Agent Orange

ST LOUIS (LALATE) – Agent Orange’s impact on Korean War veterans’ benefits has been dramatically changed by a new ruling. In a ruling announced to news, the Department of Veterans Affairs says it has dramatically changed how it will treat certain veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Korean War.

Before the recent ruling, veterans reportedly had the burden of proof in establishing they were in fact exposed to Agent Orange during their service in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1970. And while over two and half million U.S. service personnel were exposed to Agent Orange, many of them prior to the ruling had the burden of proof in establishing that their exposure to Agent Orange happened during their service and hence qualifies for coverage.

Now a dramatic ruling has been announced to news by the Department of Veteran Affairs. While Agent Orange was used over a five year period from 1965 to 1970, the VA will reportedly no longer require certain veterans to prove that they in fact suffered exposure. Rather the ruling establishes the presumption that certain veterans were exposed and qualify them immediately for assistance.

The ruling applies to veterans who served near Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) in certain months. In a news statement, the Department says the ruling affects service personnel who work worked “in a unit determined by VA and the Department of Defense to have operated in an area in or near the Korean DMZ in which herbicides were applied”, between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971. No longer will applicants have to prove exposure, says the Department to news. Now those qualified veterans will be presumed to have suffered exposure.

In a statement to news, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said “VA’s primary mission is to be an advocate for veterans”. He added “With this new regulation VA has cleared a path for more veterans who served in the demilitarized zone in Korea to receive access to our quality healthcare and disability benefits for exposure to Agent Orange.”