The Impact Today
What is Agent Orange?
"Tactical use" Rainbow Herbicide
Agent Orange is an herbicide and defoliant chemical, that is widely known for its use by the U.S. military as part of its chemical warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1975. It is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides, 2,4,5-T (2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid).
The "Rainbow" herbicides were each named by the colored band around the storage barrels, thus Agent Orange was named for it's orange band. In addition to its damaging environmental effects, traces of TCDD dioxin found in the mixture have caused major health problems for many individuals who were exposed.
More than 19 million gallons of various “Rainbow” herbicide combinations were sprayed, but Agent Orange was the combination most often used. The Department of Veterans Affairs conceded that any veteran who set foot on the grounds of Vietnam ("Boots on Ground" rule) between January 1962, and May 1975 has been exposed to Agent Orange. But, this was not the only way humans were exposed, so they have listed on their website other locations of possible exposure as well.
Several decades later, concerns about the health effects from Agent Orange continue, including it's effects on the subsequent generations of those who were exposed.
Currently, the VA recognizes 14 presumptive diseases associated with direct exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. They include:
AL Amyloidosis
Chronic B-cell Leukemias
Chloracne (or similar acneform disease)
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Hodgkin's Disease
Ischemic Heart Disease
Multiple Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Parkinson's Disease
Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
Prostate Cancer
Respiratory Cancers (includes lung cancer)
Soft Tissue Sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma).
The Department of Veterans Affairs also recognizes that certain birth defects among Veterans' children are associated with Veterans' qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea.
Currently, Spina Bifida (not spina bifida occulta) is the only disease that they are recognizing is caused by exposure to Agent Orange. Synchronously, they are presuming that certain birth defects in biological children of women Vietnam Veterans were caused by military service when the birth mother served in Vietnam between February 28, 1962 and May 7, 1975. However, they are denying the connection to Agent Orange, but rather to the birth mother's service itself. Congress mandated that a number of birth defects in the children of female Vietnam veterans be assigned service-related status because enough evidence was found to support the plausibility, but not enough specific clinical research has been performed to definitively state the conclusions of the transgenerational effects of Agent Orange and TCDD. (Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2014; 10 Effects on Veterans' Descendants) Veteran's Affairs state that covered birth defects include, but are not limited to, the following conditions:
Achondroplasia
Cleft lip and cleft palate
Congenital heart disease
Congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)
Esophageal and intestinal atresia
Hallerman-Streiff syndrome
Hip dysplasia
Hirschprung's disease (congenital megacolon)
Hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis
Hypospadias
Imperforate anus
Neural tube defects
Poland syndrome
Pyloric stenosis
Syndactyly (fused digits)
Tracheoesophageal fistula
Undescended testicle
Williams syndrome
Although the VA has recognized a portion of the impacts of exposure, many families have continued to gather and provide information of how the exposure has affected them. Below is a list of some of the illnesses that the children of veterans have experienced (as obtained from: lovme.org )
ADD
ADHD
Addison’s Disease
Allergies
Anemia
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Anxiety
Aolpecia
Areata
Arnold Chiari Malformation
Arthritis
Asbergers
Asthma
Autism
Autonomic Nervous Dysfunction
Bipolar Disorder
Blindness
Brain Tumors
Bulged discs
Cerebal Palsy
Cervical dysplasia
Chronic Angioedema
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Headaches
Chronic Lyhocytic Thyroiditis
Chronic Sleep Deprivation
Cleft Lips & Palate
Club Foot
Compromised immune system
Connective Tissue Disorder
Conversion Disorder
Cornelia de Lange syndrome
Crohn’s Disease
Common Variable Immuno Defieciendy
Cystic Fibrosis
Debilitating muscle spasms
Depression (includes chronic also)
Deformed Fingers (multiple at birth)
Deformed Sinuses
Deformed Toes (multiple at birth)
Degenerative Disc Disease
dextrocardia Deviated Septum
Diabetes Type I
Diabetes Type II
Diagonal Earlobe Crease
Digestive Disorders
Diverticulitis
Double Uterus/Cervix
Double Uvula
Dysautonomia
Ear Infections/problems
Eczema
Endomertil Cancer
Endometriosis
Epilepsy
Familial Tremor
Felty’s Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Foot Deformity
Fragile X Syndrome
Fused veterbrae
Gall Bladder Disease
Gastritis
Gastrointestinal Problems
GERD
Gluten Intolerance
Growth Hormone defficiency
Growths of the Skull
Hashimoto’s
Heart Attack
Heart Disease
Heart Failure
Heart Murmur (newborn)
Hemangioma
Hernia
High Blood Pressure
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia (congential)
Hylan Membrane
Hypertension
Hypoglycemia
Hypospadias
Hypothyroid/Hypothyroidism
Hysterectomy
IBS
Imperforate anus
Infertility
Insomnia
Insulin Resistance
Interstitial Cystitis
Intestinal pseudo-obstruction
Intracranial hypertension (rare disease)
ITP platlete disorder
Joint & Muscle Pain
Keratosis Pilaris
Kidney Cysts
Kidney Disease
Knee Dysplasia
Lateral Mycrotia
Learning Disabilities
Leukemia
Loss of Skin Pigment
Lung Problems
Lupus of the skin
Lymphatic Tumors
Lymphoma Cancer
Macrodactyly
Major Depression
Malformation of both Feet (Severe)
Memory Retention Problems
Mental Health Issues
Mental Retardation
Migraine headaches
Miscarriages
Missing digits
Missing Limbs
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mullerian Aplasia
Multiple Sclerosis
Musco-skeletal Problems
Nasal Polyps
Neuralgia
Neuropathy
Night Terros
Numbness of the Hands (chronic)
OCD
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Osteoarthritis
Osteopenia
Osteoporosis
Ovarian cysts
Pallet Problems
Pancytopenia
PCOS
Poland Syndrome
Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumor
PSOD
Psoriasis
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic Rheumatoid Arthritis
PTSD
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome
Renal Failure
Reproductive Problems
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Salpingitis isthmica nodosa (SIN)
Sarcoidosis
Scoliosis
Seizures Severe Chronic Neutropenia
Sinus infections & problems (chronic)
Skin Cancer Skin Problems
Skin Rashes (newborn)
Sleep Apnea
Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Occulta
Spinal Cord Disease
Spinal deformities
Spondyloarthropy
Spondylolithesis
Spondylolytis
Strange Growths
Subglottal Stignosis
Syndactyly
Syringomeylia
Tachycardia
Tendinitis
Thyroid Cancer
TMJ
Joint Disease
Tourettes
tracheoesophageal fistula
Tumors
Urinary Tract Infections
VACTERL/VADER Association