Agent Orange, was a powerful mixture of herbicides that U.S. military forces sprayed in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War for the dual purpose of defoliating forest areas that might conceal Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces and destroying crops that might be used to feed the enemy.  The U.S. program, codenamed Operation Ranch Hand, sprayed more than 20 million gallons of various herbicides over Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos from 1961 to 1971. Agent Orange, which contained the deadly chemical dioxin, was the preferred choice of the U.S military. It was later proven to cause serious health issues including cancer, birth defects, rashes and severe neurological and psychological problems. Agent Orange had a profound effect on the health of the Vietnamese people and U.S. servicemen and their families.

Veterans who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 or near the Korean demilitarized zone between September 1, 1967, to August 31, 1971, are “presumed” to have been exposed to Agent Orange. If a Veteran develops a condition recognized by the VA as a presumptive condition, the veteran or their survivors may be eligible for disability benefits. In most cases, a DD214 will show any qualifying service in Korea or Vietnam. A veteran who can prove that he or she placed a “boot on the ground” during the war in Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone and has any disease on the presumptive list, may be granted service-connection without having to prove that their condition was caused by their service.