Program Description
In 1978, VA set up a register of Vietnam veterans
who were worried that they might have been exposed to dangerous herbicides
during their military service in Vietnam. Beginning in that year, Vietnam
veterans were offered an extensive medical examination to look for possible
health effects resulting from exposure to the herbicides—an exam that is
still offered at all VA medical centers.
The “Agent Orange Registry” is a
computerized index of all of those
examinations.
Since that time, we have
also set up registries for Gulf War veterans as well as for veterans who
were exposed to ionizing radiation and depleted
Uranium.
Veterans are eligible for the
registry exams “with no strings attached.” If they’re found to have medical
conditions associated with one of the categories of diseases associated with
service covered by one of the registries, they will always be entitled to
free treatment from VA for those conditions.
Further, they
automatically qualify for enrollment in the VA health care system in
Priority Group 6.
General Program Requirements
For an understanding of the registry examinations,
please see “Description” below.
Registry
examinations are not part of the Medical Benefits Package. You don’t have to
apply for health care to get a registry exam. There are no length-of service
requirements, but you must have been discharged under other than
dishonorable conditions.
Four groups of
veterans are eligible for registry
examinations.
Agent
Orange Registry. These exams are available
to—
- Any
U.S. male or female Vietnam era veteran who served in the Republic of
Vietnam between 1962 and
1975
- Any U.S. veteran
who served in Korea during 1968 or
1969
- Any U.S. veteran
who may have been exposed to dioxin, or other toxic substance in an
herbicide or defoliant, during the conduct of military operation, or as a
result of, the testing, transporting, or spraying of herbicides for military
purposes.
Persian
Gulf Registry. For these examinations, you must simply
have participated in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Iraqi
Freedom.
Ionizing
Radiation Registry. VA offers these examinations any
veteran who participated in a “radiation risk activity.” These
include:
- On site
participation in a test involving the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear
device.
- Participation
in the occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki from August 6, 1945 through July
1, 1946.
- Internment
as a Prisoner of War in Japan (or service or active duty in Japan
immediately following such internment).
- Service at Department
of Energy plants at Paducah, KY, Portsmouth, OH, or the K25 area at Oak
Ridge, TN for at least 250 days before February 1, 1992.
- Service at Longshot,
Milrow, or Cannikin underground nuclear tests at Amchitka Island, AK prior
to January 1, 1974.
Depleted
Uranium Registry. VA maintains two registries for veterans
who may have been exposed to depleted uranium. One is for veterans who
served in the Gulf War, including Operation Iraqi Freedom. The second is for
veterans who served elsewhere, including Bosnia and
Afghanistan.
Application Process
For more information, see the Program Contact Information below.
Program Contact Information
For more information, you can call the Health Benefits Service
Center at:
1-800-222-8387
The following Web sites may be
helpful:
Agent Orange
Registry:
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/SpecialBenefits.asp#Age...
And
http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/
Persian Gulf
Registry:
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/SpecialBenefits.asp#Gul...
AND
http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/
Ionizing Radiation Registry:
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/SpecialBenefits.asp#Rad...
AND
http://www1.va.gov/irad/docs/IRADnewsletterFeb04.pdf
Managing Agency
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
http://www.va.gov/
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