Agent Orange Awareness Day is Sunday, August 10. On this day of remembrance, it is crucial for us to acknowledge all those affected by Agent Orange and to honor their resilience.

The Agent Orange Memorial is part of the veterans tribute at Monument Square. [File photo]

First, to my fellow veterans: We honor those who came home only to face a new foe in their hospitals and homes. We remember the thousands of veterans who battled cancers like Hodgkin’s disease or lung cancer, who suffered from strange illnesses when answers were few. We remember those who lost limbs to soft-tissue sarcomas or who cope daily with diabetes and heart disease likely triggered by their exposure. We also remember the invisible wounds – anxiety, the depression, the feeling of betrayal and abandonment that many felt when their problems were shrugged off as “imaginary” in the early years.

To all veterans and their families who have borne the burden of Agent Orange, we see you and we salute your courage. Your fight to have your conditions recognized was not in vain; it paved the way for better healthcare and support for future generations of warriors.

Speaking to my fellow veterans: I want you to know that you are not alone. The weight of Agent Orange – whether you feel it in your own health or in the loss of a buddy – is a burden we carry together. We have a bond of solidarity that comes not just from our service in war, but from how we stand by each other in peace. When one of us suffers, we all feel it. That is why veterans organizations have been at the forefront of pushing for Agent Orange research, for healthcare improvements, for recognition of new illnesses as they arise. It was the voices of veterans that got Congress to act in 1991, and it will be the voices of veterans that ensure our country never forgets its obligation to us. In that, I find hope and pride even amidst the sadness. We took an issue that was once swept under the rug and made the nation confront it. That is a testament to the unwavering determination of those who serve.

Agent Orange has taught us that war’s impact doesn’t end when the war itself does. The bombs may stop, but the aftermath remains – in the land, in our bodies, and in our hearts. Thus, we must never forget. We carry forward the memory of those who died because of Agent Orange, long after they left the battlefield. We carry forward the mission to care for those still with us who need our help. And we carry forward the lesson that our country must always strive to protect not only its national security, but also the health and dignity of all human beings and the planet we share.

May we continue to speak the truth about Agent Orange. May we ensure such a legacy is never repeated. And may we honor the resilience of the human spirit that, even after such devastation, finds ways to heal the hope. Thank you, and let us move forward together with the wisdom bought at such a high price.

Please join us Sunday, August 10 at 7 p.m. at the Agent Orange Memorial at Monument Square for a ceremony honoring all those affected by Agent Orange.

David P. Irwin

USMC, Vietnam – ’66-’67

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