Many Vietnam War veterans suffering from the effects of exposure to Agent Orange during their period of service, are unable to get VA benefits because they were stationed in Korea and not Vietnam, during the war. The government’s position in this regard is intolerable. Recently published in Veterans Today U.S. Veterans stationed in Korea during the late 1960’s have confirmed that Agent Orange was stored at and transferred to the DMZ and Vietnman from Korea. Randy Watson, who was stationed at Ascom Depot, Company B, a supply and transport company stated that barrels of Agent Orange were stored at his camp. He told reporters, “We shipped supplies all over Korea and the far east. We would also take supplies by convoy to the DMZ area and to southern Korea”. On another U.S. veteran website, an anonymous man who served at Ascom Depot’s Company B from 1968 to 1970, gave more detailed testimony about Agent Orange. He said there were “toxicity warning signs” and barrels of the defoliant were kept in storehouses and in the basement of Company B barracks. Company servicemen transferred barrels to the DMZ, or soldiers came from DMZ to take barrels there. In order for these Veterans to be awarded VA benefits for their sufferings as a result of Agent Orange exposure, they must prove that they were, in fact, exposed to Agent Orange during service. More and more Veterans are speaking out about their exposure while stationed in Korea. One Veteran indicated that due to leaks from being hit by forklifts during loading, large amounts of liquid seeped into the ground, he said. Soldiers were exposed to the defoliant in the process of trying to roughly stop up the holes, and the leaked defoliant was discharged into the waterways within the camp, he added. Notably, The Incheon Institute of Health and Environment took samples of soil and groundwater near the camp last Friday, and results are expected late this month. If Agent Orange is found pursuant to the tests being conducted, this will present compelling evidence to the VA concerning Veterans’ exposure and may have an impact on many of the open claims in this regard, pending before the VA.
Mr. Finkelstein is the Managing Partner of Finkelstein & Partners, LLP. He has become a noted consumer activist through his representation of injured individuals against corporate wrongdoers and irresponsible parties.
An accomplished litigator, Mr. Finkelstein has represented Plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases. He has successfully handled dozens of multi-million dollar cases.