[CPEO-MEF] HEALTH, RADIATION: Gulf War Vets' Exposure to Depleted Uranium

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Document Reveals Military Was Concerned About Gulf War Vets' Exposure to 
Depleted Uranium


by: Mike Ludwig
t r u t h o u t
July 28, 2010

For years, the government has denied that depleted uranium (DU), a 
radioactive toxic waste left over from nuclear fission and added to 
munitions used in the Persian Gulf and Iraq wars, poisoned Iraqi 
civilians and veterans.

But a little-known 1993 Defense Department document written by 
then-Brigadier Gen. Eric Shinseki, now the secretary for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs (VA), shows that the Pentagon was concerned about DU 
contamination and the agency had ordered medical testing on all 
personnel that were exposed to the toxic substance.

Shinseki's memo, under the subject line, "Review of Draft to Congress - 
Health and Environmental Consequences of Depleted Uranium in the U.S. 
Army -- Action Memorandum," makes some small revisions to the details of 
these three orders from the DoD:

1. Provide adequate training for personnel who may come in contact with 
DU contaminated equipment.

2. Complete medical testing of all personnel exposed to DU in the 
Persian Gulf War.

3. Develop a plan for DU contaminated equipment recovery during future 
operations.


...

For the entire article, see
http://www.truth-out.org/document-reveals-military-was-concerned-about-gulf-war-vets-exposure-depleted-uranium61781

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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