87,000 Vietnam Veterans Overlooked for $844 Million in Benefits: Why the Silence?

Marc McCabe, a 74-year-old veterans advocate, undertook extensive travel this summer, visiting Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, California, and Texas. His mission was not a leisurely retirement adventure; instead, he aimed to reach out to Vietnam veterans and their surviving family members who may be entitled to disability compensation.

McCabe, a former combat corpsman during the Vietnam War, has dedicated two decades to helping veterans navigate their benefits. His advocacy work has intensified recently due to new legislation that broadens benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service.

According to McCabe, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has fallen short in notifying veterans about these potential benefits. “They’re leaving them behind,” he asserts. A recent report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General corroborates his claims, revealing that up to 87,000 Vietnam War veterans and their survivors remain uninformed about their eligibility for retroactive compensation related to toxic herbicide exposure, such as Agent Orange. This oversight translates into over $844 million in unclaimed benefits.

Bart Stichman, co-founder of the National Veterans Legal Services Program, emphasizes the urgency of this matter, stating, “There are millions of dollars at stake that Vietnam veterans and their survivors should be receiving.” While there’s consensus on compensating veterans, concerns loom over funding these expanded benefits amidst a ballooning budget from the recently enacted PACT Act, which extends coverage to potentially six million veterans affected by wartime toxins.

Linda Bilmes, a Harvard Kennedy School professor, levels grave warnings about the future fiscal implications. “America will soon owe veterans trillions of dollars in medical and disability compensation,” she noted, underscoring the urgent need for clarity on the actual costs of promised benefits. As the VA faces a historic budget shortfall, there are fears that some veterans might not receive due payments as early as October.

The legislative and historical context of this issue dates back to 1986, when Stichman and his colleagues initiated a class action lawsuit against the VA. This legal action resulted in mandatory recognition of “presumptive conditions” for Vietnam veterans, leading to disability and death payments linked to Agent Orange exposure. Initially contested, scientific studies later validated the connection between Agent Orange and numerous health issues, prompting updates to the list of these conditions.

However, the VA’s implementation of these updates has often been criticized as inadequate. Recent findings revealed that even with formal notifications about eligibility expansions, many veterans were neglected; statistically, the VA’s outreach missed nearly 90,000 veterans. These veterans were likely missing out on about $372 monthly in benefits.

McCabe, actively engaged with the Vietnam Veterans of America nonprofit, has assisted over 800 veterans and survivors in filing claims since the updates were introduced. He points out that the communication from the VA often lacks clarity, particularly for aging veterans who may struggle with technical language regarding benefits.

Part of the issue lies in the VA’s bureaucratic structure, which divides responsibilities between different branches, complicating communication and efficiency. Brent Arronte, the VA’s Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations, acknowledged that confusion over veteran health record custody has contributed to the lack of notifications about benefits. The tension between various branches of the VA has led to a situation where many eligible veterans remain uninformed.

The financial landscape is equally concerning. The VA anticipates a $15 billion budget shortfall in the upcoming years, primarily attributed to increased compensation demands resulting from the PACT Act. With over 7 million veterans and family members potentially at risk of benefit payment halts, the urgency of addressing these budgetary issues cannot be overstated. Bilmes indicates that past methods of funding wars, such as tax increases, are no longer viable, leading to greater national debt as military costs continue to escalate.

Given the extraordinary estimates for veterans’ benefits arising from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars alone—over $2 trillion—there is a pressing need for strategic fiscal planning. Suzanne Gordon, a policy analyst at the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute, asserts that the nation has the resources necessary. The critical question remains how those resources are allocated and managed.

Though the VA has not committed to actively notifying the 87,000 Vietnam veterans potentially owed benefits, it has agreed to convene a working group aimed at improving identification processes for eligible veterans. McCabe remains undeterred and plans to continue his grassroots outreach efforts, ensuring that veterans like Susan Meyer, widow of a Vietnam veteran, receive the support they need. “It will change my life,” Meyer said after receiving help with her late husband’s claim for bladder cancer, highlighting the ongoing impact of these benefits long after the service has ended.