The Board granted an effective date of August 1, 2021, for the award of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) based on direct service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, and for entitlement to Dependency Education Assistance (DEA) benefits.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while serving at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, which caused his coronary artery disease, the primary cause of death. The effective date is based on the PACT Act, which revised 38 U.S.C. § 1116 and expanded the locations that are covered by the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25091502
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