Herbicides (Agent Orange) Exposure
The herbicide Agent Orange was used in both Vietnam and Korea during the 60s and 70s. There are various locations and types of service that could have exposed a veteran to Agent Orange.
Any length of service is enough to qualify—the 90-day rule does not apply to vets exposed to Agent Orange.
Required Service Dates and Locations
Vietnam: Veterans who served between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange (unless there is solid evidence that they were not) if they served:
- In Vietnam (this includes all veterans that had boots on the ground, even if only for a short time)
- On ships included on the Ship List
- In Blue Waters within 12 nautical miles of the shores of Vietnam
South Korea: Veterans who served in the Korean DMZ between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971 are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange (unless there is solid evidence that they were not).
Thailand: Veterans who served on or near military bases in Thailand (including U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Takhli, Korat, or Don Muang), between January 9, 1962 and June 30, 1976, are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.
Laos: Veterans who served in Laos between December 1, 1965 and September 30, 1969 are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.
Cambodia: Veterans who served at Mimot or Krek between April 16, 1969 and April 30, 1969 are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.
Johnston Atoll: Veterans who served on the Johnston Atoll between January 1, 1972 and September 30, 1977 are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.
Guam or American Samoa: Veterans who served in Guam or America Samoa between January 9, 1962 and July 31, 1980 are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.
C-123s: Veterans who had repeated contact with contaminated C-123s after the war also qualify as having been exposed to Agent Orange (see the VA’s list of Air Force Speciality Codes and Units for specifics on C-123 qualifications).
Testing, Storage, or Disposal: Other veterans exposed to Agent Orange can qualify if they can show proof that they served where herbicides were tested or stored outside of Vietnam or were involved in the testing, storage, or disposal of herbicides in the US (see the full list of locations).
Reservists
Reservists can qualify for Agent Orange exposure if they performed flight, ground, or medical crew duties at
- Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base (Ohio) between 1969 and 1986 in the 906th and 907th Tactical Air Groups or the 355th and 356th Tactical Airlift Squadrons
- Pittsburgh International Airport (Pennsylvania) between 1972 and 1982 in the 758th Airlift Squadron
- Westover Air Force Base (Massachusetts) between 1972 and 1982 in the 731st Tactical Air Squadron and 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, or 901st Organizational Maintenance Squadron
Agent Orange Conditions
The following conditions on the VA Presumptive List for Agent Orange qualify if they manifest at any time to any degree unless otherwise specified.
- Primary amyloidosis, code 7717
- Chloracne or similar acneform disease, code 7829 (must manifest to 10% within 1 year of last exposure)
- Type 2 diabetes, code 7913
- Hodgkin’s disease, code 7709
- Ischemic heart disease, code 7005 (does NOT include high blood pressure, peripheral vascular disease, or stroke)
- All chronic B-cell leukemias, code 7703
- Multiple myeloma, code 7709 or 7703
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, code 7715 (Blue Water Veterans eligible for this condition)
- Parkinson’s disease, code 8004
- Peripheral neuropathy (must manifest to 10% within 1 year of last exposure)
- Porphyria cutanea tarda, code 7815 (must manifest to 10% within 1 year of last exposure)
- Prostate cancer, code 7528
- Lung cancer, code 6819
- Bronchial cancer, code 6819
- Larynx cancer, code 6819
- Trachea cancer, code 6819
- Adult fibrosarcoma, code 5329
- Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, code 5329
- Malignant fibrous histiocytoma, code 5329
- Liposarcoma, code 5329
- Leiomyosarcoma, code 5329
- Epithelioid leiomyosarcoma (malignant leiomyoblastoma), code 5329
- Rhabdomyosarcoma, code 5329
- Ectomesenchymoma, code 5329
- Angiosarcoma (hemangiosarcoma and lymphangiosarcoma), code 5329
- Proliferating (systemic) angioendotheliomatosis, code 5329
- Malignant glomus tumor, code 5329
- Malignant hemangiopericytoma, code 5329
- Synovial sarcoma (malignant synovioma), code 5329
- Malignant giant cell tumor of tendon sheath, code 5329
- Malignant schwannoma, code 5329
- Malignant mesenchymoma, code 5329
- Malignant granular cell tumor, code 5329
- Alveolar soft part sarcoma, code 5329
- Epitheliod sarcoma, code 5329
- Clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses, code 5329
- Extraskeletal Ewing’s sarcoma, code 5329
- Congenital and infantile fibrosarcoma, code 5329
- Malignant ganglioneuroma, code 5329
- Bladder cancer, code 7528*
- Hypothyroidism, code 7903*
- Parkinsonism, code 8004*
- High blood pressure, code 7101**
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, code 7712**
*These three conditions were added in January 2021.
**These two conditions were added on August 10, 2022.
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