02-28-2022, 11:39 PM
On 10 MAR Sen. John Boozman, (R-AR) introduced S.657 to modify the presumption of service
connection for veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in the Armed Forces in
Thailand during the Vietnam era, and for other purposes. It was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs who held hearings on it on 28 APR. It currently has 14 cosponsors. During the Vietnam
War, more than 40,000 gallons of Agent Orange were used in Thailand, yet the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) does not automatically recognize all veterans who served there as being exposed to this toxin.
VA’s adjudication manual only acknowledges herbicide exposure for veterans with specific military
occupational specialties who served on the perimeter of eight specific Thai Bases.
S. 657 would automatically concede herbicide exposure for all veterans who served at military
installations in Thailand, regardless of the base, duty on the perimeter or military occupational specialty.
These veterans would be eligible for VA health care and presumptive service-connected benefits due to
their Agent Orange exposure. Readers can support this bill by clicking on DAV’s take action site
https://dav.quorum.us/campaign/33432 and forwarding DAV’s prepared editable letter to their Senators
asking for their support of this bill.
connection for veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in the Armed Forces in
Thailand during the Vietnam era, and for other purposes. It was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs who held hearings on it on 28 APR. It currently has 14 cosponsors. During the Vietnam
War, more than 40,000 gallons of Agent Orange were used in Thailand, yet the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) does not automatically recognize all veterans who served there as being exposed to this toxin.
VA’s adjudication manual only acknowledges herbicide exposure for veterans with specific military
occupational specialties who served on the perimeter of eight specific Thai Bases.
S. 657 would automatically concede herbicide exposure for all veterans who served at military
installations in Thailand, regardless of the base, duty on the perimeter or military occupational specialty.
These veterans would be eligible for VA health care and presumptive service-connected benefits due to
their Agent Orange exposure. Readers can support this bill by clicking on DAV’s take action site
https://dav.quorum.us/campaign/33432 and forwarding DAV’s prepared editable letter to their Senators
asking for their support of this bill.