Excerpts taken from the VAntage Point Blog – written by J. Slider
This week the Department of Veterans Affairs official blog, VAntage Point, addressed the findings of the recent ruling on the affects of Agent Orange on Blue Water Sailors —those who served on deep water Navy or Coast Guard vessels. In summary, the report stated that the exposure of Viet Nam era Blue Water Navy Veterans to Agent Orange cannot reasonably be determined due to a lack of data on environmental concentrations of Agent Orange contaminants.
Although this means that this group of veterans do not have a presumptive connection to AO, it does not mean that Blue Water Navy Veterans can’t submit claims and apply for benefits if they feel they were exposed to AO. In fact, as the VA blog points out, the VA has recognized claims from Vietnam Veterans whose ships entered inland waterways, and/or docked at specific times and locations, if they claim that they went ashore. So far, this applies to 140 ships and 51 classes of vessels. Veterans who were aboard these ships are eligible for benefits based on the presumption that their diseases are associated with their service in Vietnam. You can find the list of ships and vessels linked on the Blue Water Navy Veterans website.
Read more: http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2011/06/the-latest-blue-water-agent-orange-ruling/
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The report didn't actually say that in that form, it said that that they couldn't determine if these veterans were or were not exposed, the same as it found that ground troop may or may not have been exposed It also when on to say that they did determine that there were plausible routes in which these veterans could have been exposed. basically the report said that anyone that served in the theater could have been exposed by one method or another. Now, lets think about this. if the IOM couldn't prove someone was exposed to the satisfaction of the VA, then how in the Heck do you are anyone else think single Veteran can accomplish that feat!
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