Benefits expanded for disabled veterans

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo is urging Guam veterans who might have been exposed to Agent Orange residue while working on aircraft used in the Vietnam War to file a claim for benefits they are now eligible to receive.

The Department of Veterans Affairs this week expanded eligibility of some benefits for certain Air Force veterans and Air Force reservists who worked on C-123 aircraft during and after the war. The planes were used as part of an operation that involved spraying the toxic herbicide to destroy foliage.

The decision to expand benefits was made following a report that states as many as 1,500 to 2,100 Air Force members were exposed to the herbicide. The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine produced the report.

"I applaud the VA for taking this step to provide support for our veterans that worked on these contaminated aircraft," Bordallo said in a statement released yesterday. "I urge any of our eligible veterans on Guam to file a claim with the VA to get the benefits they are entitled to."

The benefits will be provided to eligible veterans or reservists who submit a disability compensation claim for any of the 14 medical conditions determined by the VA to be related to Agent Orange exposure, according to the department.

Those who were exposed include flight, medical and ground maintenance crews.

The Institute of Medicine report found that samples taken from the C-123 aircraft showed the presence of Agent Orange residue, and that hundreds of Air Force reservists trained and worked on the aircraft following the war. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs considered these reservists ineligible for health care and disability coverage under the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

Reservists who developed an Agent Orange-related disability and served as flight, ground or medical personnel during the period of 1969 to 1986 at the following locations are urged to apply:

• Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Ohio (906th and 907th Tactical Air Groups or 355th and 356th Tactical Airlift Squadron)

• Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts (731st Tactical Air Squadron and 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron)

• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, International Airport (758th Airlift Squadron)

Eligibility criteria can be found at www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/agentorange-c123.asp. For more information about these benefits, individuals can call VA's Special C-123 Hotline at 1-800-749-8387 or email the St. Paul Regional Benefit Office at VSCC123.VAVBASPL@va.gov.

Agent Orange-related diseases:

VA has recognized certain cancers and other health problems as presumptive diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. Veterans and their survivors may be eligible for benefits for these diseases.

• AL Amyloidosis

A rare disease caused when an abnormal protein, amyloid, enters tissues or organs

• Chronic B-cell Leukemias

A type of cancer which affects white blood cells

• Chloracne (or similar acneform disease)

A skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.

• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

A disease characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body's inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin

• Hodgkin's Disease

A malignant lymphoma (cancer) characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, and by progressive anemia

• Ischemic Heart Disease

A disease characterized by a reduced supply of blood to the heart, that leads to chest pain

• Multiple Myeloma

A cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in bone marrow

• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

A group of cancers that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue

• Parkinson's Disease

A progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects muscle movement

• Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset

A nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling, and motor weakness. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of herbicide exposure.

• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

A disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.

• Prostate Cancer

Cancer of the prostate; one of the most common cancers among men

• Respiratory Cancers (includes lung cancer)

Cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus

• Soft Tissue Sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma)

A group of different types of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs