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Dr. Bruce Montgomery, an oncologist at VA Puget Sound, and Navy Veteran Allen Petchnick. (Photo by Christopher Pacheco)
March 28, 2025
By Marcus Henry
VA Research Communications
VA is uniquely positioned to provide end-to-end care for Veteran patients.
Each year, on March 29, the nation pauses to recognize the sacrifices and service of Vietnam War Veterans. With 2.7 million Americans having served in Vietnam and more than 58,000 having lost their lives, this day stands as a solemn reminder of their enduring contributions. Today, as Vietnam-era Veterans advance in age, research by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) continues to shape the understanding of the long-term health challenges these Veterans face.
VA has been at the forefront of researching long-term effects of military service, combat exposure, and environmental hazards— including Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the war. Dr. Victoria Davey, VA’s Associate Chief, Research and Development Officer for Epidemiology and Public Health, shared insights into major VA research initiatives focused on Vietnam Veterans. She emphasized the critical need to study mortality trends, chronic health conditions, and mental health outcomes.
To this end, one of the most significant VA studies in recent years is the Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study (VE-HEROeS), which launched in 2016 and remains the most comprehensive health assessment of Vietnam Veterans since the 1980s. This study includes Vietnam theater Veterans, Blue Water Navy Veterans, and those who served elsewhere during the era, along with a control group from the general U.S. population.
Historically, the Blue Water Navy Veterans— those who served aboard ships off the coast of Vietnam— faced challenges in gaining recognition for potential toxic exposures. VA research played a pivotal role in demonstrating that their health outcomes were closely aligned with those of boots-on-the-ground Vietnam Veterans, which led to expanded VA benefits.
“We found that Blue Water Navy Veterans had higher rates of hypertension, similar to those who served in-country,” Davey said. “Their exposures, whether from herbicides or shipboard contaminants, had a measurable impact.”
This research helped shape the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, ensuring that thousands of Veterans could access benefits previously denied.
Some of the most pressing concerns for Vietnam Veterans today are hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases. VA’s research has confirmed that Vietnam Veterans— especially those exposed to herbicides like Agent Orange— develop high blood pressure earlier and at higher rates than their non-Vietnam counterparts. This evidence supported the 2022 PACT Act, which expanded presumptive conditions for Agent Orange exposure, making hypertension a covered condition for VA benefits.
The National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study (NVVLS) confirmed what many doctors and Veterans had long suspected: PTSD symptoms do not necessarily fade with time. In fact, 40 years after the war, 11% of Vietnam Veterans still met full diagnostic criteria for PTSD, with many others experiencing subthreshold symptoms.
Furthermore, a 2012 VA study linked suicidal thoughts to combat experiences— particularly exposure to killing. While Vietnam Veterans’ suicide rates were comparable to other Veterans of their era, the risk remains significantly higher than the general population.
Dr. Davey’s team recently examined concerns over bile duct cancer (hepatobiliary carcinoma), which some Vietnam Veterans feared was linked to parasites from consuming freshwater fish in Southeast Asia. Their research was able to rule out this fear, while simultaneously pointing to the true culprit.
“We studied mortality data, and while we expected to see a link, we actually found that Vietnam theater Veterans did not have higher rates than other Veterans,” Davy said. “The real concern remains smoking and alcohol use, which are known risk factors for this type of cancer.”
Most recently, the Health of Vietnam-Era Women’s Study (HealthVIEWS) revealed that Women Vietnam Veterans had different mortality and mental health patterns than their male counterparts. Unlike male Veterans, their suicide risk profile differed from both civilian women and other military women. The full findings are pending publication, but they could lead to improved mental health outreach efforts for aging Women Veterans.
Even with so much significant progress, Dr. Davey said there is still much that can be done for Vietnam Veterans that VA’s health research can tackle. In particular, tracking long-term mortality trends.
“We need to keep looking at causes of death and feeding that information back to clinicians so they can provide better care,” she said.
Dr. Davey also noted the need for precise measuring of Agent Orange exposure in Veterans' medical records, the lack of which can make definitive conclusions challenging, and cited how mental health and aging are connected to Veterans’ experiences in Vietnam.
“We know that Vietnam Veterans are at higher risk for PTSD, depression, and anxiety,” she said. “Ensuring access to mental health care remains a priority.”
The Vietnam War left a complex medical and psychological legacy. As these Veterans age, VA’s continued commitment to research and policy advocacy will be essential in meeting their evolving health needs.
Through rigorous research, evolving health care policies, and legislative action, VA researchers continue to advocate for and improve care for this generation of warriors. March 29 may be the day the nation honors its Vietnam Veterans, but the VA’s ongoing scientific efforts year-round will ensure their service and sacrifices are never forgotten.
For more information on Vietnam Veterans’ health research and VA services, visit https://www.research.va.gov/topics/vietnam.cfm.
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