Hey guys, I wanted to ask a question to all the people who are related or know a Vietnam veteran. My grandfather was and he acquired "Agent Orange" from the war, for all the people who don't know what that it is. It is a type of cancer... Anyway I was wondering if anyone knew or knows anyone with this disease or that fought. Also I am making this to start getting more topics in Military Discussions.

Many Brothers and sisters are gone but Not forgotten !

Sam

My Grandpa was a helicopter pilot in Nam

Agent Orange was actually the chemicals they used to kill plant overgrowth and trees. Unfortunately, they weren't tested for human safety and were extremely carcinogenic

I am Vietnamese and i am not aware of any of my family members contracting it

But were any of them directly exposed during the war?

any old ppls?

Usually long term exposure to agent orange used in Vietnam can cause profound effects. Here is a small list of a few things agent orange can cause.

■ AL Amyloidosis
A rare disease caused when an abnormal protein, amyloid, enters tissues or organs
■ Chronic B-cell Leukemias
A type of cancer which affects white blood cells
■ Chloracne (or similar acneform disease)
A skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.
■ Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
A disease characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body’s inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin
■ Hodgkin’s Disease
A malignant lymphoma (cancer) characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, and by progressive anemia
■ Ischemic Heart Disease
A disease characterized by a reduced supply of blood to the heart, that leads to chest pain
■ Multiple Myeloma
A cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in bone marrow
■ Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
A group of cancers that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue
■ Parkinson’s Disease
A progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects muscle movement
■ Peripheral Neuropathy, Acute and Subacute
A nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling, and motor weakness. Currently, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of herbicide exposure and resolve within two years. VA proposed on Aug. 10, 2012, to replace "acute and subacute" with "early-onset" and eliminate the requirement that symptoms resolve within two years.
■ Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
A disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas. Under VA's rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.
■ Prostate Cancer
Cancer of the prostate; one of the most common cancers among men
■ Respiratory Cancers (includes lung cancer)
Cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus
■ Soft Tissue Sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or mesothelioma)
A group of different types of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues

Information can be found at http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/diseases.asp