VA Begins Paying Benefits for New Agent Orange Claims

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2010

VA Encourages Affected Vietnam Veterans to File Claims

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun distributing disability benefits to Vietnam Veterans who qualify for compensation under recently liberalized rules for Agent Orange exposure.

“The joint efforts of Congress and VA demonstrate a commitment to provide Vietnam Veterans with treatment and compensation for the long-term health effects of herbicide exposure,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

Up to 200,000 Vietnam Veterans are potentially eligible to receive VA disability compensation for medical conditions recently associated with Agent Orange. The expansion of coverage involves B-cell (or hairy-cell) leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease.

Shinseki said VA has launched a variety of initiatives – both technological and involving better business practices – to tackle an anticipated upsurge in Agent Orange-related claims.

“These initiatives show VA’s ongoing resolve to modernize its processes for handling claims through automation and improvements in doing business, providing Veterans with faster and more accurate decisions on their applications for benefits,” Shinseki said.

Providing initial payments – or increases to existing payments – to the 200,000 Veterans who now qualify for disability compensation for these three conditions is expected to take several months, but VA officials encourage all Vietnam Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and suffer from one of the three diseases to make sure their applications have been submitted.

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Agent Orange 2/2/2/2

VA has offered Veterans exposed to Agent Orange special access to health care since 1978, and priority medical care since 1981. VA has been providing disability compensation to Veterans with medical problems related to Agent Orange since 1985.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness do not have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

The three new illnesses – B-cell (or hairy-cell) leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease – are added to the list of presumed illnesses previously recognized by VA.

Other recognized illnesses under VA’s “presumption” rule for Agent Orange
are:

• Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy

• Chloracne

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)

• Hodgkin’s Disease

• Multiple Myeloma

• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

• Prostate Cancer

• Respiratory Cancers

• Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma,
Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)

• AL Amyloidosis

Veterans interested in applying for disability compensation under one of the three new Agent Orange presumptives should go to www.fasttrack.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000.

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Good website of Vietnam era songs. Also a good place to find many
web sites for Vietnam era items.

http://www.myvietnamwarexperience.com/

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Vietnam War casualties listed by Home of Record.

http://www.virtualwall.org/iStates.htm

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Mountain Home Local Office Idaho Department of Labor

Vicky Lynn Courterier | AmeriCorps Member
Mountain Home Local Office
Idaho Department of Labor
1993 East 8th North | Mountain Home, ID 83647-2333
208-364-7788 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 208-364-7788 end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 3076
Fax: 208-587-2964
VickyLynn.Courterier@labor.idaho.gov

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 Veteran warning (UNCLASSIFIED)
Importance: High

An organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit
and
general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans.
This
organization is not affiliated with VA in any way.
http://www.vaservices.org/us/index.html

VAS may be gaining access to military personnel through their close
resemblance
to the VA name and seal. Our Legal Counsel has requested that we coordinate
with
DoD to inform military installations, particularly mobilization sites, of
this
group and their lack of affiliation or endorsement by VA to provide any
services.

In addition, GC requests that if you have any examples of VAS acts that
violate
chapter 59 of Title 38 United States Code, such as VAS employees assisting
veterans in the preparation and presentation of claims for benefits, please
pass
any additional information to Mr.Daugherty at the address below.

Michael G. Daugherty

Staff Attorney

Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of General Counsel (022G2

Dawn Germer
Family Assistance Center Specialist
Idaho Family Programs
Idaho National Guard
Goodwill Staffing Services
Office: 208-272-7432 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 208-272-7432 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Toll Free: 866-791-5041 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-791-5041 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Cell: 208-305-4974 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 208-305-4974 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
dawn.germer@us.army.mil

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I am the proud wife of a Purple Heart, Viet Nam Combat Veteran.
"His fight was in Viet Nam, my fight is the Viet Nam still in him"

Author: Mrs. D. Rowland