[CPEO-MEF] CHEMWEAPONS - Personnel exposed in 20th Century tests

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

Chemical and Biological Defense: DOD and VA Need to Improve Efforts to 
Identify and Notify Individuals Potentially Exposed during Chemical and 
Biological Tests

U.S. Government Accountability Office
GAO-08-366
February 28, 2008


Tens of thousands of military personnel and civilians were potentially 
exposed to chemical or biological substances through Department of 
Defense (DOD) tests since World War II. DOD conducted some of these 
tests as part of its Project 112 test program, while others were 
conducted as separate efforts. GAO was asked to (1) assess DOD's efforts 
to identify individuals who were potentially exposed during Project 112 
tests, (2) evaluate DOD's current effort to identify individuals who 
were potentially exposed during tests conducted outside of Project 112, 
and (3) determine the extent to which DOD and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) have taken action to notify individuals who might have been 
exposed during chemical and biological tests. GAO analyzed documents and 
interviewed officials from DOD, VA, the Department of Labor, and a 
veterans service organization.

Since 2003, DOD has stopped actively searching for individuals who were 
potentially exposed to chemical or biological substances during Project 
112 tests, but did not provide a sound and documented basis for that 
decision. In 2003, DOD reported it had identified 5,842 servicemembers 
and estimated 350 civilians as having been potentially exposed during 
Project 112, and indicated that DOD would cease actively searching for 
additional individuals. However, in 2004, GAO reported that DOD did not 
exhaust all possible sources of information and recommended that DOD 
determine the feasibility of identifying additional individuals. In 
response to GAO's recommendation, DOD determined continuing an active 
search for individuals had reached the point of diminishing returns, and 
reaffirmed its decision to cease active searches. This decision was not 
supported by an objective analysis of the potential costs and benefits 
of continuing the effort, nor could DOD provide any documented criteria 
from which it made its determination. Since June 2003, however, non-DOD 
sources--including the Institute of Medicine--have identified 
approximately 600 additional names of individuals who were potentially 
exposed during Project 112. Until DOD provides a more objective analysis 
of the costs and benefits of actively searching for Project 112 
participants, DOD's efforts may continue to be questioned. DOD has taken 
action to identify individuals who were potentially exposed during tests 
outside of Project 112, but GAO identified four shortcomings in DOD's 
current effort. First, DOD's effort lacks clear and consistent 
objectives, scope of work, and information needs that would set the 
parameters for its efforts. Second, DOD has not provided adequate 
oversight to guide this effort. Third, DOD has not fully leveraged 
information obtained from previous research efforts that identified 
exposed individuals. Fourth, DOD's effort lacks transparency since it 
has not kept Congress and veterans service organizations fully informed 
of the progress and results of its efforts. Until DOD addresses these 
limitations, Congress, veterans, and the American public can not be 
assured that DOD's current effort is reasonable and effective. DOD and 
VA have had limited success in notifying individuals potentially exposed 
during tests both within and outside Project 112. DOD has a process to 
share the names of identified servicemembers with VA; however, DOD has 
delayed regular updates to VA because of a number of factors, such as 
competing priorities. Furthermore, although VA has a process for 
notifying potentially exposed veterans, it was not using certain 
available resources to obtain contact information to notify veterans or 
to help determine whether they were deceased. Moreover, DOD had not 
taken any action with the civilian names, focusing instead on veterans 
since the primary impetus for the research has been requests from VA. 
DOD has refrained from taking action on civilians in part because it 
lacks specific guidance that defines the requirements to notify 
civilians. Until these issues are addressed, some identified veterans 
and civilians will remain unaware of their potential exposure.


For the original summary and links to the report, go to
http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-08-366

-- 


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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