During the Fall 2015  Chanute Restoration Board  (RAB) meeting I told the assembled group , as I have stated before , that we conducted extensive nuclear, biological, chemical, and explosives  (NBC-E) warfare training and conducted exercises all over Chanute from late 1970’s, 1980-1989,  in preparation for  Operation Desert Storm 1990-1991, post ODS 1991-1994, 1996 Atlanta Olympics response team training development, then through post 9-11 in order to ensure military personnel and then civilian police-fire- medical personnel were at last partially prepared for probable NBC-E events.  Sadly no USAF or EPA official ever followed up on my comments.  During the recent spring 2016 RAB meeting when a concerned and knowledgeable civilian asked about our previous work it was negated- denied.  NBC-E training was also conducted during the 1940’s – early 1970’s as the USAF finally admitted.   These training- operations fell under the auspices of the USAF, the Army Reserve, the National Guard, civilian law enforcement agencies, various fire departments, and Parkland College EMT/ ERT programs.   Given that EDRAT, the original Army National Guard – UIPD emergency disaster response assistance team now the Army National Guard WMD-E CSD teams concept- was developed at Chanute and at UIUC FSI/ UIPD/UIFD during 1980- 1982 , we tested and refined NBC-E response actions and other emergency response for natural disasters.  Given we knew Iraq had NBC-E weapons to include nerve agents and biological agents and specifically weaponized anthrax because the US Army shipped it to Iraq during the 1980’s we had to prepare deploying military personnel and civilians for any eventual use during what became Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Desert Farewell.   These programs were under the USAF Defense Preparedness team, USAF fire school, 5035^th USARF school, 5034^th USARF school, 30^th Hospital Center, 4^th US Army CAT (command assistance teams), UIPD, UIFD, UIUC Fire service Institute, RPD, Parkland College, and regional trauma center originally at Mercy Hospital  then Burnham Hospital and finally Carle hospital where it remains today.    As a portion of NBC-E training all individuals go through is what is called the gas chamber. During this exercise CS pellets are burned or CS grenades are detonated releasing CS gas to allow individuals to verify operational efficiency of their issued gas mask and task performance.   The chamber exercise is only one small fraction of all NBC-E training. CS gas, degradation byproducts, and residue cause physiological damage to the respiratory track and the eyes and can be an environmental hazard unless cleaned up as specified in the various MSDS reports.   For years the military has ignored the adverse effects of CS based on operational needs. Contaminated clothing will continue to emit CS with adverse physiological effects.  We did not consider possible civilian exposures and future adverse environmental effects during these NBC-E operations especially prior to ODS because there was no indication Chanute would be closed and the threat level was very high- very real prior to and during Operation Desert Storm thus mandating the need for NBC-E training – operations.   As a result of this training – operations development program the UIPD super response team was formed followed by the creation and deployment of 3^rd US Army MEDCOM Bauer’s Raiders team consisting of original team members and advisors from the UIPD team.   After ODS  we prepared and completed the 1996 Atlanta Olympics response team training program- deploying the team, followed by training New York Police Department – Fire Department Emergency Services Unit  NBC-E (medical management of chemical, biological, radiological casualties training program which led to current CSD teams and nationwide DOJ training programs.    After 9-11 the UIPD and Illinois state law enforcement training board had us provide extensive NBC-E / now called WMD-E training and operations development.  ONCE MORE NO CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED FOR FUTURE USES OF CHANUTE AS THE SITES WERE UNDER CONTROL AT THAT POINT IN TIME even though we had closed Chanute in 1993.

However, the most dangerous single event breach realization for regional effects of Chanute’s NBC-E programs took place during late 1980’s when the telephone company dug up buried chemical weapons out on East Main in Urbana.  Our UIPD super response team responded in cooperation with UPD-UFD, CPD-CFD, 30^th Hospital Center- USAR, and the US Army Granite City arsenal to collect and secure the weapons. Illinois EPA representatives had responded initially but only messed it up resulting in probable personnel exposures and vehicle- equipment contamination.  UFD was responsible for decontamination efforts and Mercy hospital for personnel medical care. Consequently, we only dealt with those chemical weapons that the phone company dug up. We suspect more are still buried out there just as we suspect additional weapons containers are buried on former Chanute AFB proper.  Residual Chanute AFB chemical weapons from those that had been used on UIUC campus during the Vietnam War demonstration s- riots were buried rather than returned for proper disposal to Chanute. REPEAT -WE SUSPECT ADDITIONAL WEAPONS ARE STILL BURIED THERE AND OF COURSE ON CHANUTE PROPER!  Chanute’s NBC-E operations facility was leveled and once out of sight it was considered and out of mind –it has been hidden from consideration.  Therefore any possible lingering threat to human health and the environment has just been ignored.  We also have as documented extensive organic and inorganic chemical compounds and pesticide (including Agent Orange) contamination throughout Chanute and the surrounding area as a result of over 75 years of military operations.   The known and suspected adverse health effects of those chemicals etc. are specified in the US Army CHPPM manuals: TG 240a and TG 240B.

I HAVE  MY OWN MEDICAL PROBLEMS FOR WHICH I AM STILL ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN MEDICAL CARE FROM THE VA FOR MY OWN EXPOSURES RESULTING FROM  MANY YEARS OF ASSIGNED MILITARY DUTIES AND CIVILIAN ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS and the  previous RAB meeting actions to prevent my revealing critical documents such as included with this email.    

i and others who have brought up these serious issues have had our calls for accountability ignored while being subjected to overt physical and psychological retaliation; delayed, denied, and ineffective medical care.  That retaliation reached a high point when I was physically attacked resulting in injuries then ejected from the RAB meeting to prevent me from presenting documentation regarding exposures, hazards, denials, duty assignments, and orders to lie so DOD could avoid all liability for complex toxic exposures and environmental contamination on Chanute, nation-wide, and world-wide. .   NBC-E operations on Chanute utilized NBC manuals from different eras and thus different versions-editions.  These include but are not limited to: FM 3-100, Fm 3-3, FM 3-5, FM 3-7, FM 3-8, FM 3-9, FM 3-10, FM 8-285, FM 8-9,  FM 8-215, FM 3-21, STP 21-1SMCT, and the development of AR 700-48, DA PAM 700-48, revision of TB 9-1300-278, and  TC 5-400 commander’s environmental handbook.

 

THE NBC- E skills/tasks practiced, adapted, mastered   at Chanute AFB include detection, decontamination, movement, weapons firing, medical care,  fire- base construction, vehicle operations.  NBC-E was taught in the fire training area, the weapons range within the airfield fence on the south east side near to the lake,  all runways, at the hospital, training area ramp on south east corner south of perimeter road, Tear gas facility – south side- east end of east west runway, , and within and in the vicinity of the base NBC-E facility located  adjacent to the base gas station- motor pool and within less than two hundred hundred yards south-south east of Easter junior high school.

During a previous  RAB meeting a personal attack coordinated with USAF, EPA, VA, and Rantoul officials was aimed at me with resulting in continuing overt psychological and physical retaliation with consequent physiological injury and psychological effects from the moral injury factors  thus requiring ongoing medical care.  The enduring objective was, continues to be, and will always be to limit DOD, VA, and EPA accountability unless we speak up.   The objective has been to limit my and others input and revealing of what was done and the health and environmental consequences of our military’s actions.  Although I have asked USAF, VA, and EPA officials to provide all concerned, exposed, potentially exposed  individuals with full documentation regarding adverse health and environmental effects that action has never been completed. Medical care has been denied, delayed, or ineffective.  It is time for all of this nonsense to end.   The children of our extended community, our nation, and of the rest of the nation’s we trashed are affected thus mandating action.  The promise to take care of our nation’s veterans – including me has been unfulfilled. Non-combatants- and civilian residents surrounding current or former military installations and in nations we attacked then destroyed. have been abandoned, environmental remediation has not completed, and medical care has been elusive. Current contamination is discussed on various web sites such as civilianexposures.com and grassrootspeace.org, has been the subject of extensive discussions on Warrior Connection at prn.live, and the subject of numerous documentaries and television news reports.  Supporting documentation is available.   Some time ago Paul Carroll – USAF went to the Rantoul Public Library and demanded that documentation and documentary films- videos THAT VERFIFIED THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEMS be removed from the library collections. USAF, DOD, US Army, VA officials still hide the pertinent documentation from ill veterans and family members in an attempt to avoid all liability.  Although substantial remediation has been completed the lingering health effects and environmental hazards from previous and residual contamination remain affecting the health and safety of our community.   Given Rantoul High School students and teachers and other community residents have been gardening or farming on contaminated portions of Chanute prior to during remediation and it continues to this day it is imperative that all exposed or potentially exposed individuals be placed in a medical monitoring programs utilizing DD 2796 Medical exam procedures, and the VA airborne hazards program, and war injuries clinic guidelines for toxic exposures.  The newest proposal is to construct a photovoltaic solar collector system on a 10 acre section just south of the lake in the southeast corner of the base where signifIcant contaminaton has and probably still exists as a result of fire training; weapons training; burial of agent orange – pesticide barrels; and nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare training.     Given that once constructed this area would be fenced of limiting access and with no future soil disturbance this is an exceptional choice.  HOWEVER, POTENTIAL TOXIC EXPOSURES TO CONTRACTORS INSTALLING THE SYSTEM SUGGESTS THAT APPROPRIATE PPE AND PERSONAL DECONTAMINATION BE UTLIZED DURING ALL CONSTRUCTION PHASES.  We must protect our community and our residents as sadly as I – we have learned the government officials within the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Veterans Affairs who are responsible will not!

 

SADLY CHANUTE AFB IN RANTOUL ILLINOIS IS NOT ONLY FORMER MILITARY INSTALLATION LEFT WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL MESS , NUMEROUS OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION RESULTING FROM MILITARY OPERATIONS ON INSTALLATIONS AROUND THE NATION, IN NATIONS WHERE WE HAVE TROOPS STATIONED , AND IN COMBAT ZONES.  HAWAII , VIEQUES, FORT MCCLELLAN IN ALABAMA, FORMER MCCLELLAND AFB IN SACREMENTO CALIFORNIA, CAMP LEJUENE IN NORTH CAROLINA, IRAQ, KUWAIT, AFGHANISTAN. SAUDI ARABIA, VIETNAM, AND MORE AND MORE HAVE BEEN IGNORED.  THE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS SEEN AND IGNORED AROUND THE NATION AND THE WORLD ARE SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE.

MILLIONS ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN PROMPT AND OPTIMAL MEDICAL CARE WHILE THE THREAT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION IS SIMPLY IGNORED. THEN IF ANY CLEAN UP IS COMPLETED NOBODY TELlS ANY OF THE ILL VETERANS, FAMILY MEMBERS, CIVILIANS, OR NON-COMBATANTS.

 Documentation follows with more attached.

Quote:

U.S. Exports of Biological Materials to Iraq

 

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has oversight responsibility for the Export Administration Act. Pursuant to the Act, Committee staff contacted the U.S. Department of Commerce and requested information on the export of biological materials during the years prior to the Gulf War. After receiving this information, we contacted a principal supplier of these materials to determine what, if any, materials were exported to Iraq which might have contributed to an offensive or defensive biological warfare program. Records available from the supplier for the period from 1985 until the present show that during this time, pathogenic (meaning “disease producing”), toxigenic (meaning “poisonous”), and other biological research materials were exported to Iraq pursuant to application and licensing by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Records prior to 1985 were not available, according to the supplier. These exported biological materials were not attenuated or weakened and were capable of reproduction. According to the Department of Defense’s own Report to Congress on the Conduct of the Persian Gulf War, released in April 1992: “By the time of the invasion of Kuwait, Iraq had developed biological weapons. It’s advanced and aggressive biological warfare program was the most advanced in the Arab world… The program probably began late in the 1970’s and concentrated on the development of two agents, botulinum toxin and anthrax bacteria… Large scale production of these agents began in 1989 at four facilities in Baghdad. Delivery means for biological agents ranged from simple aerial bombs and artillery rockets to surface-to-surface missiles.”

Included in the approved sales are the following biological materials (which have been considered by various nations for use in war), with their associated disease symptoms:

Bacillus Anthracis: anthrax is a disease producing bacteria identified by the Department of Defense in The Conduct of the Persian Gulf War: Final Report to Contress, as being a major component in the Iraqi biological warfare program.

Anthrax is an often fatal infectious disease due to ingestion of spores. It begins abruptly with high fever, difficulty in breathing, and chest pain. The disease eventually results in septicemia (blood poisoning), and the mortality is high. Once septicemia is advanced, antibiotic therapy may prove useless, probably because the exotoxins remain, despite the death of the bacteria.

Clostridium Botulinum: A bacterial source of botulinum toxin, which causes vomiting, constipation, thirst, general weakness, headache, fever, dizziness, double vision, dilation of the pupils and paralysis of the muscles involving swallowing. It is often fatal.

Histoplasma Capsulatum: causes a disease superfically resembling tuberculosis that may cause pneumonia, enlargement of the liver and spleen, anemia, an influenza like illness and an acute inflammatory skin disease marked by tender red nodules, usually on the shins. Reactivated infection usually involves the lungs, the brain, spinal membranes, heart, peritoneum, and the adrenals.

Brucella Melitensis: a bacteria which can cause chronic fatique, loss of appetite, profuse sweating when at rest, pain in joints and muscles, insomnia, nausea, and damage to major organs.

Clostridium Perfringens: a highly toxic bateria which causes gas gangrene. The bacteria produce toxins that move along muscle bundles in the body killing cells and producing necrotic tissue that is then favorable for further growth of the bacteria itself. Eventually, these toxins and bacteria enter the bloodstream and cause a systemic illness.

In addition, several shipments of Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) and genetic materials, as well as human and bacterial DNA, were shipped directly to the Iraq Atomic Energy Commission.

The following is a detailed listing of biological materials, provided by the American Type Culture Collection, which were exported to agencies of the government of Iraq pursuant to the issueance of an export licensed by the U.S. Commerce Department:

Date      : February 8, 1985

Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Agency

Materials Shipped:

 

Ustilago nuda (Jensen) Rostrup

 

Date      : February 22, 1985

Sent To   : Ministry of Higher Education

Materials Shipped:

 

Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (ATCC 32136)

Class III pathogen

 

Date      : July 11, 1985

Sent To   : Middle and Near East Regional A

Material Shipped:

 

Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (ATCC 32136)

Class III pathogen

 

Date      : May 2, 1986

Sent To   : Ministry of Higher Education

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Bacillus Anthracis Cohn (ATCC 10)

Batch # 08-20-82 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

2. Bacillus Subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn (ATCC 82)

Batch # 06-20-84 (2 each)

 

3. Clostridium botulinum Type A (ATCC 3502)

Batch # 07-07-81 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

4. Clostridium perfringens (Weillon and Zuber) Hauduroy, et al (ATCC 3624)

Batch # 10-85SV (2 each)

 

5. Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6051)

Batch # 12-06-84 (2 each)

 

6. Francisella tularensis var. tularensis Olsufiev (ATCC 6223)

Batch # 05-14-79 (2 each)

Avirulent, suitable for preparations of diagnotic antigens

 

7. Clostridium tetani (ATCC 9441)

Batch # 03-84 (3 each)

Highly toxigenic

 

8. Clostridium botulinum Type E (ATCC 9564)

Batch # 03-02-79 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

9. Clostridium tetani (ATCC 10779)

Batch # 04-24-84S (3 each)

 

10. Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 12916)

Batch #08-14-80 (2 each)

Agglutinating type 2

 

11. Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 13124)

Batch #07-84SV (3 each)

Type A, alpha-toxigenic, produces lecithinase C.J. Appl.

 

12. 12.Bacillus Anthracis (ATCC 14185)

Batch #01-14-80 (3 each)

G.G. Wright (Fort Detrick)

V770-NP1-R. Bovine Anthrax

Class III pathogen

 

13. Bacillus Anthracis (ATCC 14578)

Batch #01-06-78 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

14. Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 14581)

Batch #04-18-85 (2 each)

 

15. Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 14945)

Batch #06-21-81 (2 each)

 

16. Clostridium botulinum Type E (ATCC 17855)

Batch # 06-21-71

Class III pathogen

 

17. Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 19213)

Batch #3-84 (2 each)

 

18. Clostridium botulinum Type A (ATCC 19397)

Batch # 08-18-81 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

19. Brucella abortus Biotype 3 (ATCC 23450)

Batch # 08-02-84 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

20. Brucella abortus Biotype 9 (ATCC 23455)

Batch # 02-05-68 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

21. Brucella melitensis Biotype 1 (ATCC 23456)

Batch # 03-08-78 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

22. Brucella melitensis Biotype 3 (ATCC 23458)

Batch # 01-29-68 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

23. Clostribium botulinum Type A (ATCC 25763)

Batch # 8-83 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

24. Clostridium botulinum Type F (ATCC 35415)

Batch # 02-02-84 (2 each)

Class III pathogen

 

Date      : August 31, 1987

Sent To   : State Company for Drug Industries

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Saccharomyces cerevesiae (ATCC 2601)

Batch # 08-28-08 (1 each)

 

2. Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. choleraesuis Serotype typhi (ATCC 6539)

Batch # 06-86S (1 each)

 

3. Bacillus subtillus (ATCC 6633)

Batch # 10-85 (2 each)

 

4. Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae (ATCC 10031)

Batch # 08-13-80 (1 each)

 

5. Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536)

Batch # 04-09-80 (1 each)

 

6. Bacillus cereus (11778)

Batch #05-85SV (2 each)

 

7. Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228)

Batch # 11-86s (1 each)

 

8. Bacillus pumilus (ATCC 14884)

Batch # 09-08-80 (2 each)

 

Date      : July 11, 1988

Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission

Materials Shipped

 

1. Escherichia coli (ATCC 11303)

Batch # 04-875

Phase host

 

2. Cauliflower Mosaic Caulimovirus (ATCC 45031)

Batch # 06-14-85

Plant Virus

 

3. Plasmid in Agrobacterium Tumefaciens (ATCC 37349)

(Ti plasmid for co-cultivation with plant integration vectors in E. Coli)

Batch # 05-28-85

 

Date      : April 26, 1988

Sent To:  : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Hulambda4x-8, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

(HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57236) Phage vector

Suggest host: E coli

 

2. Hulambda14-8, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

(HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57240) Phage vector

Suggested host: E coli

 

3. Hulambda15, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

(HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57242) Phage vector

Suggested host: E. coli

 

Date      : August 31, 1987

Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Escherichia coli (ATCC 23846)

Batch # 07-29-83 (1 each)

 

2. Escherichia coli (ATCC 33694)

Batch # 05-87 (1 each)

 

Date      : September 29, 1988

Sent To   : Ministry of Trade

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 240)

Batch # 05-14-63 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

2. Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 938)

Batch # 1963 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

3. Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 3629)

Batch # 10-23-85 (3 each)

 

4. Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 8009)

Batch # 03-30-84 (3 each)

 

5. Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 8705)

Batch # 06-27-62 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

6. Brucella abortus (ATCC 9014)

Batch # 05-11-66 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

7. Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 10388)

Batch # 06-01-73 (3 each)

 

8. Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 11966)

Batch #05-05-70 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

9. Clostridium botulinum Type A

Batch # 07-86 (3 each)

Class III pathogen

 

10. Bacillus cereus (ATCC 33018)

Batch # 04-83 (3 each)

 

11. Bacillus ceres (ATCC 33019)

Batch # 03-88 (3 each)

 

Date      : January 31, 1989

Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission

Materials Shipped:

 

1. PHPT31, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT)

Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57057)

 

2. Plambda500, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

pseudogene (HPRT) Chromosome(s): 5 p14-p13 (ATCC 57212)

 

Date      : January 17, 1989

Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Hulambda4x-8, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

(HPRT) Chromosomes(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57237) Phage vector;

Suggested host:  E. coli

 

2. Hulambda14, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

(HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57540), Cloned from human lymphoblast, Phase vector

Suggested host:  E. coli

 

3. Hulambda15, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

(HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57241) Phage vector;

Suggested host:  E. coli

 

Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control has compiled a listing of biological materials shipped to Iraq prior to the Gulf War. The listing covers the period from October 1, 1984 (when the CDC began keeping records) through October 13, 1993. The following materials with biological warfare significance were shipped to Iraq during this period.

Date      : November 28, 1989

Sent To   : University of Basrah, College of

Science, Department of Biology

Materials Shipped:

 

1. Enterococcus faecalis

 

2.    Enterococcus faecium

 

3. Enterococcus avium

 

…