Scott Schwebke, The Orange County Register “Unlike their service member spouses or parents, their suit will not be barred by the Feres Doctrine.”, Stirling said he is unfamiliar with any previous cases in which dependents have successfully sued for injuries caused by on-base pollution. “If I would have known what was happening I never would have gone there,” she said of her time living in base housing. News 21 – August 14, 2017, George Air Force Base, Victorville, California – Video Tumbleweeds, mounds of concrete and building materials fill the dugout of an old baseball field. Many routine aircraft maintenance tasks performed at George while the base was active (1941-1992) involved potentially hazardous materials such as jet fuel, gasoline, paints and solvents. As early as 1982, the DoD knew that there were several sources for perchlorate contamination in the … Current News Pentagon – September 30, 1994, GAFB Airman [Frank Vera] Exposed to Radiation The Air Force has been working to clean up the former George Air Force Base since 1981, spending over $113 million to rid the ground and two aquifers of jet fuel, solvents, and pesticides. The base was established in World War II and closed in December 1992. Was stationed there 83-86, lived in Base housing during my entire tour, with two dependant children attending school, I, would like to know if this time period falls within time frame, and if so, I,too, would be interested in more information to support this claim. “I wanted to see what the logic is going forward with new claims.”. FairWarning – February 28, 2017, Air Force’s High Desert Legacy: Untold & Unknown Contamination Levels Potential Contaminants of Concern at the former George Air Force Base, CA, “EPA Superfund ID: CA2570024453” Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM), Aviation [Avgas], Benzene, Chlordane, Diesel, Explosives (UXO, MEC) [Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) / Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC)], Gasoline, Heating Oil / Fuel Oil, MTBE / TBA / Other Fuel Oxygenates, Munitions Debris … This program is an effort to clean up land that the EPA has deemed contaminated by hazardous waste and poses a risk to human health and/or the environment. “I’ve been sick since stepping foot on that death trap of a base. Essays are the most common type of academic George Air Force Base Contamination Essay paper – and sometimes, you are assigned just too many of them. Radiological Contamination Pamela McKay, 60, of Montrose, Colorado, a cervical cancer survivor, and her then husband, a welder for the Air Force, lived on base housing at George from 1979 to 1981. “My parents ate about two meals a day for more than three years at the base cafeteria, which includes drinking several gallons of water as well as being exposed to the water as a result of good hygiene,” the claims says. The operations building and movie theater are boarded up. In 1990, the base was added to the EPA’s Superfund list. Keep up the good work. PO Box 1313 As the Air Force’s remediation efforts continue, for some claimants seeking a modicum of justice, the damage has already been done. The federal government expects to spend about $60 million more through 2023 for labor, maintenance, operations and remediation. “When the base was operational, a lot of irrigation was being used, pushing contaminants like dieldrin into the aquifer, where it has become another plume,” the Air Force said. The claimants range in age from the 40s to the 70s, McCrea said. “I drank over 22.5 gallons of water my first eight months of life. The Daily Press – September 1, 1985, Frank Vera George Air Force Base, Victorville, California from News21 on Vimeo. See: http://georgeafb.info/george-afb-organochlorine-pesticides-contamination/. “Accordingly, a legal victory by the George Air Force Base dependents would be groundbreaking.”. Griffiss Air Force Base (11 Areas) Rome NY. By 1ST LT. Kevin Baggett Scott Schwebke, The Orange County Register, View Scott Schwebke, The Orange County Register's articles. Aerial photo from 1943 The soil and groundwater are highly contaminated from radioactive and toxic materials like heavy metals, jet fuel, medical wastes, pesticides, construction debris, nitrates, dioxins, and several other contaminants. The effluent (outflow) from the sewage treatment plant was used to water the golf course. © 2021 Brookline Media. George, which was situated on 5,347 acres on what is now a Superfund site, is among at least 126 military installations with higher than acceptable levels of perfluorinated compounds, which may cause cancers and developmental delays among fetuses and infants, according to the Military Times. Civilian Exposure | PFAS Contamination Near George Air Force Base Threatens Public Health. Prenatal chemical exposure can have lasting detrimental impacts on the lives of children and can cause diseases that show up in adulthood.”. But more than 600 military installations are now dealing with some kind of PFC problem related to fire-fighting foam and almost every base used TCE. The groundwater in Victorville and throughout much of California is contaminated with PFAS, the “forever chemicals.”. The federal government anticipates spending another $59.95 million at George through 2023. Desert Mountain Express – July 1, 1994, Company to pay $1.3 million for falsifying tests on wastes Military Times – June 20, 2018, Bombs in Your Backyard – George AFB The official AF cleanup did not start until the mid-1980s. George Air Force Base Contamination Essay, argumentative essay about mixed schools, how to write background of the problem in thesis, gd goenka public school jammu holiday homework. By Corinne Roels, Briana Smith and Adrienne St. Clair Documents needed for a VA C&P Claim “Toxic Exposure”, Aquifer Used For Drinking Water Supply, Contaminated Surface / Structure, Indoor Air, Soil, Soil Vapor Everyone wants to get completely silent when I start asking questions and frankly I’m tired of it. YouTube: George AFB – HTRW The Sun – April 27, 1989, Errors found in soil found water test at base The use of organochlorine pesticides’ (“OCPs”) in the base barracks and housing was not banned until the mid-1980s. By Ed Mattson “We have been struggling,” said McKay, a single mom with three sons who works two jobs to make ends meet. The Feres Doctrine does not apply to the families of service members. The Daily Press – April 27, 1989, Low-level radioactive dump discovered at George AFB I need some truth here! Times –August 27, 1991, Ex-officers: Air Force lied about range [George AFB] The operations building and movie theater are boarded up. My parents won’t even talk about it. The claims submitted by MAATA are heavily redacted but nevertheless offer a glimpse into allegations being leveled against the Air Force. George Air Force Base occupies 5,347 acres and is located in San Bernardino County, California near the cities of Victorville and Adelanto. The former George Air Force base sits on the edge of the Mojave Desert in California. The Record- August 27, 1991, SD Company Admits EPA Fraud Pays Fine The water was found to contain high levels of 25 separate PFAS chemicals, several that are known to be human carcinogens. “Even though the DOD has made significant strides in identifying and investigating the level of contamination at domestic base sites, the pace of actual cleanup has been quite slow,” according to … I was assigned to the 4535th CCTS as a crew chief. I was repeatedly told that our case has no standing because of the Statute of Limitations, Feres Doctrine, and the sovereign immunity clause of the Federal Torts Claim Act (FTCA). I have contacted over 100 attorneys over the years trying to get someone to help. The Army and/or Air Force used the organochlorine pesticides aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endosulfan, endrin, heptachlor, and lindane to protect the older buildings (pre-1986) against ground termites and other pests at George AFB including the Base Schools, Family Housing, Barracks, and Dorms. Water is pumped in from the city of Victorville to the Victorville Correctional Complex located where George once stood. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. At least 18 people, most of whom are military dependents, allege in recently filed federal claims they suffer from leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and other serious ailments as a result of exposure to at least 67 different toxic chemicals at the former George Air Force Base in California. Catherine Bandele, 61, of Overlea, Maryland, who is bedridden from multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism, neuropathy large granular lymphocyte leukemia and other debilitating illnesses, maintains her poor health is due to chemical exposure she suffered while living at George, where her now ex-husband was stationed from 1989 to 1991. We and our families (including pregnant and nursing mothers, and young children) were forced to work and/or live on one or more of the 148 installations that were to become designated DOD Superfund Sites. The estimate includes labor, maintenance and operations as well as cleanup costs. Both of my parents were stationed there. The Defense Department on Tuesday denied it tried... James Fallows, writing for the Atlantic, makes a... Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. By William Couey Ellsworth Air Force Base Ellsworth AFB SD. Claimants were required to pay a $1,200 fee to MAATA to cover court costs and expert witness expenses. By Shea Johnson They later divorced. Twitter: George AFB – HTRW Elmendorf Air Force Base Anchorage AK. However, MAATA President Lisa McCrea Tichenor said Thursday the fees have been eliminated and claims are submitted for free. I have tried to get compensation from the VA with no success. Veterans Today – June 23, 2013, Part II…The view from under the bus Base housing at the former George Air Force Base, in California, where dangerous chlorinated pesticides were used heavily for decades. During that time I lived in the Barracks for most the years stationed there. She applauded MAATA for exposing environmental problems at George and welcomes a financial settlement from the government, but says it likely won’t ease her suffering. If so who do we contact to be added to the law suit? Cleanup efforts have little impact on redeveloping the property because no water beneath the former base is being used as drinking water, the Air Force said. The state sued the U.S. Air Force in 2019 over groundwater contamination at Cannon and Holloman air bases, saying the federal government has a responsibility to … Truthout – April 17, 2016, Air Force Less Than Clear On Extent Of Nuclear Contamination At GAFB I know when something is being hidden and it is important to me to know what happened. Fairchild Air Force Base (4 Waste Areas) Spokane WA. However, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board in Victorville, responsible for monitoring environmental cleanup at George, estimated that process could take more than 500 years before the groundwater quality would return to normal. The Daily News – May 7, 1990, 1989-04-28 news – Base environmental cleanup on track time Also lurking in the water supply and soil beneath the former base are 33 hazardous chemicals, including plumes of spent jet fuel and trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent used to degrease planes. Efforts to clean up soil and groundwater contamination at George have been underway since 1981, costing more than $113 million. If you, a friend, or loved one has been injured or died as a result of the contamination at a DOD Superfund Site please follow the steps that are outlined at Get Help. By Daniel Ross O n September 10, 2018 the Lahontan Regional Water Board tested the well water of the home owned by Mr. Warren Air Force Base Cheyenne WY. The Air Force had proposed to let Mother Nature clean the water over time through natural filtration and other human-free processes known collectively as “monitored natural attenuation.”. The U.S. Air Force did not respond to a request for comment for this story. We desperately need the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to conduct a new Public Health Assessment for George Air Force Base so that we can get medical care for friends and families, and help bring closure for those who lost their loved ones. While the DOD knew of the nature and extent of the contamination at its bases, and the health risks that we were to be exposed to, the DOD never warned us about the contamination. Additionally, more than 2.4 million pounds of what’s known as Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons as gasoline have been removed. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Just caught the end of your appearance on today’s RT/Headline News. In 2005, the DoD/Air Force deliberately misled Congress about the possibility of perchlorate from George AFB contaminating the aquifer used for drinking and irrigation water. By Judith Pfeffer And the job isn't finished. News: George AFB – HTRW, Copyright © 2020 - George Air Force Base, CA - Hazardous Toxic and Radioactive Waste (HTRW) - Sitemap, Legacy Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Wastes, 148 installations that were to become designated DOD Superfund Sites, http://georgeafb.info/george-afbs-atmospheric-nuclear-weapons-testing-decontamination-centers/, http://georgeafb.info/george-afb-organochlorine-pesticides-contamination/, http://georgeafb.info/george-afbs-burn-pits-incinerators/, http://georgeafb.info/industrial-waste-completed-exposure-pathways/, http://georgeafb.info/george-afb-children/, http://www.georgeafb.info/submit-information-gafb-health-registry/, Property Transfer and Institutional Controls, Military dependents allege they have experienced serious health problems from being subjected to 67 different toxins at the shuttered Victorville base, Claim Made By Hundreds Of Former Airman Threatening To Reveal Depth Of Nuclear Contamination At Shuttered Air Force Base, PFAS Contamination Near George Air Force Base Threatens Public Health, Military Base Has Legacy of Pesticide and Other Toxic Chemical Exposure and Harm, Victorville prison where immigrant detainees held built atop toxic Superfund site, Why women were told ‘Don’t get pregnant at George Air Force Base’, Pentagon dumps tons of hazardous waste yearly without disclosing pollution harm, Military bases’ contamination will affect water for generations, George Air Force Base, Victorville, California, Why The EPA Is Allowing Contaminated Groundwater To Go Untreated, Novel Strategy for Dealing with Toxic Contamination: Do Nothing, Air Force’s High Desert Legacy: Untold & Unknown Contamination Levels, “I’m Mad as Hell”: Air Force Members Blame Health Horrors on Toxic Exposure, Air Force Less Than Clear On Extent Of Nuclear Contamination At GAFB, US Air Force Investigates Radiological Waste Burial, GAFB Airman [Frank Vera] Exposed to Radiation, Company to pay $1.3 million for falsifying tests on wastes, Ex-officers: Air Force lied about range [George AFB], 1989-04-28 news – Base environmental cleanup on track time, George AFB cleanup effort mishandled costs may rise, Errors found in soil found water test at base, Low-level radioactive dump discovered at George AFB. I have questions, and I want answers. The views and opinions expressed in this website/articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. government. By Jim Fetzer – July 26, 2013, The view from being thrown under the bus http://www.georgeafb.info/submit-information-gafb-health-registry/. “It would be a positive outcome if these dependents were able to do so,” he said. Orange County Register – September 17, 2020, Claim Made By Hundreds Of Former Airman Threatening To Reveal Depth Of Nuclear Contamination At Shuttered Air Force Base From 1965 to 1 December 1981 (16 years), the Air Force dumped 5,578,400 gallons of industrial waste containing known carcinogens into the sanitary sewer. He has had difficulties with ADHD-ADD his whole life and spent much of his childhood in mental health facilities. Everyone else I know from California has no problems with obtaining their birth certificate, but me and one other person I know, who were born on George Air Force Base, has had problems for years. The Outline – July 23, 2018, Why women were told ‘Don’t get pregnant at George Air Force Base’ We have people dying by the week.”. The former George Air Force base sits on the edge of the Mojave Desert in California. Tumbleweeds, mounds of concrete and building materials fill the dugout of an old baseball field. In 1990, the base was added to the EPA’s Superfund list. By: Michael Waters Hanscom Field/Hanscom Air Force Base Bedford MA. One claimant with lingering health problems alluded to contaminated water at George as the likely culprit before and after birth. By Scott Schwebke was there still a contamination risk then? Environmental contamination. The radiological contamination from the Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Decontamination Centers had not been addressed. by Lena Groeger, Ryann Grochowski Jones, & Abrahm Lustgarten Military Poisons – February 18, 2020, Military Base Has Legacy of Pesticide and Other Toxic Chemical Exposure and Harm George Air Force Base, Victorville, California from News21 on Vimeo.. To top it off, I have been through hell and high water even trying to a copy of my birth certificate from California. (Credit: Dan Ross) (Credit: Dan Ross) Multiple municipal water supply wells are similarly threatened by the contamination at George, including wells supplying water to a federal prison facility built on land that formerly belonged to the base. For some potential claimants, the fees imposed by MAATA have been prohibitive. http://www.AdamTheWoo.com - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE - Left empty in 1993 a massive majority of George Air Force Base in California still remains rotting away. See: http://georgeafb.info/george-afbs-atmospheric-nuclear-weapons-testing-decontamination-centers/, Pesticides Contamination We enlisted/were commissioned in the military to protect our country in its time of need, agreed to sacrifice our body or lay down our life if necessary to protect the country we loved. Its mission was to support tactical fighter operations and provided training for air crews and maintenance personnel. Wall Street Journal – June 2, 2003, News – Nuke Waste Toughens Closings The only ones that possibility have standing to bring a class action lawsuit are the injured children from GAFB. July. PFAS Contamination Near George Air Force Base Threatens Public Health Military Poisons – February 18, 2020 Military Base Has Legacy of Pesticide and Other Toxic Chemical Exposure and Harm For decades, day-to-day military operations have contaminated the water at bases across the country, including the now-defunct George Air Force Base in Victorville, Calif. (Briana Smith/News21) Being a mechanic I was also around; JP-4, oils, washing aircraft, solvents, grease and we never wore gloves. Learn how your comment data is processed. Always glad to see conscientious Americans taking corrective initiatives. See: http://georgeafb.info/industrial-waste-completed-exposure-pathways/, Miscarriages, Stillbirths, Birth Defects, And Childhood Cancers But while almost any sign of military life is gone, the water contamination is not. It’s a miracle any of us survived. McKay, who believes she and her ex-husband, who he died from multiple sclerosis in 2007, were poisoned by contamination at George, would like to file a damage claim through MAATA but couldn’t afford the $1,200 fee. I was diagnosed with Polycythemia Vera in 2012, I have asthma, environmental allergies and cough a lot.
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