50+ Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions (Updated List)

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If you served in Vietnam, Korea, or any of the other newly added locations where Agent Orange was used, your service may have put you in harm’s way for serious health conditions that don’t show up until years later.

If you were exposed to Agent Orange, you may qualify for VA disability benefits for one or more of the 50+ presumptive conditions associated with this herbicide.

In this blog post from VA disability expert Brian Reese, we’ll reveal and explain the updated list of Agent Orange presumptive conditions for 2024-2025, explore the eligible service locations and qualifying time periods, and show you how to get presumptive disability benefits due to Agent Orange exposure.

Summary of Key Points

• Agent Orange Exposure Risks: Veterans who served in Vietnam, Korea, or newly recognized locations under the PACT Act were potentially exposed to Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide that can cause serious health issues that may appear years after service.

• Updated VA Presumptive Conditions for Agent Orange: Veterans exposed to Agent Orange may qualify for VA disability benefits for more than 50 presumptive conditions, including certain cancers, heart conditions, and neurological disorders.

• Eligibility Requirements: To qualify, veterans must have a condition on the VA’s presumptive list and have served in eligible locations during specific timeframes where Agent Orange exposure is recognized.

• Streamlined Claims Process: Presumptive conditions are easier to win than standard VA disability claims because veterans don’t need to prove a direct “nexus” linking their condition to service. Instead, the VA automatically presumes the condition is service-connected, simplifying the path to benefits.

What is Agent Orange?

Agent Orange was a powerful herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to clear dense vegetation that could provide cover for enemy forces.

Named after the orange stripe on its storage barrels, Agent Orange was part of a larger group of “Rainbow Herbicides” sprayed heavily over Vietnam, parts of Korea, and other areas from the early 1960s through the 1970s.

Unfortunately, Agent Orange contained a dangerous chemical called dioxin, a highly toxic compound now known to cause serious health issues.

Veterans exposed to Agent Orange have faced a range of conditions, including various cancers, respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and more.

Because of these long-term health risks, the VA now recognizes a host of conditions as “presumptive” for veterans who served in areas with known Agent Orange exposure, making it easier for veterans to receive disability benefits without having to prove a specific “nexus” for service-connection.

Am I Eligible for Presumptive VA Disability Benefits Due to Agent Orange Exposure?

To qualify for presumptive VA disability benefits from Agent Orange exposure, you must meet both of these criteria:

• You have a diagnosed condition that appears on the VA’s Agent Orange presumptive conditions list, and

• You served in an eligible location during a qualifying time period where Agent Orange exposure occurred, as outlined by VA guidelines.

If both are true, you may be eligible for VA healthcare and VA disability compensation benefits due to exposure to Agent Orange.

List of Eligible Locations and Time Periods for Exposure to Agent Orange

If you served in any of these locations during the qualiyfing periods, you may be eligible for VA benefits related to Agent Orange exposure.

Vietnam Service:

If you served at any time between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, in one of these places:

• Within the Republic of Vietnam

• On a U.S. military vessel in Vietnam’s inland waterways

• On a vessel within 12 nautical miles of the Vietnamese and Cambodian waters’ boundary line

Additional Locations Under the PACT Act:

• Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand (January 9, 1962 – June 30, 1976)

• Laos (December 1, 1965 – September 30, 1969)

• Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province (April 16 – April 30, 1969)

• Guam or American Samoa, including their territorial waters (January 9, 1962 – July 31, 1980)

• Johnston Atoll or on a ship that stopped there (January 1, 1972 – September 30, 1977)

Korean DMZ and Other Specific Duties:

• Serving near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971

• Active duty in a unit that operated or had regular contact with C-123 aircraft carrying Agent Orange residue

• Participation in transporting, storing, or handling Agent Orange in military duties

Reservists with Exposure at Specific Bases:

• Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base, Ohio (1969 – 1986): 906th/907th Tactical Air Groups or 355th/356th Tactical Airlift Squadrons

• Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts (1972 – 1982): 731st Tactical Air Squadron, 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, or 901st Maintenance Squadron

• Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania (1972 – 1982): 758th Airlift Squadron

Source List:

• Public Law 116-23 (Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act)

• Air Force Specialty Codes and Units for C-123 Aircraft

• Navy and Coast Guard Ship List Associated with Agent Orange Exposure  

• Dates and Locations of Herbicide Tests and Storage Outside Vietnam 

The Updated Agent Orange Presumptive List

Here are the 50+ conditions (listed alphabetically) that make up the updated Agent Orange Presumptive List.

These conditions qualify for presumptive VA disability benefits if they develop at any time and to any degree:

• Adult fibrosarcoma

• AL amyloidosis

• Alveolar soft part sarcoma

• Angiosarcoma (hemangiosarcoma and lymphangiosarcoma)

• Bladder cancer

• Birth defects (such as spina bifida in children of certain Vietnam or Korean War veterans, related to Agent Orange exposure)

• Bronchial cancer

• Chloracne (or similar acneform disease)

• Chronic B-cell leukemias

• Chronic peripheral neuropathy

• Clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses

• Congenital and infantile fibrosarcoma

• Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

• Diabetes mellitus type 2

• Ectomesenchymoma

• Epitheliod sarcoma

• Epithelioid leiomyosarcoma (malignant leiomyoblastoma)

• Extra-skeletal Ewing’s sarcoma

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Hodgkin’s disease

• Hypothyroidism (related to Agent Orange)

• Ischemic heart disease (does not include peripheral vascular disease or stroke)

• Larynx cancer

• Leiomyosarcoma

• Liposarcoma

• Lung cancer

• Malignant fibrous histiocytoma

• Malignant ganglioneuroma

• Malignant giant cell tumor of tendon sheath

• Malignant glomus tumor

• Malignant granular cell tumor

• Malignant hemangiopericytoma

• Malignant mesenchymoma

• Malignant schwannoma

• Malignant soft tissue sarcoma (excluding osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, mesothelioma)

• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)

• Multiple myeloma

• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

• Parkinson’s disease

• Parkinsonism (related to Agent Orange)

• Peripheral neuropathy, early onset

• Pituitary carcinoma

• Porphyria cutanea tarda

• Primary amyloidosis

• Proliferating (systemic) angioendotheliomatosis

• Prostate cancer

• Rhabdomyosarcoma

• Soft tissue sarcomas (excluding osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, mesothelioma)

• Synovial sarcoma (malignant synovioma)

• Trachea cancer

• Type 2 diabetes (Type II diabetes mellitus)

How Do I Apply for VA Disability Benefits Due to Agent Orange Exposure?

Veterans have five main options to file a VA disability claim for benefits:

Option #1: Online

You can file your VA claim online at VA.gov!

This is the easiest and most preferred option right now:

• Click Here to File for VA Disability Compensation Online

• Learn How to File a VA Claim Online (17-Step Tutorial)

Option #2: Mail

File your claim by mail using an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits (VA Form 21-526EZ):

• VA Form 21-526EZ Download

Print the form, fill it out, and mail it to this address:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444

Option #3: In-Person

Bring your completed application to a VA regional office near you:

• Find Your VA Regional Office

Option #4: Fax

• If you’re in the U.S., fax your application to 844-531-7818

• If you’re outside the U.S., fax your application to 248-524-4260

Option #5: VA-Accredited Representative

You can work with a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney:

• Get Help Filing a VA Claim

What Evidence Do I Need to Submit for My Agent Orange Presumptive Claim?

When submitting a VA claim for Agent Orange exposure, be sure to include these essential pieces of evidence:

• Medical Evidence: Medical records that confirm a diagnosis of a condition listed on the Agent Orange presumptive list. This can be in your military medical records, VA medical records, or private medical records.

• Military Service and Personnel Records: Your DD214, awards, decorations, or other personnel records that verify your service location and dates in areas where Agent Orange exposure may have occurred.

These documents will help the VA confirm your eligibility for presumptive disability benefits related to Agent Orange.

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