Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide used extensively during the Vietnam War. Veterans who served in certain locations and time periods are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange, and if they develop one of the recognized presumptive conditions, service connection is granted without needing to prove a direct link between the herbicide and the disease.
Veterans who qualify for the Agent Orange presumption include those who served in Vietnam (including in-country, offshore, or in the airspace) between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975; in Thailand at certain Royal Thai Air Force bases during the Vietnam era; in specific test and storage locations in the United States; and on C-123 aircraft that were used to spray Agent Orange.
The list of presumptive conditions has expanded over the years and now includes: AL amyloidosis, bladder cancer, chronic B-cell leukemias, chloracne (must manifest within one year of exposure), diabetes mellitus type 2, Hodgkin's disease, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Parkinson's disease, early-onset peripheral neuropathy, porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, respiratory cancers, certain soft tissue sarcomas, and several other conditions.
The PACT Act of 2022 significantly expanded the list of presumptive conditions and locations. Veterans who were previously denied should consider filing new claims under the updated presumptions.
To file an Agent Orange presumptive claim, you need evidence of qualifying service (typically shown on your DD-214) and a current diagnosis of a presumptive condition. You do not need to prove that Agent Orange caused your specific disease — the presumption handles that element automatically.