Friday, October 31, 2014

Army vets claim exposure to chemicals at McClellan caused health issues



Dozens of veterans once stationed at the former Fort McClellan in Anniston  blame exposure to chemicals at McClellan for their illnesses and want help from the government.
More than five thousand McClellan veterans have banded together on Facebook.   
Weapons training at McClellan began with ordinances in 1912 then chemicals were added in 1922. Thirty years later, biological warfare training started when the Chemical Corps School (later known as the U.S. Army Chemical Center and School) opened. 
According to a 2001 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report, mustard gas was used starting in 1954 then nerve agent, a blood agent containing cyanide and biological stimulants were added in 1969.
McClellan closed in 1999 and drums of radioactive waste were found buried even leaking. A risk assessment in the 2001 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report deemed McClellan "catastrophic" given the explosives and chemical agents on site and the proximity to educational, residential, hospital, and shopping centers.
A 1996 U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine report found "potential radiological health hazards" at McClellan.
Two sick vets asked the Department of Veterans Affairs to link their illnesses to their service at McClellan. One made the request in 2007.  The other asked in 2011. The VA granted the requests. A VA court concluded one died from thyroid cancer following exposure to agent orange at  McClellan. Another VA court found the second got sick from his herbicide exposure at McClellan.
Requests have been made to the DOD since August to find out what's been done to look into the health complaints from possible contamination. The department hasn't responded.
But Congress has taken notice. The Fort McClellan Health Registry Act has the support of 78 co-sponsors in the House to investigate the chemical contamination, as well as diagnose and treat veterans who served there.  No Alabamians are listed as co-sponsors, not even Congressman Mike Rogers, (R) Anniston. 
The Fort McClellan Health Registry Act was first introduced to Congress January 2013. It still awaits action in a committee. But the bill continues to gain support among Republicans and Democrats.

1 comment:

  1. When the 113th Congressional session concluded with the end of 2014, H.R. 411 had 84 co-sponsors. Most notably absent was the elder statemen Rep Mike Rogers of Anniston, Alabama. It is no surprise to voters in District 3, or veterans, familes and children of toxic exposure at Fort McClellan, Anniston, Alabama. If he supported veterans he would have introduced the legislation. While Rep rogers deflects the harm to humans in his district caused by Ft McClellan, there may be 700,000 people who were never told their health was in harm's way. DOD never investigated whether there were military casualties from the toxic exposure in that part of Calhoun County. And Rep Rogers says health problems of these veterans,familes and children has nothing to do with the community health (Oct. 15, 2014). I always thought the Army post and the military members tat FTMC were appreciated by Alabamians. But clearly Rep Rogers does not quite comprehend, the word community or he hates veterans. But veterans and the media are now starting to uncover the secrets hidden from us for decades. It is time to save lives. ~Joan Zakrocki, Ft McClellan Toxic Exposure Right To Know on FB

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