DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Appeals Management Center 1722 Street NW. Washington, D.C. 20421 PHILLIP C. CACIOPPO Represented By: VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE US ,2 Rating Decision July 26, 2013 INTRODUCTIO The records reflect that you are a veleran ofthe Vietnam Erai You served in the Air Force from July 26, 1967 to March I9, 1971, The Board useierans Appeals remanded the Case to our ofl'lee on July 16, 2012. Based (in a review (if lhe evidence listed below, we have made the following decision(s) on your claim. DECISION Service connection {or macmglubulinemia is granted an evaluation uf 100 pereenl effecnve December 17, 2007. mm . D36 Exposure to herbicides, received on April 17, 2013 - Request for Special Report, received on July 23, 2013 - Trapper Kecpcr from Ver evidence, received on 18, 2012 - leuer from Vel, received on August 22' 2012 - Vel reply meals, STR/pers records, received on May 13, 2013 - Compensation and Pension Semce Report . requested on July 26, 2012 was no! received PHILLIP CACIOPPO -- Page 2 on - mol, 019 sints, received on January 17, 2003 - Herbicide exposure Verification review by coordinator dated July 26. 2013 - Multiple Lay Statements from fellow service members, Antonio LeonGuei-rero, Patrick Kimme'n - Medical Opinion from C. w. Stone, StaffOncologist. Kansas City VAMC RE AS: FOR DECISION Service connection for Waldensrrom's macrng obulinem a. Service connection may be granted for specific diseases or conditions which are presumed to have been caused by service ifmanifested to a compensahle degree following military discharge. Although not shown in service, service connection for Waldenstrom's inacroglobulinemia has been granted on the basis ofpresumption. pursuant to the authority granted by the Agent Orange Act of 1991, VA may determine that a presumption of service connection based on exposure to herbicides used in is warranted for conditions that VA has found to have a statistically significant association with such exposure. As such, VA has detennined that a statistically significant association exists between exposure to herbicides and subsequent development ofthe following conditions: chloiacne, non-Hodgkin's soft tissue sarcoma, Hodgkin's disease, porphyi-ia cutanea tarda (PCT), multiple myeloma, acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy. prostate cancer, cancels ofthe lung, bronchus>> larynx, trachea>> Type ll (aduleset) diabetes mellitus. chronic leukemia, AL amyloidosis, Parkinson's disease, lschemic heart disease, and B-Cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia. For purposes of this review. we have conceded your your exposure to herbicide agents while stationed in Thailand at UeTapao RTAFB. Our review or the multiple lay statements and military and VA contained within your claims folder provided us with enough credible evidence to detennine you conducted military duties near the air base perimeter. You are currently being followed by the Oncology Department at the Kansas City VAMC. You are under the care ofC.w. Stone, Staff Oncologist and are in a "active ubservsalion" for the treatment and moniloring ofthis condition. An evaluation of100 percent is assigned from December 17, 2007, Ihe date We received your original claim for beneflls. PHILLIP c. CACIOPPO -- Page 3 or 3 We have assigned a 100 pereent evaluation for your Hodgkin's disease based on: - Active disease This is [he highest schedular evaluation allowed under the law for Hodgkin's disease The 100 percent rating shall continue beyond the cessation ofany surgical, radiation, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedures, Six months afier discontinuance of such treatment, the appropriate disability rating shall be determined by mandatory VA examination. Any change in evaluation based upon Ihal or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the provisions of38 CFR If there has been no local recurrence or metastasis, rate on residuals. Since there is a likelihood ofimprovernent. Ihe assigned evaluation is not considered permanent and is subject to a future review examination. This rating decision represents a total grant of benefits sought on appeal for this issue, As such, this issue is considered resolved in full. REFERENCES: Title 38 ofthe Code ochderaI ReguIalions, Pensions, Bonuses and Veterans' Relief contains the regulations of the Department of Veterans Affairs which govern entitlement to all veteran benefits. For additional information regarding applicable laws and regulations, please consult your local library, or visit us at our web site,