It’s nearly impossible to get precise numbers of people who were either exposed to Agent Orange, or who have had complications because a parent was exposed to it.
What we do know is that North Dakota has approximately 15,000 Vietnam veterans and roughy 65 percent of them are receiving compensation after being exposed to the defoliant in Southeast Asia. We’ve also learned from the Veteran’s Administration there are approximately 70 women in the state who couldn’t have children because of exposure to Agent Orange.
We’ve all heard of Agent Orange, a chemical defoliant that was used to clear vast areas of jungle in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. It’s actually been around since the late 1940s and was used most often to clear vegetation from railroad rights of way before the war.
But it gained notoriety when people who came home from Vietnam began getting illnesses that in the beginning couldn’t be explained until those illnesses and diseases were linked to the defoliant.
As it turns out, Agent Orange, by definition, is equal parts of what were once two common agricultural chemicals in North Dakota. One of them, 2-4-D, remains a common ag chemical. The other, 2-4-5-T was a brush killer that was outlawed in 1971 except for use on rice acreage, but was banned outright in 1985.
The mixture of these two products creates a byproduct called 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a highly toxic carcinogen. There were actually a number of herbicides used in Vietnam, called the rainbow herbicides, that created the dioxin.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, 3.8 million Americans who served in Vietnam, may have been exposed to Agent Orange. As many as 400,000 Vietnamese died or had permanent injury from the defoliant.
There are as many as 17 complications from Agent Orange including several types of cancer, fibromyalgia and fertility issues. But what has become more impactful more recently is that children of Vietnam veterans are turning up with issues indirectly related to Agent Orange. If that isn’t enough, it is documented that some grandchildren are also affected.
According to the VA, children of Vietnam veterans have been reported to experience a range of health issues that include birth defects, developmental problems and increased risk of certain cancers.
More specifically, those issues include Spina Bifida, cleft lip and palate, heart defects and limb deformities. Those children may have also experienced learning disabilities, attention and behavioral disorders and developmental delays.
The VA recognizes Spina Bifida in the children of veterans with qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea as being associated with Agent Orange exposure. The VA offers benefits to children with certain birth defects who are the biological children of Vietnam-era veterans with qualifying service in Vietnam and Korea. The benefits include compensation, health care and vocational training.
What’s even more stunning is that grandchildren of those exposed to Agent Orange are turning up with birth defects. Although the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says there is no direct evidence of this happening, there’s a growing awareness of potential intergenerational effects of exposure. Again, Spina Bifida seems to be the most likely link, but there are other known issues such as being born without eye sockets or having too many fingers and toes.
The Vietnam Veterans of America suggest that if you believe your child or grandchild has a health issue that may be linked to your exposure, have them file a claim with the assistance of an accredited Veterans Services officer.
The VVA expects the claims to be denied, but the important thing is to get them registered in the VA system. It is also a good idea, according to VVA, to register with Birth Defect Research for Children. This is a non-profit that has been tracking the health of children and grandchildren of Vietnam veterans.
There remain numerous veterans who were either in Vietnam or who were on ships docked in Vietnamese ports who aren’t being compensated for their exposure to Agent Orange. At least the VA has acknowledged 17 health effects from the defoliant and some children, especially those with Spina Bifida, are being compensated.
To learn more about Agent Orange, go to (www.publichealth.va.gov). There’s a wealth of information on that website that includes exposure aboard the C-123 airplanes that applied Agent Orange.