Toxic chemicals abound in the US military. There are many civilian regulations that were/are flagrantly ignored because USMIL is largely a law unto itself. This includes:<p>- unproven, risky, and experimental medications, vaccines, and medical procedures<p>- direct exposure to toxic chemicals<p>- toxic pollution of air, water, and soil (numerous superfund sites are former military land) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites</a><p>- environmental damage<p>There are also some well-known historical incidents:<p>Gulf War-era (1st GW)<p>- GW syndrome likely from pyridostigmine bromide nerve agent prophylaxis pills ("WMDs" was a Cheney hoax.)<p>- exposure to partial combustion of hazardous oil well fires<p>Vietnam-era Agent Orange exposure led to in in-theatre troops years to decades later:<p>- AL Amyloidosis<p>- Chronic B-cell Leukemias<p>- Chloracne<p>- Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (and also adult-onset Type 1 where insulin production essentially stops)<p>- Hodgkin’s Disease<p>- Ischemic Heart Disease<p>- Multiple Myeloma<p>- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma<p>- Parkinson’s Disease<p>- Peripheral Neuropathy, Early- Onset<p>- Porphyria Cutanea Tarda<p>- Prostate Cancer<p>- Respiratory Cancers<p>- Soft Tissue Sarcomas<p><a href="https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/publications/agent-orange/agent-orange-2020/presumptive.asp" rel="nofollow">https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/publications/agent...</a><p>In the Vietnamese population, it lead to:<p>- ~ 400k injuries and deaths<p>- ~ 500k birth defects<p>- ~ 2M cancers<p>- (presumed 100k's) still births and fetal abnormalities
Since I don't think anybody's linked it yet, there was a lot of press about the anti-fire foam the airforce uses in drills (and actual fires) being toxic and leaking into the water systems in every base.[0]<p>They said they'll phase it out by 2024,[1] so if you're planning on enlisting, you should wait to enlist until then so you can be part of the next cohort for this study. Also, if you live near an airbase, you might want to wait to have any future children until then too, as it affects people around all the bases, as well.<p>[0] <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/02/26/residents-near-8-military-bases-be-tested-chemical-tied-cancer.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/02/26/residents-nea...</a>
[1] <a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/03/16/pentagon-to-halt-use-of-firefighting-foam-that-contains-pfas-as-cleanup-costs-mount/" rel="nofollow">https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/03/16/pentagon-to-halt-use-...</a>
Could it because pilots spend more time in the upper atmosphere than the general population, so they aren't as protected from cancer causing radiation as people at sea level? As for ground crews, they probably spend more time in the sun - again, potential cancer causing radiation. I wonder how the ground crews would compare to outdoor construction workers.
I personally know three AF aviators who were diagnosed with brain cancer. The story I heard was that C-130 aircrew had raised the alarm, the Air Force did a study, and determined that statistically AF aviators were no more likely to get these cancers than the general population. Many were suspicious of the findings.<p>After that, two more aviators, close friends of mine, were diagnosed with brain cancer, one of whom has since passed away. My thoughts are that it probably has to do with the airborne radars in use.
Not surprising. I recall the story about the Miles Teller being taken to the hospital due to getting rashes while filming Top Gun Maverick, they found tons of chemicals including jet fuel in his blood.
Does anyone know how many annual hours Military pilots log and at what altitude? A regular flight from NYC to LA is similar to getting a chest x-ray: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/air_travel.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/air_travel.html</a>
From the study:<p>> This study found that compared to the U.S. population after adjusting for age, sex, and race, aircrew had an 87 percent higher rate of melanoma, 39 percent higher rate of thyroid crew had an 87 percent higher rate of melanoma, 39 percent higher rate of thyroid cancer, 16 percent higher rate of prostate cancer, and a 24 percent higher rate of cancer for all sites. Ground crew members had higher incidence of cancers of brain and nervous system (by 19 percent), thyroid (by 15 percent), melanoma(by 9 percent), kidney and renal pelvis (by 9 percent), and of all sites (by 3 percent). However, aircrew and ground crew both had lower or similar cancer mortality rates for all cancer types when compared to the U.S. population.<p>That last bit is presumably related to the VA providing free health care for any service-connected condition.
Re melanoma: USAF loves the dessert. Vegas and the Mid East are v popular destinations to go for certain airframes like the one pictured in the article.
They don't care <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/area-51-burning-revealed/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/area-51-burning-revealed/</a>