diabetes I Hope That This Will Help Someone Else

[jamescripps2]

Just a little research work that I did in relation to the Agent Orange Committee, hope it helps someone else. Note pages 49 & 50. I worked as a game warden at Fort Gordon in close association with the Forestry Division. 1967-1969. My diseases are chloracne, diabetes, heart failure etc.

http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/reading_room/T...lHerbicides.pdf

Site 21

Location: Fort Gordon, Augusta, Georgia

Fort Chaffee, Fort Smith, Arkansas

Apalachicola National Forest, Sopchoppy, Florida

Date → July 1967 – October 1967

Activity Description: During the period December 1966 to October 1967, the

newly named “Plant Science Laboratories” at Fort Detrick initiated a comprehensive

short-term project to evaluate desiccants and herbicidal mixtures as rapid-acting

defoliants. The objectives of this study were to evaluate rapid-acting desiccants as

defoliants and to assess the defoliation response of woody vegetation to mixtures of

herbicides and/or desiccants. The criteria for assessment was based principally on

rapidity of action, but included other features such as safety and ease of handling,

compatibility with dissemination systems, and low toxicity to man and wildlife.

The approach to the objective of an improved rapid-acting defoliant involved three

phases: (1) evaluation of commercially available rapid desiccants or contact herbicides;

(2) evaluation of improved formulations of rapid desiccants developed under industry

contacts and by in-house effort; (3) development and evaluation of desiccant-herbicide

mixtures containing the rapid defoliant characteristics with the sustained long-term

effects of Orange and other Tactical Herbicides. The project required an immediate

access to a diversity of woody vegetation. Accordingly, Fort Detrick arranged for test

locations at Fort Gordon near Augusta, Georgia; Fort Chaffee near Fort Smith, Arkansas,

and Apalachicola National Forest near Sopchoppy, Florida.

The Georgia site was described as a warm temperate, humid, moderate rainfall climate

with deep, well-drained sands in rolling topography. The vegetation type was an oakhickory-

pine forest. The Arkansas site was described as a temperate continental,

moderate rainfall climate with fine sandy loam soils in rolling topography. The

vegetation type was an oak-hickory forest. The Apalachicola National Forest site was

described as a subtropical, humid, moderate precipitation climate with sandy soils in a

flat poorly drained topography. The vegetation type was described as a Southern mixed

forest. All sites were selected because of their isolation from any local human

populations, e.g., in Florida, the site was a ridge located in a swamp forest.

Assessment: The desiccants selected for evaluation included Herbicide Blue (a

tactical herbicide), and the commercial desiccants diquat, paraquat, dinitrobutylphenol

50

(DNBP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), hexachloroacetone (HCA), and monosodium

methanearsonate (MSMA), pentachloro-pentenoic acid (AP-20), endothall, and various

mixed formulations of these desiccants. The systemic herbicides included the two tactical

herbicides Orange and White; the potassium salt, triisopropanolamine salts, and the

isooctyl ester of picloram; and, a ethylhexyl ester of 2,4,5-T mixed with HCA. Mixtures

of propanil, nitrophenol, linuron, and silvex were also evaluated. All chemicals were

furnished by Fort Detrick.

Aerial application at these three sites were made with a Bell G-2 helicopter equipped with

two 40-gallon tanks and a 26-foot boom with 6-inch nozzle positions adaptable for

volume deliveries of 3, 6, or 10 gallons per acre in a 50-foot swath. Spray equipment,

pilot, and support were furnished under contract with Allied Helicopter Service of Tulsa,

Oklahoma. Aerial applications were made on duplicate 3-acre plots, 200 by 660 feet in

dimension. A sampling and evaluation trail was established in each plot on a diagonal

beginning at 100 feet from one corner. Major species were marked along 500 feet of this

transect and individual plants were identified by combinations of colored plastic ribbons.

A minimum of 10 individuals of each species was marked unless fewer were present.

Evaluations were made at 1-, 5-, 10-, 30-, and 60-day intervals by experienced Fort

Detrick personnel. At each evaluation period the identical marked individuals of the

major species were rated for defoliation and desiccation. At each location, approximately

475 gallons (~10 drums) of Herbicide Blue, 95 gallons (~2 drums) of Herbicide Orange,

and 6 gallons of Herbicide White were expended.

The assistance of Department of Army forestry personnel at Fort Gordon, Fort Chaffee,

and the 3rd and 4th Army Headquarters were acknowledged in the report for their support

in the selection and preparation of sites in Georgia and Arkansas. The land and facilities

for the Florida tests were provided by the Supervisor, Apalachicola National Forest,

Tallahassee, Florida. Personnel from the Physical Sciences Division, Fort Detrick

assisted in the development of formulations and preparations of field test mixtures. They

also provided the data on the physical characteristics of the candidate tactical defoliants

and mixtures.

Sources: Darrow RA, Frank JR, Martin JW, Demaree, KD, Creager RA (1971): Field

Evaluation of Desiccants and Herbicide Mixtures as Rapid Defoliants. Technical Report

114, Plant Sciences Laboratories, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland. Document

unclassified but subject to special export control. Available from the Defense

Documentation Center, Accession Number AD 880685.

Pass it along, it is new information.

[Berta]

VERY interesting!!!!

I will pass this along- particularily to Charles Kelley-who wrote the book "Vietnam's Rain Agents", Kurt Priessman who is a Thailand veteran who will be speaking on AO_ Thailand issue at a big symposioum this spring-

and to Blue Water Navy site vets-among others -

the big picture of AO is growing-

GREAT research-I commend you-

I know how long and frustrating research can be-

"All chemicals were

furnished by Fort Detrick."

I thought AO was banned in the USA after Dow had to pay ibto the settlement fund?

[jamescripps2]

Did you click on the link, the document is 85 pages long and contains information on a lot of military post and bases where A O was used and tested.

[Pete53]

Many of us know that they had Agent Orange all over the World. They just won't admit to it.

[Berta]

Yes but I have not had time to read it all yet- the Thailand vet I mentioned already had this info-

There are other disabled vets around the country who are doing all they can to get AO usage recognized wherever it was used and then to attempt to get vets with AO disabilities properly service connected.They are also doing what they can to get info on Project SHAD (another

situation whereby vets were exposed to bio hazards and have disabilties that the VA doesnt want to SC.

One of the first SHAD vets(maybe the very first in fact) that VA service connected due to Project SHAD(112)

was a recently guest on SVR radio at Stardust.His show is in their archives.

Thanks for any info at all-on this issue.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Berta

[jamescripps2]

Kurt Priessman who is a Thailand veteran who will be speaking on AO_Thailand issue at a big symposioum this spring

Berta, if you run across any more information on the Thailand issue I would be very interested. Also, If you get contact info or more info on Kurt Priessman's presentation, that also would be helpful

[Berta]

Kurt is a member here and posted his email addy in this post:

http://www.hadit.com/forums/lofiversion/in...php/t12239.html

His phone number is there too-