FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Agent Orange FAQ
What was Agent Orange?
Agent Orange was a herbicide developed for military use. Chemically, the product was
a 50/50 mix of two herbicides, 2,4,-D (2,4, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and 2,4,5-T
(2,4,5 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid). These herbicides were both developed as weed
killers in the 1940's, and were effective against broad leaf plants and several
crops.
Why did the military use herbicides?
Herbicides were developed to be deployed in enemy areas to deny cover and
concealment to the enemy. In dense terrain particularly, the use of herbicides to
destroy covering vegetation was to protect American and allied troops from ambush or
other undetected movement of the enemy.
Prior to it's introduction for use in Vietnam, was Agent Orange used in the United
States?
Yes. During the testing phase of Agent Orange, use tests were carried out at Fort
Detrick, Maryland, Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and Camp Drum in New York. Other
testing was also conducted in Thailand in the early 1960's. For information on other
herbicides used in Vietnam, go here: The Fifteen Herbicides Used in Vietnam
Why was the product called Agent Orange?
The name signifies orange identifying bands that were used on the fifty-five gallon
drums the product was shipped in. Other herbicides were also used in Vietnam, and
were known by color coded names too, such Agent White, Agent Blue, Agent Purple,
Agent Pink and Agent Green were also used.
Who were the manufacturers who produced Agent Orange for the military?
Dow, Monsanto, Diamond Shamrock Corporation, Hercules Inc., Uniroyal Inc., T-H
Agricultural & Nutrition Company, and Thompson Chemicals Corporation. These
companies were subjects of a class action lawsuit filed originally in 1979 and
settled out of court in 1987 for $180 million. The official name of the lawsuit was
Multidistrict litigation 381 (MDL 381), and was designated In re Agent Orange
Product Liability Litigation.
I want (or I had) an "Agent Orange Test", sometimes thought to be given by the VA --
What is this?
There is no such thing as an Agent Orange Test. This is often confused with two
things:
- The Agent Orange screening physical given at VA Medical Centers: This test is
nothing more that a general physical which includes examination, X-rays and blood
work. It does not detect Agent Orange exposure. This physical is useful only as any
routine physical is useful in early detection of disease or health problems. The VA
does keep these results in a registry.
- Dioxin analysis of the blood or fatty tissue: There are sophisticated tests which
will measure dioxin levels in both blood and fatty tissues. (Dioxin is the unwanted
byproduct in Agent Orange). These tests are research-oriented only, and have never
been available on a large-scale or clinical basis. The VA does not perform these
tests. Only a few laboratories in the world are able to do this testing, and it is
usually quite expensive, around $1500-$2000 per test.
Can I sue the government or the chemical companies?
No. Title 38 of the United States Code prohibits veterans from suing the government
for injuries suffered while in the military. A class action suit was filed in behalf
of veterans in 1979 against the chemical companies and settled out of court. The
final funds in this legal action were distributed by 1992. Additional attempts to
sue the manufacturers have been attempted, and have been prohibited by the courts.
The most strongly fought of these legal battles, Ivy vs. Diamond Shamrock was
supported in behalf of the plaintiff by attorney generals in all fifty states, the
Supreme Court, however, refused to hear the arguments and that case ended in 1992.
In the parlance of the court, the issue is "res judicata" or "the matter is
settled".
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