Did the U.S. know Agent Orange was toxic?

A 1990 report for the secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found that the military knew that Agent Orange was harmful to personnel but took few precautions to limit exposure.

When did the U.S. acknowledge Agent Orange?

In the Agent Orange Act of 1991, Congress required the National Academy of Sciences to review periodically all medical and scientific research on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange/dioxin and other chemicals used during the Vietnam War, and to their individual components.

Did the U.S. admit to Agent Orange?

America has never taken responsibility for spraying the herbicide over Laos during the Vietnam War. But generations of ethnic minorities have endured the consequences.

What did the U.S. do about Agent Orange?

The U.S. Response

The U.S. government has, to date, spent $400 million to address the environmental and health effects of Agent Orange. A greater emphasis has been placed on environmental cleanup.

Who approved the use of Agent Orange?

After a period of testing, on this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave final approval to “Operation Ranch Hand” — a massive effort to defoliate the forests of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos with an herbicide known as Agent Orange.

America's Vietnam Shame: Children Of Agent Orange | Timeline

Was Agent Orange a war crime?

Is the spraying of Agent Orange considered a war crime? No. The Environmental Modification Convention, put into effect in after the end of the Vietnam War, prohibits the military to use techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects on the environment.

Can Agent Orange be passed from father to child?

There is currently no definitive evidence that a father's exposure to Agent Orange causes birth defects. However, an analysis of Agent Orange registry data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suggests a link between males' exposure to Agent Orange and having children with certain birth defects.

Who is to blame for Agent Orange?

From 1965 to 1969, the former Monsanto Company manufactured Agent Orange for the U.S. military as a wartime government contractor. The current Monsanto Company has maintained responsibility for this product since we were spun-off as a separate, independent agricultural company in 2002.

Is Vietnam still polluted by Agent Orange?

US aircraft sprayed 20 million gallons of herbicides across Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Dioxin, a contaminant in Agent Orange, persists today. Credit: US Army Flight Operations Specialist 4 John Crivello in 1969.

Can children of Agent Orange Veterans get benefits?

Survivors' benefits

Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service and died as the result of diseases related to the exposure may be eligible for health care, compensation, education, and home loan benefits.

Did JFK approve Agent Orange?

Kennedy approved the use of herbicides in South Vietnam to kill vegetation along roads and to destroy crops being grown to feed the VC. The herbicide most used would become known as Agent Orange.

Was everyone who served in Vietnam exposed to Agent Orange?

For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

What is the truth about Agent Orange?

Agent Orange contained a toxic chemical called “dioxin” now associated with cancer, type 2 diabetes, nerve disorders, and heart disease. Soldiers who had “boots on the ground” in Vietnam were eligible for VA disability benefits when they returned home and could prove they'd been exposed to Agent Orange.

How old would a Vietnam vet be right now?

Today, Vietnam Veterans range in age from 61 to 103 years old. Nearly ten million Veterans are age 65 or older, but within the next five years, around 700,000 more Vietnam Veterans will reach retirement age.

How many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange?

All told, about 9 million military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era, but most were not stationed in the country. Of those, some 2.6 million were potentially exposed to Agent Orange, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates.

Are people still dying from Agent Orange?

“It was discovered while it was in use to have toxicities and carcinogenic properties. The VA moved through studies and reviews to properly assess that and then provide care for those people effected,” Hall said. Sklenar said Vietnam veterans are still dying every day from the effects of Agent Orange.

How many gallons of Agent Orange was sprayed in the Vietnam War?

From August 1965 to 1971, DOD sprayed 11.22 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam, with about 3 gallons per acre sprayed undiluted. DOD has little information available on the number or extent of personnel exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

Can Agent Orange be passed through DNA?

U.S. animal tests show that genetic damage from dioxin in Agent Orange can be passed on to offspring, but species vary widely in how susceptible they are. No human studies exist.

Who dropped Agent Orange on Vietnam?

From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam, of which at least 11 million gallons was Agent Orange, in a military project called Operation Ranch Hand.

Who stopped the use of Agent Orange?

The military use of 2,4,5-T, and thus Agent Orange, was suspended by the Department of Defense in April 1970 (Young and Reggiani, 1988).

Can a child of a Vietnam veteran get benefits?

Your child may be eligible for disability benefits if they meet these requirements. One of these must be true: The child's biological mother or father served in the Republic of Vietnam or in Thailand for any length of time between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or.

How much do veterans get for Agent Orange exposure?

Of the 105,000 claims received by the Payment Program, approximately 52,000 Vietnam Veterans or their survivors received cash payments which averaged about $3,800 each.

What benefits do you get after death from Agent Orange?

Compensation benefits

Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and died as the result of diseases related to Agent Orange exposure may be eligible for a monthly payment called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.

Do spouses get Agent Orange benefits?

Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and died as a result of a disease related to the exposure may be entitled to health care, education and home loan benefits.

What did Agent Purple do?

Agent Purple is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in their herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War. The name comes from the purple stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents.