Sparks resident Lupe Barry stood alongside other community members at the Veterans Guest House in Reno on Tuesday. She held in her hands an orange balloon and prepared to release it into the air as part of an effort to raise awareness about the effects of Agent Orange on veterans — one of whom is her own husband.

"(Many) people are unaware of the consequences of being exposed to Agent Orange," veteran activist Rick Shuster said. "It (Agent Orange) is a powerful herbicide and defoliant that was used primarily during the Vietnam War."

The balloon release was part of an ongoing effort to inform the public about this issue, which is one of many facing U.S. veterans.

"This is an educational process," Shuster said.

Several veteran organizations across the country also released balloons as a part of this effort.

"This is the first time that the release of orange balloons was a nationally occurring event," Shuster said. "Balloons were released from hundreds of locations around the country."

Shuster said that teaching people about the harms of Agent Orange is important especially in light of how many people the chemical has affected.

"The number of people who have been affected by this chemical is overwhelming," Shuster said. "Two hundred and fifty thousand people in the United States have died from exposure to Agent Orange and a projected 500,000 more will die in the future as a result of it."

The releasing of balloons served not only as a way to educate the public, but it also provided community members with a way to thank veterans for their services. Visitors attached notes with personal messages to the balloons that they released. Some of the people who took part in the event had lost someone due to Agent Orange exposure.

"There are somewhere between 45 and 48 different cancers and diseases associated with Agent Orange and several thousand veterans have fallen ill with these diseases," Shuster said.

Barry said that her husband was one of the soldiers diagnosed with a disease stemming from Agent Orange exposure — a fight he is still waging.

"My husband served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971," Barry said. "We didn't know about the consequences of Agent Orange exposure until recently. Agent Orange exposure was similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which my husband also suffered from, because no one knew really anything about it for a long time."

Because early detection is the best defense against the illnesses associated with Agent Orange, Shuster explained that all veterans should get regular check-ups.

"Veterans are encouraged to go to the (Veterans Administration) hospital to request tests that will determine if they have an illness that was a result of Agent Orange exposure," Shuster said.

There are resources available to both those who have become ill as a result of Agent Orange as well as to widows of Agent Orange victims, Shuster said.

After releasing the balloons, Shuster and other community members who participated in the event went to S. Virginia Street in downtown Reno to take part in the Veterans Day parade.

The parade began with Reno Mayor Bob Cashell and Sparks Mayor Geno Martini. The two city officials passed out candy to onlookers and were followed by Grand Marshal General Cindy Kirkland. A series of local high school marching bands and Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps groups then marched down the street. More than 2,000 students from the Washoe County ROTC participated in the parade. The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Women's Auxiliary Corps and the Scottish American Military Society were among the many groups who participated in the parade.

Reno resident Tom Waller admired the group clothed in Civil War gear as they walked down the street. Waller served as an engineer during the Vietnam War for 18 months and attended the parade in order to "honor other veterans."

Fernley resident Herb Brown, who served in the Marine Corps, only caught the last part of the parade, but was impressed by the number of people who attended. Reno resident Sarah McNally was also impressed by how many people came to the parade.

"It's important to pay tribute to those who have served our country," McNally said. "I was glad to see so many people come out to honor our veterans."