The Veteran served at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base and contends his Waldenstrom's macroglobinemia is related to herbicide exposure. The RO denied service connection due to lack of Vietnam-era service, but the Veteran presented evidence suggesting he was exposed to herbicides in Thailand. Further investigation into the use of herbicides at U-Tapao RTAFB and the composition of any used herbicides is needed.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's exposure status needs to be determined based on available records and expert medical opinion regarding herbicide use at U-Tapao RTAFB.
- Claimed conditions
- Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 16, 2012
- Citation
- 1224507
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1224507.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to chemical exposures during his military service at Travis Air Force Base.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, left hip disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder.
- Dismissed
The Veteran wishes to withdraw his appeal regarding the initial rating for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted service connection for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.,Service connection was denied for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The Board found that while there is no direct evidence linking prostate cancer to service, the Veteran's lay statements were not competent evidence to establish a relationship between his current condition and service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.