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Rochester veterans, victims of Agent Orange, get national recognition
Jun. 19—ROCHESTER — Not all U.S. service members who died from their duties in Vietnam are memorialized on the Vietnam War Memorial wall. Now, some of those whose lives were cut short by service there were being recognized this year by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's (VVMF) In Memory Program.
Debi Neville's husband, Andrew "Pat" Neville, of Rochester, was one of the veterans who died years later due to health complications likely caused by exposure to Agent Orange, a blend of herbicides used by the U.S. during the conflict. The U.S. dumped more than 19 million gallons of the herbicide mix to strip opposing forces cover foliage, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
"So many people were dying from their service in Vietnam but weren't necessarily injured in Vietnam," Neville said.
Pat was one of the 774 Vietnam veterans honored last week by the VVMF. The veterans were memorialized in a ceremony Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia, alongside a traveling three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The service members' names were read aloud in a ceremony. An orange light was shone at the memorial as part of the ceremony.
Neville was at the ceremony along with her friend Pam Sutton. The two met through their mutual experiences caring for a spouse dealing with the effects of Agent Orange.
Pam's husband, Joe Sutton, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma — one of the 19 cancers and conditions recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and National Institutes of Health with "sufficient" or "suggestive" evidence to associate with exposure to the herbicides.
Joe, who died in April 2021, had his name read at the ceremony as well. Pat died in May 2020 after suffering from ALS and dementia.
Pam said the ceremony and recognition were moving and overdue.
"It's about time," Pam said.
Pam said it was nice to meet other families who have dealt with the same issues and frustrations caring for a loved one whose service jeopardized their health.
"The government poisoned them," Pam said.
There's still more accountability to be won, she added.
Dementia is not, on its own, recognized as an illness associated with the herbicides.
"To me, it's just wrong," she said. "It's neurological right along with ALS and Parkinson's that they do recognize."
Pam said the Southeast Minnesota organization she and Debi established has two women who help care for husbands who served in Vietnam and are suffering from dementia.
The two became friends over their shared experiences caring for husbands suffering from the effects of Agent Orange and started the support group.
