Agent Orange Memorial gets a more inclusive design

A rendering depicts the updated design for a memorial honoring Vietnam veterans who died or were affected by exposure to Agent Orange. (Courtesy of the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation)

The Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation (UAOVF) has recently come up with a new design for the state’s Agent Orange Memorial. The monument’s original design was modified in order to make it more inclusive. 

The new change affects the panels on the back of the memorial. The original design included an image of the Three Servicemen statue and to its left was the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. Beneath the statues was the inscription “They served, they fought, they died and received neither their country’s glory nor their country’s compassion.”

The new version of the monument’s back side has an image of a C-123 aircraft spraying Agent Orange. While the toxic herbicide was sprayed in other ways, such as by Huey helicopters, the Air Force C-123 Provider was the most commonly used aircraft. 

Below the image of the C-123, are the words “In honor of the warriors who bore the invisible wounds of Agent Orange.” This refers to all of the Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and includes service members from the five branches of the military: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. 

The sentence that follows reads “and in steadfast recognition of all veterans exposed to toxic battlefields, from the jungles of Vietnam to the burn pits of the modern era.” This inclusive sentence recognizes post-Vietnam era veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals during the Gulf War and other eras. 

The final sentence states that “This memorial stands as a promise: That their sacrifice will never be forgotten, their voices will never be silenced, and those who follow will be protected.” This sentence emphasizes the educational aspect of the memorial. Part of its purpose is to help future generations learn from the mistakes of the past.

To help aid this learning process, the UAOVF has designed an information stand that will be placed in front of the Agent Orange Memorial. The stand will measure 51 inches long and 24 inches wide, and it will display four informative sections, which are currently in draft form.

Section 1 will include a map of south Vietnam indicating areas that were affected by Agent Orange. Section 2 will include a list of countries affected by Agent Orange and corresponding dates. Section 3 will include a list of diseases associated with Agent Orange. The final section of the information stand will list diseases and exposure compensation criteria in the PACT Act of 2022. 

The PACT Act is officially known as the “Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics” Act. It significantly increased health care and benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances from the Vietnam War, Gulf War, and post-9/11 era.

The UAOVF is currently on schedule with plans to get the Agent Orange Memorial in Sunset Veterans Park in time to dedicate it on Veterans Day 2025. That ceremony will formalize one of the most momentous veteran advocacy efforts in the annals of the Beehive State.