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The Department
of Defense Force Health Protection and Readiness Directorate
has launched the Chemical-Biological (CB) Warfare Exposures
website to provide service members, veterans, their families,
and the public information on the testing of chemical and
biological warfare agents from 1942 to 1975. The website
has sections on World War II, Project 112/SHAD (Shipboard
Hazard and Defense), and the Cold War.
To
evaluate the ability of U.S. forces to fight on a chemical
and biological battlefield, DoD conducted testing programs.
In some programs service members were present but were not
test subjects. In other programs they were volunteer subjects.
This testing ended in 1975. According to DoD, it has been
actively engaged in an extensive search of official records
to find the names of veterans who may have been exposed to
the chemical or biological agents. DoD plans to complete
the search in 2011.
Attention VVA Members: If you served at
or participated in any of the chemical/biological experiments
conducted at Fort Detrick, Edgewood Arsenal, or any other
military facility between the late 1950s and the early 1970s,
we would very much like to hear from you. Please call VVA
at this toll-free number: 800-882-1316 and ask for Bernie
Edelman or email bedelman@vva.org
The service member names identified by DoD,
along with exposure information, are provided to the VA.
The VA then notifies individuals of their potential exposure,
provides treatment if necessary, and adjudicates any claim
for compensation. For privacy reasons, the website does not
contain the names of the veterans exposed.
Veterans who believe that they may
have been exposed or who would like more information are
advised to contact DoD via e-mail at CBWebmaster@tma.osd.mil or call DoD at 800-497-6261, Monday through Friday, 7:30
a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Veterans also may write
to DoD at: Force Health Protection and Readiness, ATTN: CB
Exposure Manager, 5113 Leesburg Pike, Suite 901, Falls Church,
VA 22041.
Click on the Chemical-Biological Warfare Exposures website
for more information.
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2011, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910