What is the lifespan of Agent Orange?

Agent Orange had a short half-life and quickly degraded, remaining toxic for only a short period, days or a few weeks at most.

How long does Agent Orange stay active?

The chemical dioxin in Agent Orange can remain toxic in the soil for decades. Soil samples have now been analyzed from both the areas that were heavily sprayed and the former American military bases where Agent Orange and other chemicals were stored and handled.

Does Agent Orange degrade?

Unfortunately, Agent Orange and the defoliants with 2,3,5-T in their formulations had an unanticipated by-product or contaminant in them, the dioxin 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) which had a very long half-life and did not easily degrade.

How many years was Agent Orange used in Vietnam?

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.

What is the lasting impact of Agent Orange?

It defoliated millions of acres of forests and farmland. Much of that land remains degraded and unproductive to this day. The chemical dioxin, contained in Agent Orange, remains toxic for decades and is still found in very high concentrations in “hot spots” in Vietnam.

What Is Agent Orange? | History

Can Agent Orange affect you later in life?

Unfortunately, Agent Orange exposure has led to long-term health effects in many Vietnam era veterans, including multiple myeloma, Parkinson's Disease, and various types of cancer.

What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange?

Can Agent Orange be passed 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.

Is Vietnam still suffering from Agent Orange?

Nearly half a century since the end of the Vietnam War, there remains an urgent need for the United States and Vietnam to address the harmful legacy of Agent Orange, a defoliant sprayed by the U.S. military over parts of southern Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia — an area about the size of Massachusetts — that continues to ...

How many Vietnam veterans were exposed to 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.

Does Agent Orange affect future generations?

Agent Orange has not only affected those with direct contact, but it has affected their families as well. Future generations are left to fight the residual effects of a war that ended nearly five decades ago.

What is the VA disability rating for Agent Orange?

The VA rating for Adult fibrosarcoma due to Agent Orange is 100 percent. What is the VA rating for Adult fibrosarcoma cancer due to Agent Orange exposure? Adult fibrosarcoma, soft tissue cancer (muscle, fat, or fibrous connective tissue) rate at 100%.

Is dementia caused by Agent Orange?

According to the JAMA study, veterans exposed to Agent Orange are twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia, compared with veterans who were not exposed. Those who were exposed also developed dementia an average of 1.25 years earlier.

What is the average payout for Agent Orange?

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.

Can Agent Orange be passed down from generation to generation?

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. American scientists say Vietnamese research linking Agent Orange exposure to birth defects is flawed.

Can Agent Orange be passed to spouse?

For veterans who have since passed away, their death could now be service connected to Agent Orange exposure, making their surviving spouse or dependents eligible for retroactive DIC benefits.

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 birth defects did Americans get from Agent Orange?

Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta), a defect in the developing fetus that results in incomplete closing of the spine, is associated with Veterans' exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea.

When was the last time Agent Orange was used in 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.

Is there a blood test for Agent Orange?

Unfortunately, there's no medical test or biological feature that can show that someone was exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides, so the health exam cannot confirm that you were (or were not) exposed.

What is an Agent Orange baby?

Spina bifida is a spinal cord birth defect. A baby develops spina bifida while still in the womb. In some cases, a parent's past contact with specific chemicals causes this birth defect.

Does Agent Orange change your DNA?

The constituents of Agent Orange are capable of producing gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations, at least in some experimental circumstances. TCDD and 2,4,5-T are teratogenic in mice and perhaps in other mammals, but the teratogenicity of these chemicals has not been convincingly demonstrated in humans.

How far back will the VA pay back pay?

The VA typically only pays disability compensation going back to the date of discharge to veterans who apply for their VA disability benefits within one year of being discharged. All of this underscores the need to submit your VA disability benefits claim as soon as possible.

How much money do Vietnam veterans get?

For veterans who received VA's disability payments in addition to their other income, the average annual payment was $18,100. Those disability payments made their income higher than other veterans' income, on average.

Does the VA pay back pay for Agent Orange?

VA has been awarding benefits to Vietnam veterans for any conditions related to Agent Orange for decades. When Congress passed new legislation that expanded coverage to the veterans who served on offshore ships, VA did not award retroactive benefits beyond the passage of that law.