VA Disability Benefits Expanded Under Blue Water Navy Act

The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act was passed in 2019 and took effect on January 1, 2020, The law opened the door for many veterans who suffered toxic exposures in the waters near Vietnam and in the Korean DMZ. Unfortunately, as of this writing in 2025, many qualified veterans still aren’t receiving the VA disability benefits they deserve. 

This page will provide an overview of who is presumed to have been exposed to toxins under the Blue Water Navy Act and which medical conditions are presumed to be connected to those exposures. But there’s no substitute for the assistance of an experienced, VA-accredited disability benefits advocate. At Veterans Help Group, we’ve helped thousands of people pursue VA disability benefits or appeal denials. To learn more about how we can help, call us today at 855-855-3332 or fill out our contact form here.

Who is Covered by the Blue Water Navy Act? 

While the statute’s title refers specifically to Navy Vietnam veterans, the presumptions are not limited to Navy veterans or Vietnam veterans. The Blue Water Navy Act creates presumptions of herbicide exposure for all military veterans who served: 

Offshore of the Republic of Vietnam 

Veterans who served off the shore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides unless it is conclusively proven that they were not. Veterans who served in inland waters in Vietnam were already presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. 

This includes veterans who served not more than 12 nautical miles seaward of a line commencing on the southwestern demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia and intersecting with any of the following points: 

• Hon Nhan Island, Tho Chu Archipelago Kien Giang Province (9°15.0’N, 103°27.0’E)
• Hon Da Island southeast of Hon Khoai Island Minh Hai Province (8°22.8’N, 104°52.4’E)
• Tai Lon Islet, Con Dao Islet in Con Dao-Vung Toa Special Sector (8°37.8’N, 106°37.5’E)
• Bong Lai Islet, Con Dao Islet (8°38.9’N, 106°37.5’E)
• Bay Canh Islet, Con Dao Islet (8°39.7’N, 106°42.1’E)
• Hon Hai Islet (Phu Qui group of islands) Thuan Hai Province (9°8.0’N, 109°5.0’E)
• Hon Doi Islet, Thuan Hai Province (12°39.0’N, 109°28.0’E)
• Dai Lanh point, Phu Khanh Province (12°53.8’N, 109°27.2’E)
• Ong Can Islet, Phu Khanh Province (13°54.0’N, 109°21.0’E
• Ly Son Islet, Nghia Binh Province (15°23.1’N, 109°9.0’E)
• Con Co Island, Binh Tri Thien Province (17°10.0’N, 107°20.6’E)

If this seems a bit complicated, don’t worry. A VA-accredited disability benefits advocate can help determine whether you qualify for the presumption.

Korean DMZ

The Blue Water Navy Act also extends the presumption of herbicide exposure to a veteran who served in or near the Korea Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. 

Presumptive Conditions for Blue Water Veterans

Veterans who served in any of the times and places listed above are entitled to a presumption that they were exposed to herbicides. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re entitled to VA disability benefits. The next step is to show that the exposure caused the veteran’s diagnosed medical condition. 

In most situations, that’s an involved process that may include service records, medical records from the military, and after, buddy statements and more. However, a long list of medical conditions are presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange exposure and exposure to other herbicides. These include: 

• AL Amyloidosis
• Bladder Cancer
• Chronic B-Cell Leukemias
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• Chloracne
• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
• Hypertension
• Hodgkin’s Disease
• Hypothyroidism
• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS)
• Multiple Myeloma
• Other Myelodysplastic Syndromes
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Parkinsonism
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
• Prostate Cancer
• Respiratory Cancers
• Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Of course, a presumptive service-connection isn’t the only way to secure VA disability benefits. If you suffer from another medical condition that you believe is connected to herbicide exposure during your military service, you may still qualify for VA disability benefits. You will just have to provide sufficient evidence to establish that your condition was likely caused or worsened by an event or exposure during your military service. An experienced VA disability advocate can help you assemble the right evidence to show that connection. 

What If I Applied for VA Disability Before and Was Denied? 

If you applied for VA disability benefits for a condition you believe is connected to exposure to herbicides in one of the locations above, don’t assume the worst. 

For many years, courts were required to defer to the VA’s interpretation of what the term “in the Republic of Vietnam” in the Agent Orange Act of 1991 included. That changed in 2019, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that Congress’s meaning was clear, saying that all available international law confirmed the terminology to include a country’s territorial sea. Later the same year, Congress codified that extension and explicitly stated the boundaries.

That means blue water veterans who were previously denied may now be eligible for benefits. Shortly after the new law took effect, the VA invited veterans who had previously been denied to submit supplemental claims. 

Surviving Dependents May Also Be Eligible for Benefits

Survivors of veterans who would have been eligible for VA disability benefits under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act may still qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). That’s true even if the veteran was never approved for benefits. Surviving dependents who have never applied before can submit a claim now. Or, if a prior claim was submitted and denied, the dependent can file a supplemental claim. 

Helping Veterans and Their Families Get the Benefits They Deserve

Whether you were previously denied benefits for a condition that’s presumed service-connected, are a Blue Water veteran with a listed condition and never applied for VA disability, or believe that service-connected herbicide exposure caused a different condition, we can help. The VA-accredited advocates at Veterans Help Group have mastered the ins and outs of claims, supplemental claims, what is required to establish a service connection, and more. If you’re overwhelmed by the process or unsure of where to look for the evidence you need, let a seasoned advocate be your guide. 

Call us today at 855-855-8992 or fill out our contact form here.