Iowa Veterans Fight to Stop Government from Defunding Agent Orange Research

The Vietnam War ended more than 40 years ago, but a chemical used by the military has had a lasting effect, not just on the country itself, but also on those who fought.

Research shows the number of health complications linked to the use of Agent Orange continues to grow. Veterans’ advocates say the funding to continue that research is at risk of drying up. They say the government has a responsibility to discover all there is to know about the impact on veterans and their families — even if it takes generations.

Agent Orange got its name from the orange stripe on a 55-gallon drum. But for Vietnam War veterans and their families, it represents the unknown, even decades after the war ended.

“Seems like it gets worse all the time to find out more diseases that are related to Agent Orange. Today, we have 14 presumptive illness or diseases that are related to Agent Orange,” said Vietnam veteran Dan Gannon.

The military sprayed millions of gallons of the herbicide across Vietnam to kill trees and vegetation that gave the enemy cover. The chemical contains a toxic dioxin that is linked to diseases that are still surfacing in veterans and their offspring.

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