Remembering veterans on Agent Orange Awareness Day and beyond

Agent Orange Awareness Day, though not an official federal holiday, is observed in the Beehive State and the rest of the country each year on August 10.

That specific date was not arbitrarily chosen. According to the Blinded Veterans Association, the U.S. began spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam on August 10, 1961.

Although its use was intended to save American lives, the herbicide turned out to be extremely harmful to humans and the environment. That was because Agent Orange contained the toxic chemical dioxin.

Dioxin was a consequence of Agent Orange production. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, dioxin was an unwelcome byproduct of the chemical’s manufacturing process. 

As a result of exposure to Agent Orange and similar toxic herbicides, hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans have died from one or more illnesses associated with those chemicals. 

In Sunset Veterans Park, the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation has been increasing public awareness of the tragic cost of using toxic chemicals during the war in Southeast Asia. 

Since last November, the foundation has been actively engaged in building one of the largest Agent Orange memorials in the United States. 

A number of organizations have been helping support the foundation throughout its ambitious mission. Among them is the Rivetin’ Rosie’s Project. 

In observance of Agent Orange Awareness Day, the organization shared a message on its Facebook page paying homage to victims of Agent Orange exposure and reminding that its effects continue today. 

The group also supported the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation earlier this year. On Feb. 12, patriotic members showed up at the Capitol in Salt Lake City for a ceremony honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange and similar toxic herbicides.

They were in attendance to support Hannah Turk, a Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation board member, who helped facilitate the event. Hannah is also a co-founder and vice president of the Rivetin’ Rosie’s Project. 

The veterans at the ceremony and all Utah veterans exposed to Agent Orange were recognized with an official citation, which was read aloud by Rep. Tyler Clancy on the floor of the House of Representatives.

The presence of members of the Rivetin’ Rosie’s Project made the event even more memorable by evoking a nostalgic glimpse of a bygone era — a time when millions of American women symbolized by Rosie the Riveter helped the U.S. win WWII. 

As a Utah veteran, it is heartening to know that organizations like the Rivetin’ Rosie’s Project are striving to make a positive difference in the lives of veterans on special occasions like Agent Orange Awareness Day and other important times throughout the year.

One of those times is right around the corner, as October marks Agent Orange Awareness Month. It was established because a one-day observance did not seem like an adequate amount of time to increase awareness of the toxic chemical, and the month includes events that recognize veterans harmed by exposure to Agent Orange and similar toxic herbicides.

October also seems like an appropriate time for Utah lawmakers to consider joining the growing number of legislators in more than a dozen states who have officially recognized the Orange Heart Medal. 

While the medal is not yet an official federal award, it is nevertheless an extremely meaningful and well-deserved tribute to veterans who sustained internal injuries from exposure to Agent Orange.