American Pacific territories are one step closer to gaining government recognition for the use of the chemical Agent Orange on the islands.
A bill introduced into US Congress would give health benefits to veterans who were stationed on Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Johnston Atoll and American Samoa.
If passed, the bill would mark a significant reversal of the American government's current position on Agent Orange.
Officially, the US government claims toxic herbicides like Agent Orange were never used on Pacific territories.
But this runs counter to eye witness accounts from veterans like Victor Vreeland, who was stationed on Guam's Anderson Air Force Base in 1966.
He believes his current health problems stem from using the herbicide on the island.
"I noticed that on several occasions that when I got liquid on my hands, my fingers were numb for several days after that," Mr Vreeland told Pacific Beat.
"That's basically my condition today, I have a constant neuropathy in both my extremities and nerve damage."
Mr Vreeland claims toxic herbicides were routinely used on Guam to clear vegetation.
He's one of more than 900 members in the Agent Orange Survivors of Guam online group, and hopes the new bill will grant health benefits to veterans like himself who feel their illnesses are linked to herbicide exposure on American bases in the Pacific.
Agent Orange was most famously sprayed in Vietnam as part of the American military's herbicidal warfare to clear forests and vegetation in the country.
Up to four million people are said to have been exposed to the chemical, which the Vietnamese government believes has caused generational illnesses and birth defects.
But there is uncertainty over whether the toxic substance was used on Guam.
Dr Alvin Young is an environmental toxicologist and has been a consultant for the Department of Defence on the issue of Agent Orange.
He was also a project scientist on the operation in Vietnam.
Dr Young believes there is no relationship between the herbicide and chronic illness, and claims the chemical never even made it to Guam.
"Because Agent Orange is not a registered pesticide, it could not be used in the United States," he said.
"It could not be used on Guam."
Fears of Agent Orange exposure for civilians on Guam
On Guam, environmental soil tests for Agent Orange have been inconclusive, though further testing is currently underway.
The move to provide compensation for Agent Orange exposure has prominent support.
Senator Therese Terlaje from Guam is a vocal supporter for further testing to determine conclusively if Agent Orange was used.
She hopes the new bill will bring attention to health problems and environmental damage on the island that may be linked to the herbicide.
"It gets us closer to the truth," she said.
"That's what we, the people of Guam, are entitled to know. And because of the health impacts, we need to know."