well as Laos and Cambodia. Unexploded bombs are everywhere. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. So did cassava, though it swelled to an outlandish size and became inedible Agent Orange accelerated the growth of plant tissue, killing most foliage. Johnston Atoll or on a ship called Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972 September 30, 1977. Those fears seemed to be confirmed when her daughter, Miranda, was born in 1985 with multiple birth defects. was reporting that hundreds of miles of new roads had been built or upgraded to carry trucks. The VA will provide medical care and benefits to veterans who develop these conditions. While youre at it, said Chagnon, never one to be shy, how about the records on Agent Orange? Dec. 4, 2009. It also backed up once and had to be replaced. I am TDUI and do not drive anymore use a cane and roller to ambulate. A lock ( I have had Prostate Cancer, Prostate removed after many biopsies and digital exams with only my mentioning that I had been exposed to Agent Orange during these Combat Missions. Learn what youve been missingso you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation YOU DESERVE! How to I get her an ID to get me on base and into BX and commissary to assist with my shopping? Laos remained a forgotten footnote to a lost war. Yes, Rumpf said, you can get the Air Force bombing records for Laos. It was focused on narrow, defined strips of the trail, 500 meters wide (about 1,640 feet), and on nearby crop fields, and the heaviest spraying was concentrated in a four-month period early in the war. The survivors lived for years in the forests or in caves. Ten of them cluster around one of the three air bases that became the most contaminate with dioxin: Da Nang, Phu Cat and Bien Hoa. Hopefully this will help you some. Coincidence maybe? By Jason Grotto, Chris Groskopf, Ryan Mark, Joe Germuska and Brian Boyer | Tribune staff While records of spraying operations inside Laos exist, the extent to which the U.S. military broke international agreements has never been fully documented, until now. Welcome to our special blog post honoring the 2.7 million U.S. troops who served in the Vietnam War. The United States relationship with Laos has followed a similar sequence. Near a village called Dak Triem, he noticed a strikingly flat piece of land. Ken, Dont know if this will help or not If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, In the U.S. Herbicide tests and storage, Herbicide Tests and Storage Outside Vietnam, Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft, Fort McClellan: Toxic Chemical Waste Dump for 64 years, Atsugi Japan Shinkampo Incinerator (Dioxin), Veterans Descendants Health Questionnaire, Reports link Agent Orange exposure and birth defects, Agent Orange Genetic Testing for Disabled Children of Vietnam Veterans, LOVME IMPORTANT LINKS FOR CHILDREN OF VETERANS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE, Children of Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange Illness List. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. He found very little, but pursuing his hunch about Agent Orange, he made an arduous trip into the remote border areas, where it was strongly suspected that the C.I.A. My dad is a Vietnam veteran. In fact, I hoped we would find nothing. More than half the cases identified by the War Legacies Project are children age 16 and under. 20 MI SE OF SAIGON I have been desparately ill with life threatening health problems all my life. The name came from the orange identifying stripe used on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored. For Hammond and Chagnon, the personal connection to the war runs deep. The most infamous was Agent Orange, but as this map shows, there were also Agent Blue and Agent White. 1). Aug 29, 2018. The missions began in summer 1961 and ended more. 877-222-8387, TDD (Hearing Impaired) I helped to move leaky barrels around from C-123;s different weekends. I wish you the best. The release of the new document comes after a year in which the Navy saw several major clusters of suicides. It is the only agent still in use. All rights reserved. Some Vietnamese are still scared to reside and work in areas that were destroyed by Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Twelve million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed over roughly 10 percent of South Viet Nam, from the Demilitarized Zone in the north to the Mekong Delta in the south.. They will help you navigate the bureaucracy that is the VA healthcare system. Also, his medical records have vanished. Jacquelyn Chagnon, left, and Susan Hammond measuring the head of a 2-year-old boy named Sodsai, who gets severe headaches and has hearing difficulties.