military

It has been a while since I have taken the time to sit down…

I was an Air Force Firefighter for just short of eleven years, separating only after a physical injury left me unable to do my job. I served from Jan 1993 – Nov 2003. I was stationed at Fairchild AFB, WA, Clear AS, AK, Shaw AFB, SC, and Ellsworth AFB, SD. I deployed 4 times during my time on active duty. We used AFFF for everything. When an aircraft hangar would have a foam dump, we’d play around in that stuff because it was so deep we didn’t have much choice.

I was a US Air Force firefighter in the 80’s. We used AFFF (Aqueous film forming foam) in sizable quantities continuously. We practically bathed in it and I threw away more than a couple uniforms because of foam. As a right of passage, we also poured it over fellow airmen leaving; either discharged or to another base.

In 1953, like a fool, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Then I was sent to Camp Lejeune to train (this was near the end of fighting in Korea). While training, I was chosen to train as a Scout Sniper. While training, I drank the water. I learned in 1987 that it was loaded with death, including cleaning fluids as well as other poisons.

On February 6, 2020 the California State Water Resources Control Board lowered its  “Response Level” to 10 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and 40 ppt for PFOS. Under a new California law (Assembly Bill 756), if a water system exceeds the response levels for these carcinogens, the system is required to take the water source out of service or provide public notification within 30 days of the confirmed detection.  Previously, the response level was 70 ppt for the total concentration of the two contaminants combined.

The Democratic leadership in the House and the nation’s leading environmental organizations have praised the PFAS Action Act, although the measure is a disaster for public health and the environment on several fronts. The bill passed the House of Representatives on January 10, 2020. The vote was 247-159, with 223 Democrats voting for the measure along with 24 Republicans.

Brett Simpson’s article, The Coming National Water-Quality Crisis, (Jan. 14) did not fully examine the extent of PFAS contamination in Pleasanton’s water and failed to consider nearby military installations as a potential cause of PFAS contamination in the town’s water.Brett Simpson’s article, The Coming National Water-Quality Crisis, (Jan. 14) did not fully examine the extent of PFAS contamination in Pleasanton’s water and failed to consider nearby military installations as a potential cause of PFAS contamination in the town’s water.

Enter the “Magic Window”. It is defined by Veteran’s Affairs as the year after leaving service for your country. You have to have records of a condition worsening after you left.

Thousands of gallons of per-and poly fluoroalkyl substances, (PFAS) have polluted the groundwater, surface water, soils and the sewer systems in and around Beale Air Force Base.

My dad worked at the Rocky mountain arsenal when he was 18 years old. I believe they were neutralizing sarin gas and mustard gas. They didn’t wear much in the way of hazardous materials protective gear way back then.