WASHINGTON – After decades of trying to secure health benefits for so-called Blue Water veterans, those who contracted cancer from Agent Orange, but were stationed on naval ships off the coast of Vietnam, it is moving closer to reality.
The House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs has approved the coverage.
Congressman John Faso (R, NY-19) said the measure rights the wrong of those military personnel who got sick, but did not serve on Vietnam’s mainland.
“We have broken the logjam on how this gets financed and I am very pleased that for all those veterans affected by Agent Orange, we are finally redressing this wrong that had been allowed to go on for too many years,” Faso said.
The bill is “a long time coming for our veterans,” said Carol
Olszanecki, whose husband was stationed off Vietnam, died from effects
of Agent Orange.
