Vietnam-era Veterans whose service involved duty on or near the perimeters of military bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 may have been exposed to herbicides and may qualify for VA benefits. The following Veterans may have been exposed to herbicides:
- U.S. Air Force Veterans who served on Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang, near the air base perimeter anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
- U.S. Army Veterans who provided perimeter security on RTAF bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
- U.S. Army Veterans who were stationed on some small Army installations in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975. However, the Army Veteran must have been a member of a military police (MP) unit or was assigned an MP military occupational specialty whose duty placed him/her at or near the base perimeter.
To receive benefits for diseases associated with herbicide exposure, these Veterans must show on a factual basis that they were exposed to herbicides during their service as shown by evidence of daily work duties, performance evaluation reports, or other credible evidence.
The VA Web-Automated Reference Material System (WARMS) Manual, M21-1MR, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, Section C details the locations and military occupational specialties that are considered for exposure to herbicides in Thailand. The manual also has a copy of the Memorandum for Record used by the VA in claims that do not match specific locations or military occupational specialties listed in the manual. Outside of the service of locations for the presumptive diseases, VA adjudicates claims for service and exposure in other locations, include Thailand, on a fact-based, case-by-case basis.
There have been successful appeals of VA denials of claims arising out of service in Thailand, most recently in a case decided in April 2014 (Citation Nr: 1418202, Decision Date: 04/23/2014).
