Nine months after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began processing Agent Orange disability claims for Blue Water Navy veterans, more than 22,500 have been finalized, resulting in more than $640 million in payments to veterans or their surviving dependents.
Blue Water Navy veterans waited nearly 50 years to receive
disability compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure until The
American Legion-backed Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 was signed
into law on June 25. This act extends disability benefits covering medical
conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure to those who served on ships
off the coast of Vietnam — impacting an estimated 90,000 veterans.
VA’s collaboration with the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) has resulted in the digitization of more than 29 million
images from U.S. Navy and Coast Guard deck logs. Data — such as ship names,
dates and coordinates — is then fed to an internal, claims-related processing
system that identifies vessels that may have traveled within the offshore
waters of Vietnam. This new approach has resulted in a faster, more accurate
decision the first time a claim is reviewed.
"The team at NARA recognizes the importance of this
effort making it easier for Blue Water Navy veterans to receive the benefits
they've earned without burdening them with paperwork,” VA Secretary Robert
Wilkie said in a release. “Since Jan. 1, VA has processed thousands of claims
and encourages every veteran, dependent and surviving spouse who is eligible to
file a claim as soon as possible.”
The American Legion has long fought and advocated for the
rights of Blue Water Navy veterans and in 2016 passed Resolution No. 246 that
supported "legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to presume
exposure to Agent Orange for any military personnel who served during the
Vietnam War on any vessel that came within 12 nautical miles of the coastlines
of Vietnam."
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