Agent Orange awareness event spotlights war’s impact on health

Sep 4, 2022

MIDDLEBORO —A candlelight vigil to bring to light the dark toll of Agent Orange took place Sunday, Aug. 14 at the Middleboro Veterans Memorial Park.

The event was hosted by the Massachusetts Chapter 2 of the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle organization, with the support of Middleboro veterans organizations.

Organizers hope the vigil will become an annual community event. National Agent Orange Awareness Day is observed annually across the country on Aug. 10. 

Veterans were reminded at the ceremony that the war may have ended in 1975 but the battle continues for many Vietnam veterans and their families. Nearly 3 million U. S. service members served in Vietnam and most returned home. But many fought and continue to fight illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure since their time in Vietnam in the 1960s and 70s, said former Middleboro veterans’ agent and Vietnam veteran Paul Provencher.

“This deadly toxin impacts the lives of countless veterans and their families every day,’’ Provencher said. 

Monsanto Corporation produced the dioxin solution that was used across Vietnam and to a lesser extent in Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, Okinawa, and other U. S. bases around the world. 

In Vietnam the chemicals were used from 1962 to 1971 as a way to defoliate the jungles and destroy food crops that would feed their combatants. 

Over the years, a good number of the nearly 3 million U. S. Vietnam veterans developed a variety of illnesses and they brought these medical issues to their doctors and also the VA health care facilities, Provencher said. 

But it wasn’t until 1979, when American veterans won a federal lawsuit, that they started being awarded service-connected disabilities for a variety of presumptive illnesses from exposure to Agent Orange and the other herbicides, he said. 

Through the years, more presumptive illnesses have been added to the list, These include hypothyroidism. heart issues, prostate, bladder and other cancers, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.

Provencher urged all Vietnam veterans to look into these presumptive illnesses and see if they apply to their personal situation. Even if a Vietnam veteran is suffering from an ailment that’s not on the list it’s in the veteran’s best interest to put in for that illness to be rated as a disability, he said. Scientists are studying the issue to determine if more illness should be added, he said. 

Certain birth disabilities of the children of Vietnam veterans may also be linked to Agent Orange, he said.

“Our Vietnam veterans are growing older,’’ Provencher said. “I’m in my early 70s and I’m on the young side for being a Vietnam veteran. Our illnesses are perhaps more pronounced as we retire and we have time to look into how we’re doing.’’

He encouraged veterans to check in with the Veterans Administration health care system to get checked out for Agent Orange issues and get on to the VA agent orange registry. 

He noted that Vietnam veterans may also qualify for disabilities compensation related to the water contamination issues from Camp Lejeune and still other career veterans of the Vietnam War may also have been involved with the recent Gulf wars and been exposed to the contaminants of the burn pits. 

Provencher encouraged veterans to work with their town’s veterans’ services offices. Cases can take time, even years, he said, but they can be won and retroactive payments can be awarded. 

Lakeville’s veterans’ agent can be reached at (508) 946-8824. Middleboro’s veterans’ agent can be contacted at (508) 946-2407.