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Agent Orange Effects on Vietnam Veterans

Agent Orange was the name given to a defoliant used by the United States military during the Vietnam War between 1962 and 1971. Its purpose was to destroy jungle foliage used as cover by Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces. Exposure to the agent has been linked to a variety of medical conditions in soldiers and in some cases, their offspring.

  1. Diabetes

    • Agent Orange has been blamed for causing adult-onset diabetes in some Vietnam veterans. According to a Canadian Broadcasting Company report, a 47 percent increase in the disease has appeared in veterans due to exposure to dioxin, a primary component of Agent Orange. The disease had also appeared in laboratory rats that were exposed to dioxin for testing purposes.

    Cardiovascular Disease

    • Results of studies seeking to determine whether heart disease is caused by dioxin appear to be mixed. A 1997 United States Air Force study indicated that heart disease increased by 26 percent in Vietnam veterans exposed to dioxin. However, the same study also indicated that soldiers directly involved in Operation Ranch Hand, which was the name for the operation to spray Agent Orange in Vietnam, did not show a significant increase in the disease.

    Children

    • Children of exposed Vietnam veteran have also been reported to have suffered the effects of Agent Orange. One common malady is a congenital birth defect known as spina bifida, According to a 2007 Veterans Administration (VA) report, 1,200 children of veterans suffered from the disease, with 200 of the cases said to be severe.

    Eligible Conditions

    • Through the years, benefits for Agent Orange exposure have gradually expanded. In addition to diabetes, as of 2008, medical benefits from the VA to Vietnam veterans include a variety of conditions such as Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, prostate cancer and soft tissue sarcoma because of their presumed link to Agent Orange. Also included are lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma.

    Available Benefits

    • VA benefits available to those exposed to Agent Orange depend on the degree of disability. As of 2009, an unmarried veteran will receive $123 a month for a 10 percent disability, ranging to $2,673 for a 100 percent disability. For a veteran and spouse, the range is from $421 for a 30 percent disability to $2,823 for a 100 percent disability.

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