Bole’s 1966 Vietnam Cruise and Presumptive Exposure to Agent Orange
During the Bole’s 1966 Westpac cruise the Bole participated in a Vietnam NGFS mission on the inland Saigon River, The mission dates were July 4-6, 1966.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs has deemed this period as a Vietnam brown-water (inland waters) period. This means that evidence of actual exposure Agent Orange is not required – veterans are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange – if they meet the other requirements for the presumption.
For claimants, this means that if a veteran can show he or she was in Vietnam during the specific period and currently has a medical condition listed in VA regulations as being caused by Agent Orange which began within the listed time periods, VA must service connect that condition. Conditions that are presumptively service-connected for herbicide exposure include chloracne, Type 2 diabetes (also know as Type II diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes), Hodgkin's disease, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, B cell leukemia, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic heart disease. Other presumptive conditions are listed, so a Vietnam veteran with a health condition should review the entire list.
Veterans' Diseases Associated with Agent Orange (VA webpage)
We know of at least one 1966 Bole shipmate who has been awarded VA Comp benefits based upon this presumptive exposure to Agent Orange.
For more information contact the VA or your Veterans Service Officer.
