| Dear fellow spooks of ASA Korea … I am a member of ASA Korea, having been stationed at 177th ASA OC from April 1968 to May 1969. I also have served my VVA chapter as Agent Orange chairperson, and came across some info that I believe those who served anywhere in Korea in 1968 need to know: There is a good chance you were exposed to Agent Orange. DOD shipped many drums of AO to Korea in that period. Most of it was sprayed from jeep and dozer mounted sprayers, but not all. Some was put in back mounted Indian tanks for use in our ops compounds. It appears that no records were kept of exactly where it was used, who used it, or how much was used. The VA is offering free exams--and it can get you into the system for health care--which I can no longer afford otherwise. Here is where you can find the info. Agent Orange General Information Brochure - July 2003 "Certain Vietnam-era veterans who served in Korea also can get the Agent Orange Registry examination. So can certain other veterans who were exposed to herbicides elsewhere. In September 2000, VA recognized that Agent Orange was used in Korea in the late 1960’s and approved Agent Orange examinations for U.S. veterans who served in Korea in 1968 or 1969. VA took this action despite reports that Republic of Korea troops, not U.S. military personnel, did the actual spraying. In March 2001, Secretary Principi ordered that those examinations be made available to all other veterans who may have been exposed to dioxin or other toxic substances in a herbicide or defoliant during the conduct of or as the result of testing, transporting, or spraying of herbicides for military purposes." The following link will take you to a DOD listing which shows that A.O. was shipped to Korea in 1968. As if Nam , Korea , and Cambodia aren’t bad enough, they sprayed the stuff all around the USA , including places where homes and farms are today… and A.O. is in the environment permanently. DoD Report on Herbicides Used Outside of Vietnam I know for a fact that I sprayed some oily weed killer from an Indian tank for weed control at 177th ASA in the Ops area, summer of 1968. I think it was A.O. and the VA is treating me very kindly, even though I have no “compensable” conditions. I think you can still set up an appointment and get the exam. It's worth looking into. Raymond Dix ASA Korea Member |