Agent Orange Researchers Receive Legion's Top Honor

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire

Epidemiologists Dr. Jeanne Mager Stellman and Dr. Steven Stellman today were awarded The American Legion Distinguished Service Medal during a General Session of the organization's 85th National Convention at America's Center here. The award is in recognition of the Stellmans' extraordinary body of research that may expedite delivery of disability compensation and free-of- charge medical care to countless Vietnam veterans suffering from exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange.

"Many ailing Vietnam veterans have a hard time proving to the Department of Veterans Affairs that their illnesses are related to Agent Orange exposure, and the Stellmans' research helps to ease the burden of proof," American Legion National Commander Ronald F. Conley said.

The government did not carry out a large-scale study of Vietnam veterans' health and herbicide exposures when the Legion first called for it in 1979. So the nation's largest veterans organization collaborated with the Stellmans on the groundbreaking American Legion-Columbia University Study in the 1980s, which showed the impact of the Vietnam War on the health of the veterans who fought it. After the Centers for Disease Control in 1989 refused to carry out an epidemiological study, that it then deemed unfeasible, The American Legion sued Uncle Sam to force the government to conduct a study. ---


We are going to change history -- we're going to have a ton of fun doing it.

a coward who hid during the veitnam war to speak to them about another war he started. he is still a coward and won`t admit he failed again