PSA: 87,000 Vietnam Veterans Haven't Claimed Benefits Totaling $844 Million Dollars
Read and Share with the Vietnam era veteran in your life
There are six million and four hundred thousand (6.4 million) Vietnam era veterans still living. Their median age is seventy-one (71) years old. According to the Vietnam Veteran Project what you think you know about them may not be based in fact.
Just over nine million (9.087 million) people served in active-duty roles between 1964 and 1975. Around three million (2.7 million) of whom served in Vietnam and about half (est. 1.3 million) of those regularly experienced direct combat. Another three million (3.4) serviced in theater including Vietnam, Loas and Cambodia. Over seven thousand (7,484) women served in Vietnam, predominately as nurses.
Fifty-eight thousand two hundred and two (58,202) died and another three hundred thousand (303,704) were wounded. Over two thousand (2,338) went Missing in Action and almost eight hundred (766) were Prisoners of War. On average, the people who died were twenty-three (23) years old, however, the five of those casualties were sixteen years (16) old and one was just fifteen (15) years old.
Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII.
One million seven hundred thousand (1.7) people were drafted with about half of serving in Vietnam. The last man was drafted on June 30, 1973. Men who served in Vietnam were predominately from working class white families. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of Vietnam era veterans were honorably discharged. Sixty-six percent (66%) report that they would serve again.
Vietnam era vets were paid between $65 and $215 per month. Sixty-six percent (66%) took advantage of their college benefits. In 2024, the military.com reported that 87,000 Vietnam Veterans May Qualify for $844 Million in Benefits.
How Did America Honor Thier Service?
The Vietnam War posed complex challenges for those who served. Unlike veterans of World War II, Vietnam era veterans often returned home to an indifference or even hostility. Employers and educational institutions were skeptical. Many were dealing with psychological trauma, and exposure to toxic chemicals sprayed to thin the jungles of Vietnam.
In reaction, Congress passed a series of critical laws from the late 1960s through the 1970s to help ease the transition back into civilian life. Over the decades, lawmakers have continued to expand those protections by acknowledging conditions like PTSD, Agent Orange-related diseases, and presumptive illnesses through legislation like the PACT Act.
Foundational Laws of the Vietnam Era
Veterans' Pension and Readjustment Assistance Act of 1967
This early legislation laid the foundation for supporting Vietnam era veterans, expanding pension eligibility and extending basic readjustment benefits. It acknowledged that veterans of the Vietnam War needed assistance similar to what earlier generations had received—particularly in education, training, and employment.
Veterans' Education and Training Amendments Act of 1970
As the need for greater educational support became apparent, this act updated GI Bill benefits to better reflect the rising cost of education and training. It offered increased flexibility in program eligibility, ensuring more veterans could access vocational and academic paths aligned with their post-service goals.
Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1972 (VEVRAA)
A turning point in veteran employment policy, VEVRAA required federal contractors to take affirmative action in hiring and promoting Vietnam era veterans. It also prohibited discrimination against them, recognizing that returning service members were often met with workplace bias or indifference.
Veterans' Education and Rehabilitation Equalization Amendments Act of 1974
This legislation responded to gaps in previous programs by increasing monthly education assistance payments and expanding eligibility for vocational rehabilitation. It aimed to level the playing field for veterans with service-connected disabilities, giving them the tools to achieve long-term success.
Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974
Building on its 1972 predecessor, the 1974 update enhanced employment protections, tightened contractor reporting requirements, and broadened the definition of who qualified as a Vietnam era veteran. It was part of an evolving recognition that many veterans were still not getting the support they deserved.
Expanded Protections in the Decades Since
While these foundational laws were crucial, they didn’t fully account for the long-term physical and mental health challenges Vietnam veterans would face. In the years since, Congress has made significant changes to better recognize and respond to those needs.
Recognition of PTSD (1980s–present)
For decades, Vietnam veterans were burdened by what is now recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The condition wasn’t formally acknowledged by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) until the 1980s. Once recognized, PTSD became a compensable condition, making veterans eligible for disability benefits, mental health counseling, and rehabilitation services.
Agent Orange Exposure and Presumptive Conditions
As evidence mounted of the harmful effects of Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide used during the war, Congress responded with legislation such as the Agent Orange Act of 1991, which established "presumptive service connection" for certain illnesses. This meant that veterans who served in Vietnam and developed specific diseases—including certain cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and ischemic heart disease—would be presumed to have contracted them due to their military service, making it easier to obtain benefits.
The PACT Act of 2022
The Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 represents one of the most significant expansions of VA health care and benefits in decades. While the Act primarily addressed post-9/11 veterans, it also expanded presumptive condition lists for Vietnam veterans, adding more Agent Orange-related diseases and new eligible locations, such as service in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Guam. It made it significantly easier for veterans exposed to toxic substances to receive the benefits they earned—without the burden of proving direct causation.
Start With The VA
Check out VA.gov for more information about benefits owed to Vietnam vets and their families.
VA Benefits for Vietnam Veterans
Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for a wide-variety of benefits available to all U.S. military Veterans. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial. See our Veterans page for an overview of the benefits available to all Veterans.
Disability Compensation for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
VA presumes that some disabilities diagnosed in certain Veterans were caused by exposure to Agent Orange during military service.
Learn more about VA health care benefits for Veterans exposed to Agent Orange on the Veterans Health Administration's Agent Orange page.
Learn more about VA compensation benefits for Veterans exposed to Agent Orange on the Disability Compensation Agent Orange page.
Children of Veterans with Exposure to Agent Orange
Children of Veterans exposed to Agent Orange who have a birth defect including spina bifida, a congenital birth defect of the spine, and certain other birth defects may be entitled to VA benefits. These include monetary benefits, health care, and vocational rehabilitation services.
Learn more about VA compensation benefits for children of Veterans exposed to Agent Orange on the Disability Compensation Birth Defects page.
How to Apply
There are many paths to eligibility, and applying is the best way to know if you qualify. Generally, Servicemembers, Veterans, and families can apply for VA benefits using one of the methods below.
Apply online using VA.gov, OR
Work with an accredited representative or agent, OR
In person at the nearest VA medical center or clinic, OR
By calling the toll-free hotline: 800-698-2411, OR
Go to a VA regional office and have a VA employee assist you. You can find your regional office on our Facility Locator page.
File your claim using an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits (VA Form 21-526EZ). Print the form, fil it out and send it to:
Department of Veteran Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444