Military personnel were exposed to Agent Orange while boots were on the ground in Vietnam or on ships stationed in the inland waterways from January 9, 1962 to May 7, 1975. Those who voluntarily flew the C-123 aircraft and the crew members who placed the herbicides onto the planes. Blue Water Veterans stationed offshore may have been exposed, but there is no evidence to support whether they ate food prepared in Vietnam or whether or not soldiers swam in the waters. Other exposures include those who had contact along the demilitarized zones in Korea from April 1, 1968 to August 31, 1971 or near the perimeters of military bases of Thailand from February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975. Some exposure was due to herbicide testing and storage on
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Numerous research studies conducted since the Vietnam War continue to vary in conclusion confirming the association of diseases and disease groups in veterans exposed to Agent Orange. The government denied connection of military personnel to any diseases and the exposure of Agent Orange during and for years following the war. However, in 2009, according to a report from the U.S. Institute of Medicine there is evidence that links Agent Orange to health-related diseases to Vietnam Veterans. As indicated on the public health section of the Veterans Affairs webpage that “presumptive diseases” with notation that certain diseases can be related to a Veteran's under qualifying military service. The list of “presumptive diseases” includes acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy, AL amyloidosis, B cell leukemia's, chloracne, chronic lymphocytic, leukemia, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Hodgkin's Disease, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, Parkinson’s disease, porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, soft tissue sarcomas, and birth defects and spina bifida (in
Numerous research studies conducted since the Vietnam War continue to vary in conclusion confirming the association of diseases and disease groups in veterans exposed to Agent Orange. The government denied connection of military personnel to any diseases and the exposure of Agent Orange during and for years following the war. However, in 2009, according to a report from the U.S. Institute of Medicine there is evidence that links Agent Orange to health-related diseases to Vietnam Veterans. As indicated on the public health section of the Veterans Affairs webpage that “presumptive diseases” with notation that certain diseases can be related to a Veteran's under qualifying military service. The list of “presumptive diseases” includes acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy, AL amyloidosis, B cell leukemia's, chloracne, chronic lymphocytic, leukemia, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Hodgkin's Disease, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, Parkinson’s disease, porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, soft tissue sarcomas, and birth defects and spina bifida (in