WASHINGTON — In a long awaited announcement, the Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday extended benefits to veterans exposed to Agent Orange residue on planes after the Vietnam War.
Effective immediately, the policy change affects up to 2,100 crew members, airplane mechanics and flight nurses who regularly worked on C-123s between 1969 and 1986. During that time period, those planes were based mainly at the 911th Airlift Wing in Pittsburgh; Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio; and Westover Air Reserve Station near Springfield, Mass.
“Opening up eligibility to this deserving group of Air force veterans and reservists is the right thing to do,” VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald said in a statement.
The change allows the affected veterans to receive disability compensation and medical care for any medical condition presumed related to exposure to Agent Orange. It also allows survivors to receive compensation and burial benefits.
The VA previously denied claims, saying the planes had been decontaminated and that the crew members didn’t qualify for benefits anyway because they didn’t serve in Vietnam and their disabilities didn’t manifest during their military service.
The VA began to take a new view in January after the Institute of Medicine issued a report saying that C-123 reservists were probably exposed to dioxin, the toxic chemical in Agent Orange.
A VA spokeswoman said it would cost about $47.5 million over 10 years to extend disability benefits. She could not estimate the cost of medical coverage.
Veterans are grateful but bitter that they’ve had to wait so long.
“Our sense of relief is tempered by the grief felt for lost comrades,” said retired Air Force Reserve Maj. Wes Carter of Colorado, a major force behind efforts to get coverage extended.
“It is also tempered with memories of well-funded and adversarial actions employed against our claims by the VA. Every medical and scientific fact that convinced the Institute of Medicine of Agent Orange exposures had been presented to the VA years earlier but was ignored,” he said. “That was wrong.”
Thursday’s announcement prompted three U.S. senators to release their hold on the confirmation of David J. Shulkin of New Jersey as VA undersecretary for health. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Jeff Markley, D-Ore. and Ron Wyden, D-Ore. had been blocking Dr. Shulkin’s nomination in order to pressure the VA to extend benefits to C-123 crews.
“All service members exposed to Agent Orange residue deserve the same benefits, whether they flew on missions that used the chemical or worked on planes still contaminated by it years later,” Mr. Brown said Thursday.
Mr. Markley and Mr. Wyden said they are gladdened by the announcement.
“While this decision is long overdue, I’m encouraged that the agency heeded our calls to change course and ensure that these veterans will receive the care they deserved from the start,” Mr. Wyden said.
For more information, visit https://www.ebenefits.va.org. Veterans with specific questions related to herbicide exposure on C-123s may reach the VA at 1-800-749-8387 or VSCC123.VAVBASPL@va.gov.
First Published: June 18, 2015, 1:19 p.m.
Updated: June 18, 2015, 5:32 p.m.
