Ive never seen Vietnam, but I worked on the ranges at Eglin AFB in the late 80s-early 90s and the AO test ranges were still denuded decades later. The government set its operating procedures toward veterans with the nuclear vetslet the cases lie until most are gone. Agent orange, Gulf War syndrome, depleted uranium, stealth coatings, Anthraxall of them denied nexus as long as possible.
The rates of disease are too far out of norms, but itll be decades until most are settled. Disability is damned hard to handle when youre used to working hard and its damned hard to see your family lose the little security you thought your service would provide.
That whole attitude has changed under Trump's leadership, and there are resource people from service organizations like the Marine Corps League (MCL) and DAV who you should see FIRST before submitting a claim to the VA. I have met the DAV NSO here, and he is a fine lawyer who will help you get all your ducks lined up so that the VA cannot after a long period of evaluating (1) find faults in your claim, then (2) delay an award yet another year until that aspect is cleaned up.
Since meeting the NSO in lsate May at the yearly election of DAV officers, I have already made contact with an AO sufferer, directed him to the NSO, and through the NSO's help his claim will be processed immediately and successfully with full attention of the VA, whereas in years past it has been denied. THIS APPROACH WORKS!