By Larry Dandridge
Editor’s note: This article is the third in a series of five.
This is the third article in a series of five on Agent Orange and service-connected disability compensation. The first two articles can be read online at The Island News archives at https://bit.ly/4lV9VUZ and https://bit.ly/4lvlPVO.
According to the VA’s “Agent Orange Exposure and Disability Compensation” webpage at https://bit.ly/4lriXJ0 (or https://bit.ly/3GHthxU) and the VA’s webpage “Public Health – Veterans Diseases Associated With Agent Orange” at https://bit.ly/4lwMXDp or (https://bit.ly/3GHtaCu), if you have a health condition (cancer or non-cancer) that is caused by exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange during your service, you may be eligible for VA disability compensation and VA healthcare.
Last week’s article covered presumptive cancers caused by Agent Orange. This week’s and next week’s articles cover 11 other presumptive illnesses associated with Agent Orange exposure.
Other PRESUMPTIVE illnesses associated with Agent Orange exposure include:
1. AL Amyloidosis: According to the VA webpage https://bit.ly/4nJYmSl, AL amyloidosis is a rare disease caused when amyloid proteins are abnormally deposited in tissues or organs. Primary (AL) amyloidosis is the most common form. AL amyloidosis is not a cancer, but it can occur because of some cancers. Affected organs may include the heart, kidneys, liver, bowel, skin, nerves, joints, and lungs. Symptoms include fatigue, anemia, weight loss, and numbness/tingling in the limbs.
Veterans with AL amyloidosis who were exposed to herbicides during military service may be eligible for disability compensation and health care. Learn more by speaking with your local Veterans Service Officer (VSO) and reading the information on the following VA webpages:
- “Agent Orange Exposure and Disability Compensation” at https://bit.ly/4nOsQCs.
- “Exposure to Agent Orange by Location” at https://bit.ly/451nV9U.
- “Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange” at https://bit.ly/4kDxuAq.
Veterans who served in Vietnam or another area where Agent Orange was sprayed may be eligible for a free Agent Orange Registry Health Exam. The VA’s Agent Orange Registry health exam alerts veterans to possible long-term health problems that may be related to Agent Orange exposure. Veterans can schedule an Agent Orange Registry Exam by contacting their local VA Medical Center’s Environmental Health Coordinator. Find your coordinator at https://bit.ly/4545fGE. Learn more by speaking with your local Veterans Service Officer (VSO) and reading the information at https://bit.ly/4eSsE1h.
Surviving spouses, dependent children, and dependent parents of veterans who were exposed to herbicides (Agent Orange and the other Rainbow Chemicals) during military service and died as a result of AL amyloidosis may be eligible for survivors’ benefits. Learn more about Agent Orange and Survivors’ Benefits by speaking with your local VSO and reading the information at the VA webpage https://bit.ly/3TBagjD and The Island News article “VA Survivor Benefits, Death Certificates, VSOs” dated Dec. 13, 2023, https://bit.ly/3GrLwr7.
2. Chloracne (or similar acneform disease): The VA’s webpage “Chloracne or Acneform Disease and Agent Orange” at https://bit.ly/4eRf6CX, states, the VA presumes chloracne (or other similar acneiform disease) in veterans is related to their exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service when the disease appears within one year of exposure to Agent Orange to a degree of at least 10% disabling by VA’s rating regulations.
Chloracne is a rare skin condition characterized by excessive oiliness of the skin, blackheads, cysts, and nodules, which has been directly linked to dioxin exposure. Mild forms may resemble teenage acne. Chloracne is a well-established, long-term effect of exposure to dioxin, a contaminant in Agent Orange. It is the only skin disorder consistently reported to be explicitly associated with Agent Orange and other herbicides. Not everyone exposed to dioxin develops chloracne.
Severe chloracne may lead to open sores and permanent scars. Skin may also become thicker and flake or peel. The condition fades slowly after exposure. Minor cases may disappear altogether, but more severe cases may persist for years after exposure.
3. Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: According to the VA’s webpage “Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 and Agent Orange,” at https://bit.ly/3GKTxY4:
- Veterans who develop Type 2 diabetes mellitus and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their diabetes and service to be eligible to receive VA health care and disability compensation.
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease that affects the body’s ability to use blood sugar for energy. In Type 2 diabetes mellitus, the body does not produce enough insulin, or the cells ignore the insulin. Signs of untreated diabetes Type 2 are: blurry vision, excessive thirst, fatigue, hunger, frequent urination, and weight loss. Risk factors for diabetes Type 2 include: age over 45 years, family history and genetics, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, obesity, and gestational diabetes. Visit MEDLINE PLUS at https://bit.ly/4669ClD to learn about diabetes treatment, the latest medical research, and more from the National Institutes of Health.
4. Hypertension (high blood pressure — added under the PACT Act): The Centers for Disease Control, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Cardiology define the earliest stage of high blood pressure as a systolic blood pressure (SBP – the top number) greater than 130 mm Hg and a diagnostic blood pressure (DBP or bottom number) of greater than 80 mm HG. VA and other doctors accept this definition and treat patients according to blood pressure readings greater than 130/80.
However, the VA’s service-connected disability process only recognizes a diagnosis of high blood pressure when a veteran has:
- A SBP greater than or equal to 160 and a DBP greater than 90; or
- A SBP greater than or equal to 160 with a systolic pressure under 90 (isolated systolic hypertension).
Veterans can still get a VA high blood pressure diagnosis if they are already on medication for high blood pressure; therefore, the above 160/90 and 160/under 90 only affect veterans who are trying to control their blood pressure without medication.
It may be helpful to a veteran’s claim to have their doctor fill out a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ), diagnosing the veteran with high blood pressure and documenting what the veteran is doing (losing weight, reducing salt intake, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol, not smoking, etc.). Learn more about DBQs at the VA webpage “DBQs” at https://bit.ly/4lwHRaG.
Continued next week.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, a combat and service-connected 100% disabled veteran, an ex-Enlisted Infantryman, an ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and a retired Lt. Colonel. His over 250 articles on veterans’ benefits, leadership, logistics, hospice, law enforcement, and aeronautics have been published in over 20 magazines and newspapers in the USA, Germany, and England. Larry is a former Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at his local VA Hospital, a Fisher House Charleston Goodwill Ambassador, and the past Vice President for Veteran Affairs for his local Association of the US Army (AUSA) and Military Officer Association Chapters. He is currently the VFW Post 7378 Service Officer, the author of the award-winning and popular (over 250 five-star reviews) Blades of Thunder (Book One), and a contributing freelance writer with The Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
