SERVING
Those That
SERVED
Mustard Gas Compensation Approved
March 12, 2018
USVCP Staff
Last week, March 6, 2018, 17 World War II era veterans finally gained the care and benefits they need from the Department of Veterans Administration (VA).
Last year, President Trump signed a bill to help veterans who were intentionally exposed to mustard gas by covert Department of Defense (DoD) experiments. The Bill was designed to provide benefits and compensation to those veterans exposed to mustard gas in those secret experiments.
The WWII era veterans reaped in more than $1 million from the VA.
In case you didn’t know, the following locations are considered presumptive locations for mustard gas exposure in the 1940’s:
- Bari, Italy
- Hart's Island, New York
- Bushnell, Florida
- Horn Island Installation, Mississippi
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Huntsville Arsenal, Alabama
- Camp Crowder, Missouri
- Naval Research Laboratory, Virginia
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
- Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C.
- Camp Sibert, Alabama
- Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Maryland
- Dugway Proving Ground, Utah
- Ondal, India
- Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland
- Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Colorado
- Ft. Detrick, Maryland
- San Jose Island, Panama Canal Zone
- Ft. McClellan, Alabama
- Toole Army Depot, Utah
- Great Lakes Naval Training Center, IL
- USS Eagle Boat No. 58
Note: Some servicemembers may have participated in Allied mustard agent testing in Porton Down, England, and Finschhafen, New Guinea.
According to the VA, service-connection may be granted by presumption for disabilities which are due to mustard gas The conditions considered presumptive for exposure to mustard gas are:
- Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia
- Chronic conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal opacities, scar formation
- The following cancers: nasopharyngeal; laryngeal; lung (except mesothelioma); or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
- Chronic laryngitis, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
To assess for consideration for benefits see a local VSO. Make sure and have documentation in your service medical records or other military documents that you were stationed in the areas above or spent time there on military orders.