Original Info may be found at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VeteranIssues/message/2979

All Vietnam veterans and their survivors and Korean Veterans from 1968-1969, should read this study
and be familiar with these web sites:   Pass this info on to your lists.

http://www.nap.edu/books/0309095980/html


If you have illness issues review the application pages, Make copies for your doctor, and for any VA Comp claim as needed.

http://www1.va.gov/AgentOrange/
http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/docs/AgentOApril2005.pdf


The below stats show that ONLY a fraction of Vietnam vets Have asked for a a physical at the VA. If you served in Viet Nam, Go get an Agent Orange Registry exam!


Agent Orange Registry Statistics:

The Agent Orange Registry began in mid-1978 to respond to the health-related concerns of veterans returning from Vietnam and their families. The examinations are available at nearly all Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.


As of March 31, 2005:

Initial Examinations - 373,550
Follow-Up Examinations - 46,505
Total Agent Orange Registry Examinations - 420,055
Total Examinations in 2003 - 30,836
Total Examinations in 2004 - 30,405
Total Examinations in January-March 2005 - 6,709


Questions regarding eligibility for health care should be directed to the hospital administration service at the nearest VA medical center or information on enrolling for VA health care may be obtained by calling toll-free: 1-877-222-8387.


VA expanded eligibility for the Agent Orange
Registry in 2000 to include those veterans who served in Korea in 1968 or 1969.


Below is from:
http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/docs/AgentOApril2005.pdf

Also read the part about Navy personnel & Brown water personnel.

Illnesses Presumptively Recognized for Service Connection

The following health conditions are presumptively recognized for service connection. (For more information, go to www.VA.gov/AgentOrange .) Vietnam era veterans who served in Vietnam who now suffer with one or more of these conditions do not have to show that their illnesses are related to their military service to get disability compensation. VA presumes that their condition is service-connected.

Conditions Recognized in Veterans:

1. Chloracne (must occur within 1 year of exposure to Agent Orange)
2. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
3. Soft tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma)
4. Hodgkin's disease
5. Porphyria cutanea tarda (must occur within 1 year of exposure)
6. Multiple myeloma
7. Respiratory cancers, including cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus
8. Prostate cancer
9. Acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy (must appear within 1 year of exposure and resolve within 2 years of date of onset)
10.Type 2 diabetes
11.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

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In mild cases, the blackheads may be limited to the areas around the eyes extending to the temples. In more severe cases, blackheads may appear in many places, especially over the cheek bone and other facial areas, behind the ears, and along the arms.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: A group of malignant tumors (cancers) that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue. These tumors are relatively rare compared to other types of cancer, and although survival rates have improved during the past 2 decades, these diseases tend to be fatal. The common factor is the absence of the certain cells (known as giant Reed-Sternberg cells) that distinguish this cancer from Hodgkin's disease.

Soft tissue sarcoma: A group of different types of malignant tumors (cancers) that arise from body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues (not in hard tissue such as bone or cartilage). These cancers are in the soft tissue that occurs within and between organs.

Hodgkin's disease: A malignant lymphoma (cancer) characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, and by progressive anemia.

Porphyria cutanea tarda: A disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas.

Multiple myeloma: A cancer of specific bone marrow cells that is characterized by bone marrow tumors in various bones of the body.

Respiratory cancers: Cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus.

Prostate cancer: Cancer of the prostate; one of the most common cancers among men.

Peripheral neuropathy (transient acute or subacute):
A nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. This condition affects only the peripheral nervous system, that is, only the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.

Only the transient (short-term) acute and subacute forms of this condition, not the chronic persistent forms, have been associated with herbicide exposure.

Diabetes mellitus: Often referred to as Type 2 diabetes; it is characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body's inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin.
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Conditions Recognized in Children of Vietnam Veterans:

1. Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta)

2. Certain other birth defects in the children of women Vietnam veterans (these defects are linked to military service rather than to exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides)

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Conditions Briefly Described In Vietnam Veterans:

Chloracne: A skin condition that looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. The first sign of chloracne may be excessive oiliness of the skin. This is accompanied or followed by numerous blackheads.