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2004-11-12 | Dennie Williams article on
Common Dreams “Weapons Dust Worries Iraqis
Provisional Government Seeks Cleanup; U.S. Downplays Risks”
by Thomas D. Williams
reference: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1101-01.htm
verifies the total disregard and overt contempt by President George W. Bush,
Vice President Dick Cheney, and Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld for their
own legal regulations that require thorough environmental remediation of all
depleted uranium and other combat caused low level radioactive contamination.
The following direct quote from Mr. Williams article as provided by a
Department of Defense spokesperson verifies that DOD officials ignore their
own legal
requirements as mandated in AR 700-48, TB 9-1300-278 and numerous other
documents. Compliance with all provisions in U.S. Army Regulation is required
as ordered by the Secretary of the Army and previous U.S. Army Chief of Staff
General Eric Shinseki.
quote:
“The Department of Defense ‘does not clean up DU once it leaves a U.S. weapons system such as a Bradley
Fighting Vehicle and hits an enemy building, or vehicle’, said Melissa Bohan,
an Army public affairs official.”
end quote
This demonstrates/verifies the willful refusal to comply with U.S. Army
Regulation AR 700-48 and TB 9-1300-278. The reference to read the legal
requirements is:
reference: http://traprockpeace.org/rokke_du_3_ques.html
Pentagon officials are also acutely aware of the known adverse health and
environmental effects as documented in an internal 2002 Pentagon briefing
that
can be reviewed at: http://traprockpeace.org/du_dtic_wakayama_Aug2002.html
but they ignore simple facts in order to sustain use of uranium munitions and
avoid al liability for their use as mandated by the March 1993 Los Alamos
memorandum
reference: http://www.tv.cbc.ca/national/pgminfo/du/doc1.html
Although Pentagon officials state: “The Department of Defense ‘does not clean
up DU once it leaves a U.S. weapons system such as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle
and hits an enemy building, or vehicle’, said Melissa Bohan, an Army public
affairs official.” the pertinent section of U.S. Army Regulation 700-48
requires the following actions.
Quote from Army Regulation 700-48 (Please see previous reference for complete
text.) “RCE” means “radiologically contaminated equipment” :
“2-4. Handling of RCE
a. General.
(1) During peacetime or as soon as operational risk permits, the Corps/JTF/Division
Commander's RSO will identify, segregate, isolate, secure, and label all RCE.
Procedures to minimize the spread of radioactivity will be implemented as
soon as possible.
(2) Radiologically contaminated equipment does not prevent the use of a combat
vehicle or equipment for a combat mission.
(3) RSO must consider the operational situation, mission, level of
contamination, and types of contaminate when evaluating the need to utilize
contaminated equipment.
(4) After the Corps Commander certifies the equipment is decontaminated IAW
established OEG or peacetime regulations, it may be reutilized.
(5) The equipment for release for unrestricted use must be decontaminated to
comply with peacetime regulations versus OEG.
(6) Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Units will render equipment safe prior
to retrograde operations when appropriate.
b. Use and cannibalization.
(1) The operation of RCE or cannibalization is prohibited unless the
commander has determined that:
(a) The operational risk is comparable to that found in combat.
(b) The equipment is required for mission completion.
(c) Under no condition shall the following items be used or cannibalized if
damaged: MC-1 Soil Moisture Density Tester (Soil and Asphalt) (NSN
6635-01-030-6896), or commercially procured
TROXLER Surface Moisture-Density
Gauge AN/UDM-2 RADIAC Calibrator Set (NSN 6665-00-179-9037), AN/UDM-6 RADIAC
Calibrator Set (NSN 6665-00-767-7497).
(2) Under those circumstances in which the commander has waived prohibitive
use (see para 2-4b(1)) and determined that the operational risk is comparable
to combat, equipment may be decontaminated and used for a specified mission.
Once the circumstances are met, operational necessity is over, that waived
contaminated equipment will be handled IAW peacetime procedures.
c. Handling.
(1) The unit/team/individual responsible for the equipment, whether friendly
or foreign, at the time of damage or contamination is responsible for taking
all action consistent with this regulation and DA PAM 700-48.
(2) The MACOM commander may designate a radioactive waste/commodity
processing facility. The ACERT, RADCON and RAMT Teams may be deployed to
assist in the
processing and management supervision of RCE.
(3) Maintenance forms, warning tags, and other forms of communication will be
used to ensure that personnel involved in the reclamation are aware of the
contamination status.
(4) In peacetime, RCE will be transported to the command esignated location
for receipt of radioactive material where the extent of contamination can be
assessed and remediated under controlled conditions.
(5) In peacetime, the Corps/JTF/Division Commander's RSO monitor the
separation of RCE from uncontaminated equipment. The separation must be
maintained throughout the entire handling process.
(6) All equipment, to include captured or combat RCE, will be surveyed,
packaged, retrograded, decontaminated and released IAW Technical Bulletin
9-1300-278, DA PAM 700-48 and other relevant guidance.
(7) Equipment will be decontaminated to the maximum extent as far forward in
theater as possible, IAW the OEG. Under all other conditions, decontamination
in-theater will be performed only in accordance with guidance from the
ACERT/RADCON/Chemical Officer/NBC Staff.
d. Personal Safety. Personnel handling contaminated equipment need to follow
the personal safety measures outlined in DA PAM 700-48 and AR 40-5.
e. Disposal.
(1) In general, environmental impact must be considered prior to equipment
retrograde. Retrograde operations must minimize the spread of contamination
preventing further harm to personnel and damage to equipment.
(2) Radioactive material and waste will not be locally disposed of through
burial, submersion, incineration, destructionin place, or abandonment without
approval from overall MACOM commander. If local disposal is approved, the
responsible MACOM commander must document the general nature of the disposed
material and the exact location of the disposal.
As soon as possible the MACOM commander must forward all corresponding
documentation to the Chief, Health Physicist, AMCSF-P, HQAMC.
(3) Demilitarization in the field is authorized only as a means to ensure
that the equipment will not fall into enemy hands. 5 AR 700-48 o 16 September 2002
2-5. Medical Surveillance
a. The MACOM commander has the responsibility for determining the likelihood
of significant exposure from contaminated equipment to any individual.
Individuals that the command determines may have been exposed will be sent to
a medical treatment facility for appropriate screening (i.e., individuals did
not follow the personal protective measures outlined in DA PAM 700-48 and AR
40-5 or any of the recommended handling procedures as outlined in therelevant
regulations and technical manuals).b. Medical personnel will perform the appropriate
medical monitoring, which may include bioassay. c. Medical documentation of
RCE exposed personnel is mandatory, use form SF 600
(Chronological Record ofMedical Care). 6 AR 700-48 o 16 September 2002”
end quote
The simple fact that DOD officials willfully ignore their own legal
requirements verifies that President George W. Bush and all who authorized
use of uranium weapons and now ignore mandated medical care and environmental
remediation requirements must held accountable.
and the solution still is:
Depleted Uranium Situation Requires Action
By President Bush and Prime Minister Blair
Dr. Doug Rokke, Ph.D.
July 12, 2004
While U.S. and British military personnel continue using uranium
munitions-America's and England's own "dirty bombs" U.S. Army, U.S.
Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of Defense officials continue their
unrelenting personal attacks against me, a lawyer who serves as a United
Nations Special Rapporteur, physicians who are conducting research and
providing medical care, nurses, political leaders, and others who have spoke
out regarding the documented adverse health and environmental effects of
depleted uranium munitions. They want to disrupt our efforts to ensure
compliance with mandated medical care and environmental remediation
requirements because they want to be always able to use effective depleted
uranium munitions during combat. These same officials still continue to deny
that there are any adverse effects to avoid liability for the willful and
illegal dispersal of a radioactive toxic material - depleted uranium. They
arrogantly refuse to comply with their own regulations and directives. They
willfully ignore existing U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) directives that
require prompt and effective medical care Be provided to "all"
exposed individuals [Medical Management of Unusual Depleted Uranium
Casualties, DOD, Pentagon, 10/14/93 and Medical Management of Army personnel
Exposed to Depleted Uranium (DU) Headquarters, U.S. Army Medical Command 29
April 2004)]. They also refuse to clean up dispersed radioactive
Contamination as required by Army Regulation- AR 700-48: "Management of
Equipment Contaminated With Depleted Uranium or Radioactive Commodities"
(Headquarters, Department Of The Army, Washington, D.C., September 2002) and
U.S. Army Technical \ Bulletin- TB 9-1300-278: "Guidelines For Safe
Response To Handling, Storage, And Transportation Accidents Involving Army
Tank Munitions Or Armor Which Contain Depleted Uranium" (Headquarters,
Department Of The Army, Washington, D.C., JULY 1996).
Army Regulation-AR 700-48 requires that:
(1) "Military personnel "identify, segregate, isolate, secure, and
label all RCE" (radiologically contaminated equipment).
(2) "Procedures to minimize the spread of radioactivity will be
implemented as soon as possible."
(3) "Radioactive material and waste will not be locally disposed of
through burial, submersion, incineration, destruction in place, or
abandonment" and
(4) "All equipment, to include captured or combat RCE, will be surveyed,
packaged, retrograded, decontaminated and released IAW Technical Bulletin
9-1300-278, DA PAM 700-48" (Note: Maximum exposure limits are specified
in Appendix F).
The past and current use of uranium weapons, the release of radioactive
components in destroyed U.S. and foreign military equipment,
and releases of industrial, medical, research facility radioactive materials
have resulted in unacceptable exposures. Therefore, decontamination must be
completed as required by U.S. Army Regulation 700-48 and should include
releases of all radioactive materials resulting from military operations. The
extent of adverse health and environmental effects of uranium weapons
contamination is not limited to combat zones but includes facilities and
sites where uranium weapons were manufactured or tested including Vieques, Puerto Rico, Colonie, New York, and Jefferson Proving Grounds, Indiana. Therefore, medical care must be
provided by the United States Department of Defense officials to all
individuals affected by the manufacturing, testing, or use of uranium
munitions. Thorough environmental remediation also must be completed without
further delay.
In conclusion: the President of the United States- George W. Bush and The
Prime Minister of Great Britain-Tony Blair must acknowledge and accept
responsibility for willful use of illegal uranium munitions- their own
"dirty bombs"- resulting in adverse health and environmental
effects.
President Bush and Prime Minister Blair also should order:
1. medical care for all casualties,
2. thorough environmental remediation,
3. immediate cessation of retaliation against all of us who demand compliance
with medical care and environmental remediation requirements,
4. and ban the future use of depleted uranium munitions.
and we/I shall continue......... despite having lost it all.........
Dr. Doug Rokke
Major (retired) U.S. Army Reserve
former Gulf war 1 DU team health physicist
former U.S. Army Depleted uranium project director
confirmed DU casualty.
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