Rainbow Herbicides

The Rainbow Herbicides are a group of "tactical use" chemicals used by the United States military in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Success with Project AGILE field tests with herbicides in South Vietnam in 1961 and inspiration by the British use of herbicides and defoliants during the Malayan Emergency in the 1950s led to the formal herbicidal program Trail Dust. Herbicidal warfare is the use of substances primarily designed to destroy the plant-based ecosystem of an agricultural food production and/or to destroy foliage which provides the enemy cover.

During the Vietnam War (1962–1975), both the US and the Republic of Vietnam militaries used several herbicides for tactical purposes, specifically to defoliate areas to reduce cover for enemy forces, to improve visibility on the perimeters of military installations, and for a short time to kill enemy crops. Both the US Air Force and the US Army Chemical Corps purchased herbicides and used them in Vietnam. Different tactical herbicides were used at different times during the war (Young, 2009). By far the most widely used herbicide was Agent Orange, followed by Agent White; other tactical herbicides that were used in Vietnam during the war include Agent Blue, Agent Purple, Agent Pink, and Agent Green. The names of the herbicides were derived from the color-coded bands around the 55-gal (208-L) drums used to ship and store them (Young, 2009). The military use of herbicides has been discussed in several other Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports (IOM, 1994, 2003, 2008) and two books (Buckingham, 1983; Young, 2009), and will not be described in detail here.

The tactical herbicides used in Vietnam were intended to kill a broad spectrum of plants. Agent Orange and Agent White were used against broadleaf plants and woody shrubs and trees, including mangroves. Agent Blue was effective against grasses and grains, such as rice (Young, 2009).

 Agent Orange is an herbicide and defoliant chemical, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides. It is widely known for its use by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand,[1] during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971.[2] It is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides, 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D. In addition to its damaging environmental effects, the chemical has caused major health problems for many individuals who were exposed. Up to four million people in Vietnam were exposed to the defoliant, with around one million now suffering serious health issues. The chemical is capable of damaging genes, resulting in deformities among the offspring of exposed victims. The U.S. government has documented higher cases of leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and various kinds of cancer in exposed veterans. Agent Orange also caused enormous environmental damage in Vietnam. Over 3,100,000 hectares (31,000 km2 or 11,969 mi2) of forest were defoliated. Defoliants eroded tree cover and seedling forest stock, making reforestation difficult in numerous areas. Animal species diversity sharply reduced in contrast with unsprayed areas.[3][4] The aftermath of the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam resulted in massive legal consequences. The United Nations ratified United Nations General Assembly Resolution 31/72 and the Environmental Modification Convention. Lawsuits filed on behalf of both US and Vietnamese veterans sought compensation for damages. Agent Orange was to a lesser extent used outside Vietnam. Land in neighbouring Laos and Cambodia was also sprayed with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War because forests on the border with Vietnam were used by the Vietcong. Some countries, such as Canada, saw testing, while other countries, such as Brazil, used the herbicide to clear out sections of land for agriculture. 

 
If you flew on—or worked with—C-123 aircraft in Vietnam or other locations, you may have had contact with Agent Orange. The U.S. military used this toxic chemical to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War. C-123 aircraft sprayed Agent Orange during the war, and the planes still had traces of the chemical in them afterward while they were being used, up until 1986. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits for illnesses believed to be caused by contact with Agent Orange.

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have an illness believed to be caused by contact with Agent Orange and both of these are true:  

• You served in a regular Air Force unit location where a C-123 aircraft with traces of Agent Orange was assigned, and
• Your flight, ground, or medical duties put you in regular and repeated contact with C-123 aircraft that had traces of Agent Orange

See a list of Agent Orange-related illnesses. Check our list of military units and Air Force Specialty codes to see if your unit had contact with affected C-123 aircraft. View the list of codes.   

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have an illness believed to be caused by Agent Orange and you were assigned to flight, ground, or medical crew duties at one of these locations:  

• Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Ohio, 1969-1986 (906th and 907th Tactical Air Groups or 355th and 356th Tactical Airlift Squadrons), or
• Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts, 1972-1982 (731st Tactical Air Squadron and 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, or 901st Organizational Maintenance Squadron), or
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania International Airport, 1972-1982 (758th Airlift Squadron)

See a list of Agent Orange-related illnesses. Check our list of military units and Air Force Specialty codes to see if your unit had contact with affected C-123 aircraft. View the list of codes.

 

 If you had regular security duty on the fenced-in perimeters of a U.S. military base in Thailand or Royal Thai Air Force Bases between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, you may have had contact with Agent Orange. The U.S. military used this toxic chemical to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits for illnesses believed to be caused by contact with Agent Orange.   

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have an illness believed to be caused by Agent Orange and you served perimeter duty:  

• On RTAF bases in Thailand (including U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, or Don Muang), or
• While stationed on a U.S. Army installation in Thailand

• Veterans
• Qualified dependents
• Qualified survivors

 Did you serve in Vietnam (including aboard a ship on the inland waterways) or in the Korean Demilitarized Zone during the Vietnam Era? If you did, you likely had contact with Agent Orange, a toxic chemical the U.S. military used to clear plants and trees during the war. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits for illnesses believed to be caused by Agent Orange.   

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have 1 or more illnesses believed to be caused by Agent Orange and you served in:  

• Vietnam (including aboard a ship on the inland waterways) for any length of time between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or
• The Korean Demilitarized Zone for any length of time between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971

See a list of Agent Orange‒related illnesses.   

• Veterans
• Qualified survivors

 You may have had contact with Agent Orange even if you did not serve in Vietnam or in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Agent Orange is a toxic chemical used to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits for illnesses believed to be caused by contact with Agent Orange.   

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have one or more illnesses believed to have been caused by Agent Orange and any one of these is true:  

• You had regular security duties on the fenced-in perimeters of bases in Thailand during the Vietnam Era, or
• You served in Thailand or Korea where there was testing or storage of Agent Orange and other herbicides, or
• You had regular and repeated contact with a C-123 aircraft that had traces of Agent Orange, or
• You took part in projects that tested, disposed of, or stored Agent Orange

• Veterans
• Qualified survivors

 Were you part of testing or storing Agent Orange on bases in the United States or elsewhere? Agent Orange is a toxic chemical the U.S. military used to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits for illnesses believed to be caused by Agent Orange.

You may be able to get disability benefits if:  

• You have 1 or more illnesses believed to be caused by Agent Orange, and
• You were part of testing or storing Agent Orange during your military service]

• Health care
• Compensation (payments)
• An Agent Orange Registry health exam

• Veterans
• Qualified survivors

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have 1 or more illnesses believed to be caused by Agent Orange and:  

• You served on ships or boats that were part of the Mobile Riverine Force or Inshore Fire Support Division 93, or 
• You had 1 of the following designations:  
• AGP (Assault Group Patrol/Patrol Craft Tender)
• LCM (Landing Craft, Mechanized)
• LCU (Landing Craft, Utility)
• LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel)
• LST (Landing Ship, Tank)
• PBR (Patrol Boat, River)
• PCF (Patrol Craft, Fast or Swift Boat)
• PG (Patrol Gunboat)
• STABS (Strike Assault Boats)
• WAK (Cargo Vessel)
• WHEC (High Endurance Cutter)
• WLB (Buoy Tender)
• WPB (Patrol Boat)
• YFU (Harbor Utility Craft)

Note: Even if your ship or boat is not included in the Mobile Riverine Force, Inshore Fire Support Division 93, or the above designations, it may still appear in our alphabetized list of ships that had contact with Agent Orange. Check the list of ships that had contact with Agent Orange.   

• Veterans
• Qualified dependents

• Health care
• Compensation (payments)
• An Agent Orange Registry health exam

Yes, if you have one or more illnesses believed to be caused by Agent Orange and either of these is true:  

• Your military record shows that you were aboard one of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships that entered Vietnam’s inland waterways, or
• You came ashore in Vietnam

Learn more about U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships in Vietnam. 

• Veterans
• Qualified survivors

 We believe that contact with Agent Orange, a toxic chemical used to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War, likely causes several illnesses. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits if you had contact with Agent Orange while serving in the military and now have 1 or more of the illnesses listed below.  

• Chronic B-cell Leukemia: A type of cancer that affects your white blood cells (cells in your body’s immune system that help to fight off illnesses and infections)
• Hodgkin’s Disease: A type of cancer that causes your lymph nodes, liver, and spleen to get bigger and your red blood cells to decrease (called anemia)
• Multiple Myeloma: A type of cancer that affects your plasma cells (white blood cells made in your bone marrow that help to fight infection)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: A group of cancers that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue (a part of your immune system that helps to fight infection and illness)
• Prostate Cancer: Cancer of the prostate (the gland in men that helps to make semen)
• Respiratory Cancers (including lung cancer): Cancers of the organs involved in breathing (including the lungs, larynx, trachea, and bronchus)
• Soft Tissue Sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or mesothelioma): Different types of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues

• AL Amyloidosis: A rare illness that happens when an abnormal protein (called amyloid) builds up in your body’s tissues, nerves, or organs (like your heart, kidneys, or liver) and causes damage over time
• Chloracne (or other types of acneform disease like it): A skin condition that happens soon after contact with chemicals and looks like acne often seen in teenagers. Under our rating regulations, it must be at least 10% disabling within 1 year of contact with herbicides.
• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: An illness that happens when your body is unable to properly use insulin (a hormone that turns blood glucose, or sugar, into energy), leading to high blood sugar levels
• Ischemic Heart Disease: A type of heart disease that happens when your heart doesn’t get enough blood (and the oxygen the blood carries). It often causes chest pain or discomfort.
• Parkinson’s Disease: An illness of the nervous system (the network of nerves and fibers that send messages between your brain and spinal cord and other areas of your body) that affects your muscles and movement—and gets worse over time
• Peripheral Neuropathy, Early Onset: An illness of the nervous system that causes numbness, tingling, and weakness. Under our rating regulations, it must be at least 10% disabling within 1 year of contact with herbicides.
• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda: A rare illness that can make your liver stop working the way it should and can cause your skin to thin and blister when you’re out in the sun. Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10% disabling within 1 year of contact with herbicides.

If you have an illness you think is caused by contact with Agent Orange—and you don’t see it listed here—you can still apply for benefits. You’ll need to show that you have a disability and include a doctor’s report or a hospital report stating that your illness is believed to be caused by contact with Agent Orange. 

 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer of the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue—a part of your body’s immune system that helps to fight infection and illness. We believe that non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma can be caused by contact with Agent Orange, a toxic chemical used to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War. If you had contact with Agent Orange while serving in the military—and now have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—you can get disability compensation or benefits.  

• Swollen, painless lymph nodes in your neck, armpit, or groin
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Fatigue (feeling very tired)
• Weight loss
• Pain or swelling in your abdomen (the area that includes your stomach)
• Chest pain or trouble breathing
• Itchy skin

You may be able to get disability benefits if you have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and both of these are true:  

• You had contact with Agent Orange while serving in the military, and
• You served in Vietnam or in the waters off Vietnam during the Vietnam Era, in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or in another area where Agent Orange was stored, tested, or sprayed

• Veterans
• Qualified dependents
• Qualified survivors

 If you think you had contact with Agent Orange, a toxic chemical used to clear trees and plants during the Vietnam War, or other herbicides while serving in the military, you can request a VA Agent Orange Registry health exam. Even if you don’t have a known illness, the exam could alert you to illnesses that may be related to contact with herbicides. By being part of this registry, you’re also helping your fellow Veterans by giving us information so we can better understand and serve those affected by Agent Orange–related illnesses.   

You can get an Agent Orange Registry health exam if you served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 for any length of time, or if you served in any of these ways:  

• On smaller river patrol and swift boats that were on the inland waterways of Vietnam (also known as “Brown Water Veterans”), or
• In Korea in a unit in or near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) anytime between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971, or
• In Thailand (U.S. Air Force Veterans) on Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases near U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang near the air base perimeter anytime between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, or
• In Thailand (U.S. Army Veterans) as perimeter security personnel on RTAF bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, or
• In Thailand (U.S. Army Veterans) on some small Army installations in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975—if you were a member of a military police (MP) unit or assigned a job with duty placing you at or near the base perimeter, or
• In other locations, but you had contact with herbicides during a military operation or while testing, transporting, or spraying herbicides for military purposes

See the list of ships that had contact with Agent Orange.   Learn about herbicide tests and storage outside Vietnam. 

Veterans 

 UPDATE  COMING SOON