i. Informing If the development activity determines further development is necessary per the Veteran M21-1, Part IV, Subpart ii, 1.H.1.d, the development activity should also About the Agent Orange inform the Veteran of the availability of hospital examinations and Registry treatment as part of the Agent Orange Registry program, and Program if the Veteran has already had the herbicide examination or been treated for herbicide exposure, request that the Veteran submit a copy of the examination or treatment report, or the name of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility performing the examination or treatment so that a copy of the report may be associated with the claims folder. j. Action to A claim is not substantially complete if a Veteran claims herbicide exposure Take When the during service, but does not claim SC for a specific disability. In cases such Veteran Claims as these Herbicide Exposure but inform the Veteran that he/she identify a specific disability, since must Does Not Claim exposure in and of itself is not a disability, and a Disability ask the Veteran to identify the disability(ies) that resulted from exposure to herbicides during service. Important: do not process the claim as a denial, or establish end product (EP) control for the incomplete claim, and whenever possible, telephone the Veteran to obtain the information needed to substantiate the claim. For more information on what constitutes a substantially Reference: complete application for benefits, see , and M21-1, Part I, 1.B.1.b. k. Formal If a claimant fails to provide the information the U.S. Army and Joint Findings That Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) requires to determine whether a VA Lacks the Veteran served in an area associated with herbicide exposure, the regional Information JSRRC Coordinator must prepare a formal finding that office’s (RO’s) JSRRC documents this fact. Requires to Verify preparing the formal finding, the JSRRC Coordinator must review the Before Herbicide claims folder to confirm the RO Veteran’s Exposure gave the claimant an opportunity to provide the information JSRRC requires properly followed established procedures for verifying the claimed route of exposure, and Veteran’s
i. Informing the Veteran About the Agent Orange Registry Program If the development activity determines further development is necessary per M21-1, Part IV, Subpart ii, 1.H.1.d, the development activity should also inform the Veteran of the availability of hospital examinations and treatment as part of the Agent Orange Registry program, and if the Veteran has already had the herbicide examination or been treated for herbicide exposure, request that the Veteran submit a copy of the examination or treatment report, or the name of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility performing the examination or treatment so that a copy of the report may be associated with the claims folder. j. Action to Take When the Veteran Claims Herbicide Exposure but Does Not Claim a Disability A claim is not substantially complete if a Veteran claims herbicide exposure during service, but does not claim SC for a specific disability. In cases such as these inform the Veteran that he/she must identify a specific disability, since exposure in and of itself is not a disability, and ask the Veteran to identify the disability(ies) that resulted from exposure to herbicides during service. Important: do not process the claim as a denial, or establish end product (EP) control for the incomplete claim, and whenever possible, telephone the Veteran to obtain the information needed to substantiate the claim. Reference: For more information on what constitutes a substantially complete application for benefits, see , and M21-1, Part I, 1.B.1.b. k. Formal Findings That VA Lacks the Information JSRRC Requires to Verify Herbicide Exposure If a claimant fails to provide the information the U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) requires to determine whether a Veteran served in an area associated with herbicide exposure, the regional office’s (RO’s) JSRRC Coordinator must prepare a formal finding that documents this fact. Before preparing the formal finding, the JSRRC Coordinator must review the Veteran’s claims folder to confirm the RO gave the claimant an opportunity to provide the information JSRRC requires properly followed established procedures for verifying the Veteran’s claimed route of exposure, and