FACEBOOK
TWITTER
U.S. Sen. Harkin Hails VA decision to review previously denied agent orange benefits for Vietnam veterans with “brown water” service
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its decision this week to review the cases of 17,000 “Brown Water” and other Vietnam-era veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange.
“Brown Water” vets are those who served in the inlets and inland waterways of Vietnam, where the use of Agent Orange was prevalent, while a “Blue Water” classification denotes service outside of affected areas. Senator Harkin, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, is a cosponsor of S. 1939, the Agent Orange Equity Act, which was designed to address cases of veterans who served in inland waterways and other areas of Vietnam who were denied benefits despite evidence of Agent Orange exposure.
“It is our moral obligation to treat our veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange, which has been linked to so many debilitating diseases,” Harkin said. “They served our country and we must honor the sacrifices they made.”
With the VA’s decision, veterans who served their nation in the inland waterways of Vietnam and at Air Force bases that may have been contaminated by Agent Orange will now receive more standing to claim Agent Orange benefits. Previously, veterans potentially exposed to Agent Orange were denied “Brown Water” classification without obtaining relevant military records, such as deck logs, and were classified as “Blue Water.” Conditions linked to Agent Orange exposure include lymphoma, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer and respiratory cancers.
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=52931
Posted by Chuck Palazzo on Oct 5 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Corruption, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
COMMENTS
To post, we ask that you login using Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, or Hotmail in the box below.Don't have a social network account? Register and Login direct with VT and post.
Before you post, read our Comment Policy - Feedback
What ever he’s smokin…I’ll have some….Brown Water Vets don’t have problems with agent orange claims….Blue Water vets do…Get your shyte in one sock…
“Senator Harkin, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War” Strange it doesn’t say he served in the Nam
In total agreement with Jim H. “BROWN WATER VETS” ????????????? INDEED
He being a CDR Ret, I would have expected better……..BUT
Regards,
MGySgt USMC Ret in country, 67-68-69 VSO Thailand
For all those of you whining about Harkin, remember Webb and some of the others who are using stall tactics on the funding for Dioxin exposure to ANY VN vet.
Speaking as a former Iowan, he’s one of the good guys and balances Grassley who is clueless when it comes to the military & veterans affairs.
i just want to know will veterans who were there an now are at rest…will the family members recieve acknowlagement that they did serve or is that still being swept out to sea?? father in law was there but never made a claim for anything not sure if that can be applied for or not..my hubby is gulf war vet 90% we been fighting 2yrs for his 10% they wont give in..had thyroid cancer and ptsd while active duty..think its crasy the math military on the books hes 150% but they combined it and bumped him to 90% suxs…but im still fighting for it…
agent orange veterans of guam should not be denied
All Vietnam Veterans that served in combat and were exposed to Agent Orange deserve complete benefits. disability and health care. vietnam was a hell hole war . vinnie 1st Infantry Division 2/28 Black Lions 1966-1968
Msgt. Foster and many others have done extensive battling on behalf of all of us cats who did time on Guam. It is deplorable how much damage was done to that Island. I think that since those of us who were exposed to the Rainbow agents there have been ignored up to this point with the exception of maybe 6 vets, that redoing the claims is only fair. We are after all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, and we served our country where we were sent. I am really sick of the “Lets wait till they die” mentality. We need to dig our heels in and fight. Lets support the guys who have taken a stand.
Clint