actioncorpsweekly

Blue Water Navy Act Now Law: The president signed the VFW-championed Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 into law Tuesday evening. It now restores VA benefits to thousands of Vietnam veterans who had their disability eligibility taken away in 2002 after arbitrary regulatory changes. For Korean DMZ veterans, it provides an earlier start date to encompass the timeframe when various defoliants were tested — from April 1, 1968, to Sept. 1, 1967. The new law expands benefits to children born with spina bifida due to a parent’s exposure in Thailand, coverage that already exists for the children of Vietnam and Korean DMZ veterans, and it requires the VA to report on research being conducted on a broad range of conditions possibly related to service in Southwest Asia. “The VFW is proud to have helped lead the charge to return benefits to these deserving veterans and to expand existing benefits to dependent children,” said VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence. The VA has yet to update its webpages to reflect the new law, but veterans and their families can still learn more about VA benefits associated with Agent Orange exposure, and about spina bifida birth defects related to exposure. For assistance in filing claims, find an accredited VFW service officer.