Agent Orange was one of the most toxic military herbicides of the Vietnam War and related conflicts. Despite the healthcare concerns about Agent Orange becoming apparent shortly after deployment, the U.S. military continued using, experimenting with, and storing Agent Orange in bases in Vietnam and worldwide.
The military stored Agent Orange created by multiple chemical companies in various U.S. military bases, including those in the continental United States. Therefore, many Veterans may have been exposed to Agent Orange without knowing it or even realizing it was possible.
Read on for a detailed breakdown of all known United States military bases that stored Agent Orange.
Many military bases within the United States stored Agent Orange within their perimeters in the past. Here’s a list of those military bases and the likely or specific dates during which Agent Orange was stored in base facilities:
This location stored Agent Orange and other chemicals, such as Agent Blue.
This location stored Agent Orange, Agent Purple, Agent White, and Agent Blue.
This location stored high concentrations of Agent Orange and Agent Blue.
This location stored Agent Orange, as well as Bifluid herbicides and chemicals.
This location stored Agent Orange, Agent Blue, and in-house desiccant mixtures and formulations.
This location stored Agent Orange, PCP, and other chemicals. Service members stationed here were presumably exposed.
This location stored Agent Orange, TORDON ester, and other chemicals.
This location stored Agent Orange.
This location stored Agent Orange and other chemicals.
This location stored Agent Orange, Agent Orange plus foam, and more.
This location stored Agent Orange.
This location stored Agent Orange and various other chemicals.
This location stored and participated in field tests of Agent Orange.
This location stored Agent Orange and Agent Purple.
This location stored Agent Orange.
This location stored Agent Orange, Agent Blue, and Agent White.
This location stored Agent Orange.
This location stored Agent Orange and other chemicals.
The U.S. military also stored Agent Orange in military bases outside the United States. Again, here’s a list of those military bases and the dates throughout which Agent Orange was stored in those bases’ facilities:
There are also other U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force bases to know. These military installations may have stored this dioxin and other defoliant chemicals. These bases stored chemicals in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), including locations in:
The use of Agent Orange historically went beyond the U.S. Government, so others throughout Southeast Asia may have also been affected.
The U.S. military originally developed Agent Orange as a tactical herbicide. The military intended to use it to clear hazardous or impeding vegetation that prevented military operations from commencing successfully.
While developed before the Vietnam War, Agent Orange was primarily delivered and deployed during that conflict. Agent Orange also saw some limited use in other contexts and conflicts.
After the war, despite the apparent health hazards that Agent Orange caused or aggravated in U.S. military personnel, the military continued experimenting with and storing Agent Orange. There are several potential reasons for this, ranging from storing the chemical for future military conflicts to experimentation to reduce its health hazards while retaining its ability to eliminate vegetation.
Regardless, this storage contributed to the development of health conditions experienced by Veterans around the country. Today, hundreds of thousands of Veterans have presumptive conditions linked to Agent Orange exposure, entitling them to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.
As one of the most potent and destructive tactical herbicides ever created, Agent Orange has been linked to various diseases and long-term health conditions. Because many Vietnam Veterans returned home with the same health conditions, the Department of Veterans Affairs decided to create a list of presumptive conditions.
Veterans with one of these presumptive conditions who also worked or served in an area with Agent Orange are now more likely to receive a direct service connection if they apply for disability benefits.
Some Agent Orange presumptive conditions include:
For instance, if you served on a military base that stored Agent Orange during one of the above-listed timeframes and developed bladder cancer afterward, you could receive a presumptive service connection for your disability. The military assumes you developed your condition specifically because of Agent Orange exposure.
It’s impossible to say where or how the military stores Agent Orange or if it stores it whatsoever. The military has disposed of many barrels of Agent Orange and related toxic chemicals. Still, other military Veterans may come forward with stories of exposure or health conditions in the future.
Thanks to the above list, you do not need to have served in Vietnam to qualify for disability compensation related to Agent Orange exposure. Instead, you need to receive a service connection from the VA for your disability. That involves proving:
This can be accomplished by gathering evidence such as lay statements, your service records, and medical records or documentation from licensed medical care providers. You’ll need to prove your chronic health condition under the presumptive condition list hosted on the VA website.
The VA recently included two new presumptive conditions: hypertension or high blood pressure and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
If you don’t know whether you qualify for Veteran disability benefits because of Agent Orange exposure, contacting knowledgeable Veterans law attorneys is a smart idea.Â
The right attorneys know the ins and outs of the laws surrounding these types of disability claims. They can help you determine whether you served in an area with likely Agent Orange exposure or if you should take a different tactic when seeking disability benefits.
Remember, while Agent Orange causes and aggravates many types of cancers and other conditions, you may have developed your health condition because of something else that occurred during your time in the military. Therefore, even if you don’t believe you qualify for disability benefits because of Agent Orange, you may still qualify for benefits because of something else.
As you can see, dozens of military bases provably or potentially stored Agent Orange at some point in their history. In addition, other military bases possibly stored some amount of this harmful compound at some point.
Suppose you’ve looked through your service records and have discovered that you worked at a military base with Agent Orange. In that case, you may be entitled to disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Knowledgeable Veterans law attorneys like Berry Law can break down the process from start to finish and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today to learn more.
Sources:
Agent Orange Exposure And VA Disability Compensation | Veterans Affairs
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