At long last, the Department of Veterans Affairs led by General Eric K. Shinseki, is acknowledging that there may be a connection between Agent-Orange and at least three illnesses more prevalent among those who served during the Vietnam War. These illnesses include B cell leukemias, Parkinson’s Disease, and ischemic heart disease.
For decades, Vietnam Veterans who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 were known to have been exposed to herbicides such as Agent Orange. However, they have had tremendous difficulty in proving a service-connection (crucial to obtaining disability benefits) between their exposure to the hazardous chemical and these illnesses. This recent change will no longer require them to do so, thus, hopefully, removing obstacles to the application process and speeding up the receipt of well-deserved disability benefits.
It’s about time.