A story now about veterans who could be closer to securing more medical benefits.

Federal officials have concluded that hundreds of people who worked at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Mass., three decades ago were exposed to Agent Orange.

The reservists had worked on the same C-123 transport planes that had been used in Vietnam in the 1960s and 70s.

Jeanette DeForge, a reporter for the Springfield Republican newspaper and MassLive.com, has been covering the case since 2011. She says the new study – from the federal Institute of Medicine – backs claims by reservists at Westover and two other air reserve bases.

Listen to Kari Njiiri’s interview with DeForge by clicking the audio player above.