A U.S. veteran living in Tennessee has won what's thought to be the
first Veterans Administration claim for exposure inside the continental
United States to Agent Orange, an herbicide that was used by the military to clear jungles during the Vietnam War.
Agent Orange -- which got its name from the color of the barrels it was
shipped in -- was among the herbicides used the U.S. military during
the Vietnam era that were contaminated with dioxins, chemicals known to
cause birth defects and genetic mutations as well as cancers. It was
produced by companies including Dow Chemical and Monsanto.
Earlier this month, the VA granted the claim of James Cripps related
to his exposure to the chemical while he was stationed at Fort Gordon,
Ga. He sought compensation for medical conditions related to Agent
Orange including chloracne, diabetes and heart disease.
Cripps, who currently serves as the chair of the Vietnam Veterans of America Tennessee Agent Orange Committee, announced the news in an online veterans' issues forum:
On November 2, 2009, I won the first ever VA claim for Agent Orange exposure, "inside the Continental United States." The claim was granted for Chloracne, Diabetes and Heart Disease with ICD implant, as due to Agent Orange exposure at Fort Gordon GA., in the years 1967-1969. You will be able to read the Board Of Veterans Appeals detailed decision along with the supporting evidence at WWW.va.gov in a couple of months when it is posted. From the web site choose Board of Veterans Appeals, then click on Decisions. Next type in the search box Docket No.08-11 937.
A Vietnam War-era Army veteran, Cripps worked as a game warden at
Fort Gordon near Augusta, Ga. He was exposed to Agent Orange while
spraying the chemical in the lakes around the fort to kill weeds. When
he left the military he suffered from chloracne and later developed
other health problems related to his exposure.
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