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Guam Agent Orange veteran exposure advances in Congress | News Chicago, IL: 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Floors 8 and 9, Chicago, IL 60604 You have permission to edit this article. "We still perform our regulatory duties, permitting, enforcement and compliance, and once we have everything back in place, we will resume the investigation. Sen. Roy Quinata recently introduced Bill 103-37 that would extend the number of years a business can lease government land from five years to 30 years, according to a press release from his office. This means that any veteran who served in Guam and has a condition that is not currently on the listcouldhave their condition added eventually. Spiritual adviser. The VA recognizes that repeated exposure to Agent Orange causes a number of diseases, including: This chemical can clearly affect the body in a number of different ways. Through this and other examples, VA has awarded some veterans benefits based on exposure in Guam, although they have been decided on a case-by-case basis. And its not just a veterans issue, according to Terlaje. Agent Orange Exposure in Guam and VA Benefits | CCK Law They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. While there is no firm timeline, the local agency plans to interface with. Thousands of other veterans who served in Vietnam or on select ships off the countrys coastline and have one of several illnesses being considered as additions to the presumptive conditions list have been waiting up to four years for the VA to announce a decision on their cases. H.R. Agent Orange Exposure in Guam and VA Disability Benefits, Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, - Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School. The use of the herbicide i.e. The final test results indicate that one sample does show traces of 2,4,5-T (a component of Agent Orange) and 2,4,5-TP (a toxic chemical also known as silvex). The report cites contamination tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Defense Department from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as more recent EPA directed soil samplings taken in 2020. Resolutions support bills that recognize Agent Orange exposure in Guam, Biden tax hikes: Road to economic decline, April Fools Day 2023 contains a cruel joke. These newer tests, however, results prove otherwise. In addition to Agent Orange, Guam veterans may have also been exposed to herbicides containing dioxin, a chemical labeled as a carcinogen by the World Health . They can describe them very well as to where they were sprayed, where they were stored, where they were moved around, Terlaje said. We consistently provide experienced, compassionate and ethical representation to our clients. These cookies dont collect information that identifies you. Agent Orange is composed of equal parts 2, 4-D and 2, 4, 5-T - both common herbicides until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency halted all use of 2, 4, 5-T in the 1980s over toxicity. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Washington, D.C.: 1776 I Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, D.C 20006 On this episode of the Veterans Legal Lowdown, pod host Robert Chisholm and guest Nicholas Briggs discuss the use of Agent Orange and other herbicides on the island of Guam. To gather information, the GAO reviewed agency policies, documents, and available archival records; interviewed Department of Defense (DoD), VA, and other agency officials; and met with a non-generalizable sample of 38 veterans and a Veterans Service Organization. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! This exposure includes dioxin-containing herbicides other than Agent Orange, meaning the exposure is notlimited toAgent Orange. Herbicide exposure during the Vietnam era was incredibly common, as the herbicide proved incredibly effective for reducing the coverage of wild tropic growth. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 9. He said at least five Marines with whom he worked from the USS Proteus have died from Agent Orange-related illnesses in the past 10 years. Those documents do not indicate the use of tacticalherbicides in Guam. New report shows evidence of Agent Orange in Guam soil The original agent orange accent, if there is a herbicide that contains 2,4-D and or dioxin, its considered to be harmful. Laos from December 1, 1965 to September 30, 1969; Cambodia, specifically at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969 to April 30, 1969; Johnson Atoll or a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972 to September 30, 1977; On or near the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971; Active duty and reservist personnel who had regular contact with C-123 aircraft between 1969 and 1986. It was introduced by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., and includes provisions from other legislation from San Nicolas to include Guam and other Pacific territories as places where Agent Orange. The Veterans Legal Services Clinic was founded in 2010 to train law students and to serve the legal needs of veterans. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Military-Veterans Advocacy praised the enactment of the PACT Act. This harmful defoliant was deployed in the 1960s and 1970s as a way to reduce the amount of vegetation in an area. Were excited by these new test results because they did find TCDD to be present and theyre recommending to re-test some more and dig deeper, thats one, so that they can overcome any erosion that might have taken place or degradation over the years from the topsoil. The groups -- the National Veterans Legal Services Program and the Jerome Frank Legal Services Organization at Yale Law School -- say their link meets the VA's legal criteria for awarding affected veterans Agent Orange-related benefits. Countless veterans served in Guam during the Vietnam War era and, with the findings in this new updated report, those veterans may be eligible to be awarded benefits for the exposure they faced during their service. Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 A 2018 Government Accountability Office report concluded, however, that in the absence of records -- including those that were incomplete or have been lost -- and without credible soil samples, exposure could not be conclusively proven or disproven. However, Guam still was not added on that list. But were veterans serving in Guam affected by Agent Orange exposure? The Department of Defense maintained that Agent Orange was never used on Guam, despite claims by several Guam veterans who testified that they sprayed the herbicide on different areas on Guam. "It is probable that TCDD dioxin congener concentrations detected in soils are associated with chlorinated herbicides. When you visit web sites, they may store or retrieve data in your web browser. New law recognizes Agent Orange exposure on Guam Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. VA defines herbicide agent under 38 CFR 3.307(a)(6) as 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; and picloram. Tucson, AZ: One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor, Tucson, AZ, 85701 But all three bills do contain a flaw, he added. New research could help Vietnam-era veterans who served in Guam and who have diseases linked to Agent Orange file for disability with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Other highlights of the bill are as follows: Provide Priority Group 6 health care for over 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans. Resolutions support bills that recognize Agent Orange exposure in Guam However, in May of 2018, DoD and VA reportedly formed a joint Herbicide Orange Working Group to address the issues with the DoD list and identify criteria for including information on the list. More research into the subject could reveal the use of Agent Orange and other herbicides in more locations on Guam. Philadelphia, PA: 1 International Plaza, Suite 550, Philadelphia, PA, 19113 Richmond, VA: 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA, 23225 The US Government Won't Admit to Agent Orange Use on Guam During the Vietnam War, tens of thousands of veterans served on Guam, an important base for the Air Force's B-52 strategic bomber force. Additionally, VAs Claims Adjudication Procedures Manual section regarding Agent Orange exposure directs VA adjudicators to review the DoD list to determine whether herbicides were used and whether to concede exposure. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. These cookies do not store any personal information. If a veteran who served in Guam suffers from a condition that VA already recognizes presumptively due to Agent Orange exposure, they may be able to use this research and their own testimony to prove that their condition was caused by exposure. Relatively recent attention on Agent Orange in Guam culminated in a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which determined there was no evidence Agent Orange was offloaded here. Teacher. In January, the DoD released a list of locations outside Vietnam where herbicides were tested or stored, but the list omitted more than 40 previously listed exposure sites. In this blog post, well look at the reports that have urged the VA to reconsider as well as the diseases that might be caused by Agent Orange. These cookies are also used to let affiliates know if you came to one of our websites from an affiliate and if your visit resulted in the use or purchase of a product or service from us, including details of the product or service purchased.