VETERANS EXPOSED TO CHEMICALS NEED TO KNOW

(WASHINGTON, DC) – For the life of me, I still don’t know why the Veteran Service Organizations (VSO’s) have not published the list of 130 military bases on the National Priority List (EPA Superfunds), the chemicals found by EPA and the health effects of exposure.

The EPA Superfund database is accessible from the internet and the health effects of exposure to many of the contaminants have been identified by the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (ATSDR). 

Many vets have access to the internet from their own computers or from another family member. It’s not like this is classified information or any national security issues are in play. 

What is at stake is the health of veterans.  The health of veterans should be of paramount interest to all VSO’s. Veterans pay dues to their VSO’s to represent them and to protect their interests.

Not everyone who served on an EPA Superfund base was exposed to toxic chemicals.  Publishing the EPA lists is not going to spread panic among veterans.  We’re mature adults fully capable of making rational decisions about our health care needs. 

DOD, the biggest owner of Superfund sites, has no interest in notifying veterans of their possible exposure to toxic chemicals nor is there a legal requirement for any government agency to notify veterans or Congressional interest in pursuing this. 

I have personally sent emails or letters to the CEO’s of most of the major VSO’s, including the VFW, American Legion, Marine Corps League, Catholic War Vets, etc. Only the Catholic War Vets agreed to notify their membership. 

Am I going to cancel my membership to the American Legion and the Marine Corps League?  No.  But, I’d like to think that the CEO’s of these organizations would demonstrate a personal interest in the health care of their memberships by publishing this information. 

What’s the big deal?  We pay dues to VSO’s to represent our interests.  I’m betting that most vets have no idea that bases they served on are now EPA Superfund sites.  A number may have been exposed to deadly contaminants, are now sick, and have never connected the dots to military service.  Putting aside the VA disability claim issue, these men (mostly) need to know what chemicals they were exposed to so their doctors can provide an effective treatment plan.  Keeping them in the dark is definitely not helpful.  DOD is not going to tell them anything.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think the VSO’s are working for DOD, not for their memberships. 

EPA’s Unacceptable Risks to Human Health

For every military base on the National Priority List (Superfunds), EPA lists the chemicals found in the soil and groundwater that are an “unacceptable risk” to humans and the environment.  This information is not classified.  It’s not a secret.  Every veteran who served on an EPA Superfund needs to know what chemcials he or she may have been exposed to and the health effects of exposure. 

EPA’s Contaminants of Concern (COC’s) “are the chemical substances found at the site that the EPA has determined pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. These are the substances that are addressed by cleanup actions at the site.”

“ Identifying COC’s is a process where the EPA identifies people and ecological resources that could be exposed to contamination found at the site, determines the amount and type of contaminants present, and identifies the possible negative human health or ecological effects that could result from contact with the contaminants.”

A link to the list of COC’s is shown on the first page of each EPA Superfund website under the caption, “view contaminants of concern at this site.”

For example, the health effects from exposure to a particular COC at MCAS El Toro, an EPA Superfund base, can be obtained by clinking on the ATSDR Profile next to the COC as shown below. 

MILITARY BASES ON THE NPL (EPA SUPERFUNDS)

US Air Force

Air Force Plant #4 (General Dynamics)

Fort Worth TX

Air Force Plant 85

Columbus OH

Air Force Plant PJKS

Littleton CO

American Lake Gardens/McChord AFB

Tacoma WA

Andersen Air Force Base

Yigo GU

Andrews Air Force Base

Andrews Air Force Base MD

Arnold Engineering Development Center (USAF)

Tullahoma/Manchester TN

Brandywine DRMO

Brandywine MD

Castle Air Force Base (6 Areas)

Merced CA

Chanute Air Force Base

Rantoul IL

Dover Air Force Base

Dover DE

Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards AFB CA

Eielson Air Force Base

Fairbanks AK

Ellsworth Air Force Base

Ellsworth AFB SD

Elmendorf Air Force Base

Anchorage AK

F.E. Warren Air Force Base

Cheyenne WY

Fairchild Air Force Base (4 Waste Areas)

Spokane WA

George Air Force Base

Victorville

CA

Griffiss Air Force Base (11 Areas)

Rome NY

Hanscom Field/Hanscom Air Force Base

Bedford MA

Hill Air Force Base

Hill AFB UT

Homestead Air Force Base

Homestead Air Force Base FL

Loring Air Force Base

Limestone ME

Luke Air Force Base

Glendale AZ

March Air Force Base

Riverside CA

Mather Air Force Base (AC&W Disposal Site)

Mather CA

McChord Air Force Base (Wash Rack/Treatment Area)

Tacoma WA

McClellan Air Force Base (Ground Water Contamination)

McClellan AFB CA

McGuire Air Force Base #1

Wrightstown NJ

Mountain Home Air Force Base

Mountain Home ID

Norton Air Force Base (Lndfll #2)

San Bernardino CA

Pease Air Force Base

Portsmouth/Newington NH

Plattsburgh Air Force Base

Plattsburgh NY

Rickenbacker Air National Guard (USAF)

Lockbourne OH

Robins Air Force Base (Landfill #4/Sludge Lagoon)

Houston County GA

Tinker Air Force Base (Soldier Creek/Building 3001)

Oklahoma City OK

Travis Air Force Base

Travis AFB CA

Twin Cities Air Force Reserve Base (Small Arms Range Landfill)

Minneapolis MN

Tyndall Air Force Base

Panama City FL

Williams Air Force Base

Chandler AZ

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Dayton OH

Wurtsmith Air Force Base

Oscoda MI

US Army

Aberdeen Proving Ground (Edgewood Area)

Edgewood MD

Aberdeen Proving Ground (Michaelsville Landfill)

Aberdeen MD

Alabama Army Ammunition Plant

Childersburg AL

Anniston Army Depot (Southeast Industrial Area)

Anniston AL

Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant

Hall County NE

Fort Devens

Fort Devens MA

Fort Devens-Sudbury Training Annex

Sudbury MA

Fort Dix (Landfill Site)

Pemberton Township NJ

Fort Eustis (US Army)

Newport News VA

Fort George G. Meade

Odenton MD

Fort Lewis (Landfill No. 5)

Tacoma WA

Fort Lewis Logistics Center

Tillicum WA

Fort Ord

Marina CA

Fort Richardson (USARMY)

Anchorage AK

Fort Riley

Junction City KS

Fort Wainwright

Fort Wainwright AK

Iowa Army Ammunition Plant

Middletown IA

Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (Load-Assembly-Packing Area)

Joliet IL

Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (Manufacturing Area)

Joliet IL

Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (Northwest Lagoon)

Independence MO

Letterkenny Army Depot (PDO Area)

Franklin County PA

Letterkenny Army Depot (SE Area)

Chambersburg PA

Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant

Texarkana TX

Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant

Karnack TX

Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant

Doyline LA

Materials Technology Laboratory (USARMY)

Watertown

MA

Milan Army Ammunition Plant

Milan TN

Natick Laboratory Army Research, Development, and Engineering Center

Natick MA

New Brighton/Arden Hills/TCAAP (USARMY)

New Brighton MN

Picatinny Arsenal (USARMY)

Rockaway Township NJ

Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant

Riverbank CA

Rocky Mountain Arsenal (USARMY)

Adams County CO

Sacramento Army Depot

Sacramento CA

Savanna Army Depot Activity

Savanna IL

Schofield Barracks (USARMY)

Schofield HI

Seneca Army Depot

Romulus NY

Sharpe Army Depot

Lathrop CA

Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant

Desoto KS

Tobyhanna Army Depot

Tobyhanna PA

Tooele Army Depot (North Area)

Tooele UT

Tracy Defense Depot (USARMY)

Tracy CA

Umatilla Army Depot (Lagoons)

Hermiston OR

US Army/NASA Redstone Arsenal

Huntsville AL

Weldon Spring Former Army Ordnance Works

St. Charles County MO

West Virginia Ordnance (USARMY)

Point Pleasant WV

US Coast Guard

Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard

Baltimore MD

US Navy

Adak Naval Air Station

Adak AK

Alameda Naval Air Station

Alameda CA

Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (USNAVY)

Mineral County WV

Bangor Naval Submarine Base

Silverdale WA

Bangor Ordnance Disposal (USNAVY)

Bremerton WA

Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base

Barstow CA

Brunswick Naval Air Station

Brunswick ME

Camp Lejeune Military Res. (USNAVY)

Onslow County NC

Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base

Camp Pendleton CA

Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station

Havelock NC

Concord Naval Weapons Station

Concord CA

Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center

North Kingstown RI

El Toro Marine Corps Air Station

El Toro CA

Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center

Indian Head MD

Jackson Park Housing Complex (USNAVY)

Kitsap County WA

Jacksonville Naval Air Station

Jacksonville FL

Marine Corps Combat Development Command

Quantico VA

Marine Corps Logistics Base

Albany GA

Moffett Naval Air Station

Moffett Field CA

Naval Air Development Center (8 Waste Areas)

Warminster Township PA

Naval Air Engineering Center

Lakehurst NJ

Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island (Ault Field)

Whidbey Island WA

Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island (Seaplane Base)

Whidbey Island WA

Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek

Virginia Beach VA

Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Eastern Pacific

Wahiawa HI

Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant

Fridley MN

Naval Security Group Activity

Sabana Seca PR

Naval Surface Warfare Center – Dahlgren

Dahlgren VA

Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Station (4 Waste Areas)

Keyport WA

Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant

Bedford MA

Naval Weapons Station – Yorktown

Yorktown VA

Naval Weapons Station Earle (Site A)

Colts Neck NJ

Navy Ships Parts Control Center

Mechanicsburg PA

New London Submarine Base

New London CT

Newport Naval Education & Training Center

Newport RI

Norfolk Naval Base (Sewells Point Naval Complex)

Norfolk VA

Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Portsmouth VA

NWS Yorktown – Cheatham Annex

Yorktown VA

Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot

Parris Island

SC

Patuxent River Naval Air Station

Patuxent River MD

Pearl Harbor Naval Complex

Pearl Harbor

HI

Pensacola Naval Air Station

Pensacola FL

Port Hadlock Detachment (USNAVY)

Indian Island WA

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Kittery ME

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Complex

Bremerton WA

South Weymouth Naval Air Station

Weymouth MA

St. Juliens Creek Annex (U.S. Navy)

Chesapeake VA

Treasure Island Naval Station-Hunters Point Annex

San Francisco CA

USN Air Station Cecil Field

Jacksonville FL

Washington Navy Yard

Washington DC

Whiting Field Naval Air Station

Milton FL

Willow Grove Naval Air and Air Reserve Station

Horsham PA

Yuma Marine Corps Air Station

Yuma AZ

Robert O'Dowd

Robert O’Dowd served in the 1st, 3rd and 4th Marine Aircraft Wings during 52 months of active duty in the 1960s. While at MCAS El Toro for two years, O’Dowd worked and slept in a Radium 226 contaminated work space in Hangar 296 in MWSG-37, the most industrialized and contaminated acreage on the base.

Robert is a two time cancer survivor and disabled veteran. Robert graduated from Temple University in 1973 with a bachelor’s of business administration, majoring in accounting, and worked with a number of federal agencies, including the EPA Office of Inspector General and the Defense Logistics Agency.

After retiring from the Department of Defense, he teamed up with Tim King of Salem-News.com to write about the environmental contamination at two Marine Corps bases (MCAS El Toro and MCB Camp Lejeune), the use of El Toro to ship weapons to the Contras and cocaine into the US on CIA proprietary aircraft, and the murder of Marine Colonel James E. Sabow and others who were a threat to blow the whistle on the illegal narcotrafficking activity. O’Dowd and King co-authored BETRAYAL: Toxic Exposure of U.S. Marines, Murder and Government Cover-Up. The book is available as a soft cover copy and eBook from Amazon.com. See: http://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-Exposure-Marines-Government-Cover-Up/dp/1502340003.