Edgewood Test Veterans - we are a group of men who were used in chemcial
weapons and drug research by the US Army and the CIA from 1955 thru 1975 at
Edgewood Arsenal Maryland.
The Institute of Medicine MUFA unit issued a report in March 2003 by
Doctor William Page, that stated the only conclusion he could make after
the data was gathered in FY 2000, by a private company from Silver Springs
Maryland. The report concluded that the only long term health problems that
the veterans exposed to Sarin showed were a higher rate of brain tumors and
sleep disorders.
I would like to point out that a January 1994 report from the National
Institue of Health,
I would also like to point out the perceived flaws in the March 2003
report that I see, they never addressed why they could not locate 3098 men
using VA, IRS and Social Security records. The previous report in 1985
showed a total of 385 men that were deceased, but by 2000, just 15 years
later the death toll appears to multiplied drastically to 3098 men.
The report does not explain what or why these men died prematurely before
the age of 65.
The 1985 report shows that a high percentage of men died from cardiac
problems in the age range of 40-45, a few died in combat in Vietnam, but
approximately half the deaths were from heart disease.
The March 2003 report did not even address pulmonary, gastrointestinal
and nuerological or cardiac problems. Yet all previous studies of chemical
weapon exposure show that these areas of health are affected by the
exposure. There is a 1975 report published by the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute, written by a Doctor Wlihem Lohs that was done on
the Wermacht soldiers of WW2. The German government paid these men
disablity payments and medical treatment until their deaths. This is the web
address for the report
http://projects.sipri.org/cbw/research/cw-delayed.pdf
There are very few chemcial weapons research papers available as most
countries did not expose their own citizens serving in the military to
experiments for research.
In October 2003 the VA released a manual for Chemical, Biological and
Radiological Weapons exposures, many of the symptoms listed on pages 17,18
and 19 list the known medical problems caused by exposure to chemical
weapons, are the symptoms complained about by the Gulf War Veterans. Since
all CW's are based on insecticides, and there were many exposures to flea
collars, misting units in the base camps, cans of DDT, many other types of
bug spray bought in the are of operations and many of them do not conform to
American standards for exposure, the symptoms seem to have a clear link to
all of the above.
Why is the DOD/Army failing to release the names of the veterans who were
used in the test from 1955 thru 1975 after 30 years since the end of the
tests? Is it the fact that many of these veterans suffer disabilities
resulting from the exposures to CW's and if the service connect these 7120
men, then they are opening the door to the Gulf War vets to be service
connected for similar health conditions?
I realize the numbers are ugly at face value, of the 7120 men used at
Edgewood 40% are dead before age 65, and 54% of the 4022 survivors are in
very poor or totally disabling health, approximately 2200 men. The cost of
service connecting 7120 men is miniscule, compared to opening the door for
100-200,000 veterans, with disability rates as these for pulmonary and
cardiac and gastrointestinal problems could and would into unknow billions
of dollars of liabilty for the government.
If you are going to give a war, and expect men and women to volunteer,
then when they are hurt or suffer damages the government should be willing
to accept responsibility for the damages caused by the action. Not to do
incomplete health studies and refuse to address known medical issues. These
menand women served honrably and they deserve honorable treatment from their
government, not to give it will serioulsy affect this nations ability to
field a compltere fighting force in the future. When new generations of
Americans realize that their government does not care about them, who will
volunteer?
Michael G Bailey
I am an army veteran who enlisted in October 1973, I was at Edgewood for
the tests from June 25 thru 22 August 1974, I served on active duty until
September 1982 when I left the service as a Staff Sergeant. I re-enlisted in
the Georgia Army National Guard in September 1988 and asked for a transfer
to the 48th Brigade when they were activated for duty in the Gulf War, I was
deployed to Oman, Khasab Air Force Base on the Persian Gulf. I suffered a
series of TIA's and a stroke within 12 months of discharge, at the age of
36, in February 1994 I suffered the first of 7 heart attacks, in February
1997 I underwent triple bypass surgery at the age of 41, I have since been
disabled by SSD for heart disease, COPD, PTSD, skin abnormalities that the
VA doctors can not diagnose after biopsies, emphysema and sexual
dysfunction, all of them are listed in the VA manual as being caused by
exposure to Chemical Weapons. The VA has so far denied all claims expect for
PTSD since I had proof that 7 fellow soldiers beat me unconcious and robbed
me in Fort Wainwright Alaksa in Feb 1975, 4 of them were sentenced to
Leavenworth Prison after general court martials. They refuse to address the
medical problems related to Edgewood Arsenal. I still have appeals pending,
I am in my 4th year of dealing with the VA. I had ignored it until I became
totally disabled at age 45, I didn;t want anything from the government, I
had a decent job at the Post Office until my life totally disintergrated in
May 2000.