AGENT ORANGE

Agent Orange Use Outside Of Vietnam:

VA has received a listing from the Defense Department of locations outside of Viet Nam where Agent Orange was used or tested over a number of years. The information gives periods of time, locations and chemicals used. It does not contain units involved or individual identifying information. The listings are almost exclusively Army records although there are an extremely limited number of Navy and Air Force records. These listings relate only to chemical efficacy testing and/or operational testing. The records do not refer to the use of Agent Orange or other chemicals in routine base maintenance activities such as spraying along railroad tracks, weed control on rifle ranges, etc. Information on such use does not exist. VA will develop the listing for proof of exposure for claims for disabilities resulting from Agent Orange exposure outside of Viet Nam.

VA does have significant information regarding Agent Orange use in Korea along the DMZ. DoD has confirmed that Agent Orange was used from April 1968 up through July 1969 along the DMZ. DoD defoliated the fields of fire between the front line defensive positions and the south barrier fence. The size of the treated area was a strip of lane 151 miles long and up to 350 yards wide from the fence to north of the civilian control line. There is no indication that herbicide was sprayed in the DMZ itself. Herbicides were applied through hand spraying and by hand distribution of pelletized herbicides. Although restrictions were put in place to limit potential for spray drift, run-off, and damage to food crops, records indicate that effects of spraying were sometimes observed as far as 200 meters down wind. Units in the area during the period of use of herbicide were as follows:

1. The four combat brigades of the 2nd Infantry Division. This includes the following units: a) 1-38 Infantry b) 2-38 Infantry c) 1-23 Infantry d) 2-23 Infantry e) 3-23 Infantry f) 3-32 Infantry g) 109th Infantry h) 209th Infantry i) 1-72 Armor j) 2-72 Armor k) 4-7th Cavalry.

2. 3rd Brigade of the 7th. Infantry Division. This includes the following units: a) 1-17th Infantry b) 2-17th Infantry c) 1-73 Armor d) 2-10th Cavalry.

3. Field Artillery, Signal and Engineer troops were supplied as support personnel as required.

The estimated number of exposed personnel is 12,056. Unlike Viet Nam, exposure to Agent Orange is not presumed for veterans who served in Korea. Claims for compensation for disabilities resulting from Agent Orange exposure from veterans who served in Korea during this period will be developed for evidence of exposure. If the veteran was exposed the presumptive conditions found for Agent Orange exposure apply.
[Source: Col. Dan Veteran Issues 26 MAR 03 www.vba.va.gov/ro/south/spete/news/notes/0304/2.htm]

Agent Orange Compensation [Non-Vietnam]: Until recently, the VA would grant compensation to veterans exposed to Agent Orange (AO) outside of Vietnam only if the claimant proved exposure to AO and provided a medical connection between the current disease and that exposure. VA is making an effort to equalize the treatment of all veterans exposed to AO. They recently announced that if exposure outside of Vietnam were proven, and the veteran had one of the ten diseases presumed by law to be related to exposure to AO, the medical connection would be presumed and the claim granted unless there were other disqualifying factors. This was noted in comments on the final rule adding diabetes to the list of "AO diseases" in 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e), at 66 Federal Register, page 23, 166 (May 8, 2001). In addition, any veteran concerned about exposure to AO during use, manufacture, testing or transport outside of Vietnam, may be given an AO physical by the VA and added to the Agent Orange Registry (VHA Directive 2000-027).

The only real issue is proving exposure. All persons who served in Vietnam are presumed to have been exposed. The VA is determining whether Department of Defense information is sufficient to add some non-Vietnam units to the presumptive exposure list, but none have been added as of June 2001. The following areas outside of Vietnam have been confirmed as places where AO was used:
1. The Korean demilitarized zone in 1968 and 1969 (extensive spraying).
2. Fort Drum, NY in 1959 (testing).
Other areas where veterans allege AO to have been sprayed include:
1. Guam from 1955 through 1960s (spraying).
2. Johnston Atoll (1972-1978) was used for unused AO storage.
3. Panama Canal Zone from 1960s to early 1970s (spraying).
4. Elgin AFB (Agents Orange and Blue) on Firing Range and Viet Cong Village
5. Wright-Patterson AFB (OH) and Kelly AFB (TX)