The Vietnam Veteran vs. Agent Orange: The War That Lingers

The emotionally charged Agent Orange issue has grown into a national controversy. Thousands of Vietnam veterans claim that exposure to Agent Orange has made them sick and has caused birth defects in their children. They are frustrated at the slow pace of government efforts to find answers to their questions. Vietnam veterans believe that the government is not fulfilling its obligation on this complex issue. The Department of Defense (DOD) sprayed almost 11 million gallons of Agent Orange over millions of acres of Vietnam to prevent the enemy from hiding in the jungle, thereby enhancing security and improving observation, and to destroy the enemy's food supply. The chemicals in this herbicide were widely used in the United States to kill unwanted vegetation. In late 1977, veterans began approaching the Veterans Administration (VA) with various health problems related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. GAO was asked to examine DOD use of the herbicide in Vietnam and the handling of herbicide-exposure disability claims. GAO recommended that VA obtain all military records pertaining to a veteran's possible exposure to herbicides in Vietnam and that all veterans submitting such claims be encouraged to contact VA health care facilities. It also recommended that DOD and appropriate agencies study the health risks involved by its personnel's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. Few precautions were taken to prevent exposure. Innovative approaches must be devised to identify those exposed to the herbicide. Conclusive scientific evidence of effects on human health remains elusive. A class action suit was filed on behalf of veterans and their families who suffer health problems, which they attribute to Agent Orange exposure. The suit requests that the chemical companies involved be required to set up a trust fund with the government for compensation and care of veterans and their children. The focal point of VA efforts to assist veterans is the Agent Orange registry to identify veterans who are concerned about the health effects of Agent Orange and to gather baseline medical information. Many veterans complain that they have to wait for months for examination, are provided with inadequate treatment, and treated with contempt. They also are critical of VA for denying most disability claims related to Agent Orange.