Agent Orange Exposure in Guam and American Samoa: What Veterans Need to Know

Agent Orange was used, tested, and stored on Guam between 1958 and 1980, particularly at Andersen Air Force Base. Veterans who served between January 9, 1962 and July 31, 1980 on Guam, American Samoa or in the territorial waters could qualify for presumptive service connection under the PACT Act of 2022, which makes it easier to obtain VA benefits.

What Is Agent Orange and How Was It Used on Guam?

Agent Orange is a tactical herbicide, a 50/50 mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T contaminated with the dioxin TCDD, used by U.S. forces to clear vegetation during the Vietnam War.

Guam served as a major Pacific staging and logistics hub during the Vietnam era. Andersen Air Force Base, a B-52 launch point for combat missions, is the main site in Guam with documented herbicide handling.

• DoD herbicide records and multiple declassified documents indicate herbicide use on Guam between 1958 and 1980.
• Air Force veteran Jim West preserved photographs from Andersen AFB documenting herbicide spraying. The photos have been published by Pacific Island Times and submitted to Congress and the VA as part of veteran advocacy.
• EPA conducted soil sampling on Guam between 2018 and 2020 looking for the dioxin TCDD, but decades of tropical weathering make soil testing an unreliable way to confirm or rule out Agent Orange.
• The Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic and NVLSP white paper released May 8, 2020 concluded that veterans who served on Guam from 1962 to 1975 satisfy the VA’s legal standard for exposure to Agent Orange and other dioxin-containing herbicides.
• The Government Accountability Office report GAO-19-24 found federal records on Agent Orange testing and storage locations were inaccurate and incomplete, contributing to the case for VA recognition.

In 2022, this evidence led to Guam being added to the Agent Orange presumptive location list through the PACT Act. This makes it much easier to win VA disability for conditions related to Agent Orange exposure in Guam or American Samoa.

How Is Guam Covered Under the PACT Act?

The PACT Act requires the VA to presume Agent Orange exposure for eligible veterans but does not automatically grant benefits. Guam veterans or their surviving spouses must still file a claim for an Agent Orange presumptive condition and show qualifying service in the January 9, 1962 to July 31, 1980 window.

• “Presumptive” means you do not need a medical opinion linking a disease to military service. A current diagnosis for a presumptive Agent Orange condition plus qualifying Guam service is enough.
• Qualifying service is on Guam, American Samoa, or in the territorial waters off Guam or American Samoa, from January 9, 1962 to July 31, 1980.
• The presumptive Agent Orange condition list includes ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, multiple types of cancer, and more recently added conditions like hypertension.

Guam Locations with Reported Use of Agent Orange

• Andersen Air Force Base (Yigo): The primary documented herbicide site on Guam and a B-52 launch point for Vietnam combat missions, with cited perimeter spraying, runway clearance, and storage drums.
• Marianas-Bonins Command (MARBO) Annex: A multi-service logistics and supply hub for Pacific operations, identified in legal and advocacy materials as a site of herbicide storage and handling.
• Polaris Point: A U.S. Navy submarine tender support facility; personnel handling cargo in the submarine support areas fall within the documented exposure category.
• Urunao Beach and Ritidian Point: A northern Guam beach and point area named among the suspected herbicide handling and disposal sites in the Yale/NVLSP analysis.
• Tiyan Junction / former Naval Air Station Agana (now A.B. Won Pat International Airport): Part of the broader Guam herbicide-application footprint cited in legal and advocacy materials.
• Naval Base Guam (Apra Harbor): The main Navy installation on Guam, included in the territorial-waters and surrounding-installation footprint covered by the PACT Act presumption.

Andersen Air Force Base is the primary documented site, but any Guam duty assignment during the covered window supports the claim. The VA does not require you to prove personal proximity to a spraying operation.

Service personnel records, DD-214 entries, travel vouchers, performance reports, unit records, TDY orders, pay records, or credible buddy statements may establish qualifying Guam service.

What VA Disability Compensation Can Guam Veterans Receive?

Approved Agent Orange claims pay tax-free monthly compensation based on the rating for the service-connected condition, plus retroactive back pay to the effective date of the claim. The VA Disability Calculator can estimate your monthly amount once you know the rating.

Are Survivors of Guam Veterans Eligible for VA Benefits?

A surviving spouse, child, or in some cases a dependent parent may file a Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claim if the veteran died from a service-connected condition or from a condition that would have been service-connected had a claim been filed.

If the deceased veteran had previously filed an Agent Orange claim that was denied before the PACT Act, the surviving spouse may be entitled to retroactive DIC going back to an earlier effective date.

Winning a Denied Guam Claim

If you think the VA made a mistake in your case, or if the Guam service falls outside the 1962-1980 window, Hill & Ponton’s Agent Orange lawyers may be able to help.

Hill & Ponton is focused on winning appeals on behalf of veterans and surviving family members who were previously denied or underrated by the VA, with no upfront fees. Get a free case evaluation today!