Justice Department Won't Appeal Agent Orange Ruling Benefiting Blue Water Navy Vets

The Justice Department decided last week against appealing a federal court ruling that extends Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to vets who served on ships off the Vietnam coast during the war. The decision paves the way for as many as 90,000 veterans to receive health care and compensation from the VA for health conditions presumed to be related to Agent Orange. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that extending benefits to these veterans will cost $1.1 billion over the next 10 years. The VA has said the cost may be closer to $5.5 billion. The VA has not released information as to when it will begin processing claims from Blue Water Navy veterans. Read more about the decision on Military.com.