Agent Orange-Related Illnesses

VA has recognized certain cancers and other health problems as presumptive diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. Veterans and their survivors may be eligible for disability compensation or survivor's benefits for these diseases.  The presumptive diseases are:

AL Amyloidosis, a rare disease caused when an abnormal protein, amyloid, enters tissues or organs.

Chronic B-cell Leukemias, a type of cancer that affects white blood cells.

Chloracne or similar acneform disease, a skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body’s inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin.

Hodgkin's Disease, a malignant lymphoma cancer characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver and spleen, and by progressive anemia.

Ischemic Heart Disease, a disease characterized by a reduced supply of blood to the heart, that leads to chest pain.

Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in bone marrow.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a group of cancers that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue.

Parkinson's Disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects muscle movement.

Peripheral Neuropathy, Acute and Subacute, a nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling and motor weakness. Currently, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of herbicide exposure and resolve within two years. VA proposed on Aug. 10, 2012, to replace "acute and subacute" with "early-onset" and eliminate the requirement that symptoms resolve within two years.

Porphyria Cutanea Tarda, a disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.
 
Prostate Cancer, cancer of the prostate; one of the most common cancers among men.

Respiratory Cancers also includes lung cancer, cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea and bronchus.

Soft Tissue Sarcomas also other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma or mesothelioma, a group of different types of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels and connective tissues.
 
Lou Gehrig's Disease 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.

Children With Birth Defects

VA presumes certain birth defects in children of Vietnam and Korea veterans are associated with the veteran's exposure to Agent Orange while serving in those countries. Those birth defects are:

Spina bifida, except spina bifida occulta, a defect in the developing fetus that results in incomplete closing of the spine, is associated with veterans’ exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea.

Birth defects in children of women veterans is associated with their military service in Vietnam, but are not related to herbicide exposure.
 
The affected child must have been conceived after the veteran entered Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone during the qualifying service period.

Exposure To Agent Orange By Location

Agent Orange was the most widely used of the herbicide combinations used in Vietnam and was also tested and stored elsewhere, including some military bases in the United States.  For more information on exposure locations, go to http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/locations/index.asp

VA Benefits For Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange And Their Children

Veterans exposed to Agent Orange and who have one of the above listed conditions, as well as their children with spina bifida or covered birth defects, may be eligible for compensation, health care and vocational training.  Contact Tarrant County Veteran Services at 817-531-5645 if you want to file disability compensation claim with the VA.