VA HR147

Virginia House Resolution commending the Orange Heart Medal Foundation, a nonprofit founded in January 2018 by Navy veteran Ken Gamble to honor Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange

During Operation Ranch Hand (1961-1971), 20 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed over Vietnam, directly exposing 2.6 million American service members to the chemical defoliant

The foundation has provided approximately 4,000 Orange Heart Medals to veterans and surviving family members in the United States, Puerto Rico, Australia, and Thailand

Agent Orange exposure causes serious illnesses including leukemia, lymphoma, diabetes, heart disease, and various cancers, with genetic effects detected up to five generations in some families according to Vanderbilt University research

An estimated 300 Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange die every day; the foundation advocates for medical care and is working toward a permanent monument and scholarship programs for descendants