Proposed Legislation to Help Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange in the Pacific

On February 2nd, House Senior Deputy Majority Whip Dennis A. Ross of Florida introduced legislation that would expand the coverage for veterans exposed to Agent Orange in the Pacific. This includes veterans who served in Guam, the Northern Marianas, and American Samoa during the Vietnam War.

Under this new legislation:

• Veterans who served in Guam, the Northern Marianas, and American Samoa during the Vietnam War are granted presumptive Agent Orange exposure.
• These veterans can also receive expedited consideration for VA benefits if they suffer from diseases that link back to Agent Orange.

The legislation was drafted  after Master Sgt. Leroy Foster attempted to seek compensation for his time during the Vietnam War. Master Sgt. Foster stated that he personally sprayed Agent Orange in Guam during his time in service. He has over 30 diseases and multiple cancers due to Agent Orange exposure but does not qualify for disability compensation.

A request was made by the Department of Defense to seek out more information regarding the chemicals and herbicides used during the Vietnam War. The Guam Environmental Protection Agency also conducted tests on drinking water sources and soils for traces of the chemicals found in Agent Orange, these tests showed positive results for Agent Orange.

With these findings and the media coverage, Guam EPA officials have been working with the Department of Defense and the U.S. EPA to help the investigations into claims made by Master Sgt. Foster and others who have been affected.

Read the full article on The Guam Daily Post.

Disability Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

Veterans Help Group has years of experience helping vets get VA disability benefits due to Agent Orange exposure. If you have questions, call our advocates for veterans at (855) 855-8992 or complete our free online veterans disability case evaluation form.