Not really stolen valor, but a definite lack of honor...

2015-05-11T14:37:01-04:00

http://www.news10.net/story/news/2015/05/08/el-do-county-army-colonel-loses-battle-against-cancer/27020977/

Is it possible a Signal O-6 was somehow exposed to DU in Kuwait or Iraq? He claims to have been exposed to DU when deployed to Iraq (really, he deployed to Kuwait), and that the VA has denied 11 claims for such.

What do you think?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 4:04 PM

2015-05-11T16:04:21-04:00

It is possible that he was expsed to DU while in Kuwait at the Range Complex.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 4:37 PM

2015-05-11T16:37:59-04:00

We shot up an awful lot of Iraqi Equipment with DU during the Gulf War. Still plenty of that stuff lying around. So it is possible.
Having said that, I can't really think of a good reason for a senior signal officer to be poking around in destroyed equipment. It isn't terribly surprising the VA took a while to process his claim.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 15 at 2015 5:37 PM

2015-05-15T17:37:16-04:00

Yes if he was riding around tanks in Kuwait.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 5:44 PM

2015-05-15T17:44:26-04:00

Honestly Major... With all due respect, Who gives a crap? He is dead. And what if he was right. He needed the help anyway.

Response by SGT Anthony Bussing made May 15 at 2015 7:51 PM

2015-05-15T19:51:02-04:00

its funny how everyone says "DU MADE ME SICK" I was a tank crewman on both M60 and M1A1 MBTs...I have fired a lot...and I mean A LOT of DU rounds...I have even crawled into burned out -72 hulks killed by DU rounds...nothing...not a single thing bad...that said...I dont dont doubt that DU is bad for you...Ive also worked in the medical field for over 20 years...I know this for a fact...DU isnt good for you...but it isnt like we put sheet after sheet of DU in our tanks and our rounds...

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2018 10:08 AM

2018-06-08T10:08:59-04:00

When few SM's are left then the VA recognized a problem existed. My uncle finally received disability for Agent Orange right before his death caused by it. My cousin recently died of cancer perhaps caused by exposure to toxins at Ft McClellan. The VA has a one page paper on McClellan, "Recently the Veterans Administration has established a page under the heading "Potential Exposure at Fort McClellan - Public Health" That page in part, states the following... "Some members of the U.S. Army Chemical Corp School, Army Combat Development Command Chemical/Biological/Radiological Agency, Army Military Police School and Women's Army Corps, among others, may have been exposed to one or more of several hazardous materials, likely at low levels, during their service at Fort McClellan. Potential exposures could have included, but are not limited to, the following: Radioactive compounds (cesium-137 and cobalt-60) used in decontamination training activities in isolated locations on base. Chemical warfare agents (mustard gas and nerve agents) used in decontamination testing activities in isolated locations on base. Airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the Monsanto plant in the neighboring town. Although exposures to high levels of these compounds" [17] " (Wikipedia). There are still areas prohibited from entrance by civilians due to environmental cleanup.