A story making headlines today in the Oregonian was originally reported here almost two months ago.
(MOLALLA, Ore.) - The Oregonian Newspaper headlined Oregon Troops exposed to toxic chemicals by Julie Sullivan January 9th 2009. She wrote that KBR, a Haliburton company, disregarded and downplayed the extreme danger especially of lung cancer.
The chemical was Hexavalent Chromium Salts best exemplified by various Dichromate salts usually used to remove ALL traces of organic material by chemically burning them from any other material.
This corrosive action also acts on human skin where it causes severe irritation and especially the nose, trachea and lungs where it causes nosebleeds, coughing, pain on breathing and headaches, but especially lung cancer.
She reported that no blood or urine tests were performed but Chromic compounds would not stay in the blood. They would settle in the lungs, liver or kidneys where they will stay permanently and cause damage.
She also reported that soldiers of the Indiana National Guard were most heavily exposed. One Indiana soldier died of lung cancer in July 2008. One more soldier is near death and several more suffer rashes, tumors and breathing problems.
This is the tip of the iceberg. Mike Doyle, a Texas attorney, is representing the Indiana Guardsmen. Their commander, Lt. Col. James Gentry said that the toxic Sodium Dichromate was all over the plant guarded by the soldiers and was up to four feet deep in places. The chemical dust clings to skin, clothes and boots so that the soldiers were exposed to the poisons on a full-time basis.
The Indiana Guardsmen were not alerted about the problem until they saw KBR employees in full protective masks and suits.
This goes to show that soldiers are totally expendable.
They were not protected by KBR and apparently their own officers concluded it was yellow sand even though the troops were coughing, wheezing and getting skin rashes.
Lt. Col. Gentry is now hospitalized with lung cancer.
According to industrial toxicologists including myself, troops who have been exposed should all have chest x-rays now and at least yearly for the next few years.
Our troops went to Iraq to protect and fight, not to be poisoned.
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Iraq Veterans Poisoned: War Contractors Knew But ConcealedSalem-News.com