[Vhfcn-l] Agent Orange Newsletter

[r-rainwater at juno.com]

Agent Orange

As most (all?) know, if you served in Vietnam you are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange, with a long list of presumptive illnesses caused by it for which the VA will provide medical care.

I get the *mailed* version of the 2024 Agent Orange Newsletter, which refers to its availability online, so I downloaded it from this site:

https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/publications/agent-orange/agent-orange-2024/index.asp

The 11-page PDF is the 2024 Agent Orange Newsletter.

Interestingly, my copy of the *mailed* newsletter is only 6 pages long, in a slightly different layout, and doesn't include a lot of historical background on the publication.

The digital version also omits this from information about the PACT Act:

"The PACT Act . . . . ensures that every Veteran enrolled in VA health care can receive an initial toxic exposure screening at VA and follow-up screening at least every 5 years." [That "every 5 years" is a new one to me!]

On my printed copy it gives me the option to stop the mailed version in favor of the digital version. Given that the 2024 digital seems to be more comprehensive, that may be the better way to go. HOWEVER, the mailed version is *sent* vs. the digital version's being accessed by the veteran who must remember to check for a new issue. As far as the 2024 issue, it seem I need BOTH to get the full story about the "every 5 years" comment. Puzzling, since I haven't yet found *any* reference to that on the VA website.

Hope this is useful!

Ross Rainwater
C-1/9, 1st Air Cav, 1970-71