Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Exposures Committee

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The Agent Orange Coverup: A Case of Flawed Science and Political Manipulation
Twelfth Report by the Committee on Government Operations Together
With Dissenting Views [ read the report ]

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More Ships Added to List

VA has updated the list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships that operated in Vietnam, adding more vessels and expanding information for others.

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A Lawn Care Pesticide Threatens Health and is Poised to Get Worse

A World War II-era weed killer, 2,4-D, is one of the top three largest selling pesticides in North America today, despite dozens of scientific studies that link this pesticide to lymphoma, cell damage, hormonal disruption, and reproductive problems. Once a chief ingredient in Agent Orange, 46 million pounds of 2,4-D are still used every year in the United States alone, applied to lawns, playgrounds, golf courses, and millions of acres of agricultural land. 2,4-D contaminates our air and water and finds its way into our homes, tracked in by shoes and pet paws. The application of toxic 2,4-D will dramatically increase if new genetically modified (GMO) corn and soybean crops are approved, putting thousands more Americans at risk. Vietnam Veterans of America opposes this action until such time as an environmental impact study is performed and believes that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should restrict use of 2,4-D and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) should not allow new "2,4-D Ready" crops on the market until then. To see VVA's letter, click here.

Database of Studies Related to Agent Orange / Dioxin Exposures

Over the years one of VVA members and a former Chairman of the Agent Orange Committee put together a database of studies related to “Agent Orange/Dioxin” exposures and their impact.  George Claxton wants to share this information with his fellow veterans.   We are grateful for George’s hard work and dedication in working on these important issues. 

In order to make this information available to veterans, the Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Substances Committee has converted the information into a PDF file as well as an excel spreadsheet, and as a Microsoft works spread sheet. 

The last column in all three of these documents lists the original database number and refers to the disease cover or the type of study as listed below.

1. Analytical
2. Soft tissue Sarcoma
3. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
4. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
5. Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma
6. Respiratory Cancer
7. Prostate Cancer
8. Liver Cancer
9. Skin Cancer
10. Nasal/Pharyngeal and Brain Cancer
11. Other Cancers
12. Mechanism of Toxicity
13. Developmental and Reproductive
14. Mutagenic Damage
15. Animal Toxicity
16. Immune System Toxicity
17. There is no #17 database
18. Human Toxicity
19. Neurological Damage
20. Desert Storm Toxicity/Biological Warfare

The PDF file GCdatabasePdf82010 makes this information available to everyone who can get on the internet.   If you don’t have the program to read the pdf file you can download a free reader at the below address:
http://get.adobe.com/reader/

The Excel file GCdatabaseExcel82010 is in a spreadsheet.  To use this information you will need a program that can run Excel spreadsheets.   Microsoft office or Open Office will work for this file.   Open Office is a free software program that you can use to read the excel file.  A  link is provided below http://www.downloadtop.info/openoffice/

So more people can use the data in spreadsheet format, we converted the data to Microsoft Works spreadsheet format. 

GCdatabaseWorks82010 spreadsheet allows people who have Microsoft Works spreadsheet program on their computer to read the information.  

VVA and the AO/DOTS Committee hope this information will help veterans who are working on their claim or researching as advocates for other veterans.   As we will be updating this information the number at the end of the file name is for the month and year of the file.

Click on the links below to read the stories of Faces of Agent Orange

Birth Defects Position Paper 1/14/2010

Children are our future. We have all heard that common saying. What is the future of the children of Vietnam veterans and other veterans with toxic, service-related exposures? There is a growing realization that both maternal and paternal toxic exposures play a role in the birth defects of the children and future generations of the exposed individuals. Research in the field of epigenetics also points toward toxic exposures turning on or off genes that, when passed on to the child, could lead to the onset of diseases later in life.

[ read the paper ]

The VVA Self-Help Guide to Service-Connected Disability Compensation for Exposure to Agent Orange

Read Admiral Zumwalt's Report to the VA

FROM THE VVA
CONSTITUTION

"The Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee shall accumulate and disseminate information regarding Agent Orange and Dioxin and actively pursue the recognition of presumptive disabilities from exposure to Agent Orange and Dioxin by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee shall provide assistance to State Councils, Chapters, and service programs in the handling of Agent Orange related problems. The Committee shall encourage and foster the sponsorship of legislation to help the victims of Agent Orange and Dioxin, and encourage scientific and medical research in the field of dioxin-related ailments."

Contact a VVA Benefits Service Officer