USA: Initiating and expanding a previous investigation that was sparked by a report last month of lymphoma cases among missileers who had worked at a Montana base, the US Air Force has begun looking into the cancer risks for service members at the nation's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) installations.
According to a statement released by the Air Force on Wednesday, General Thomas Bussiere, commander of the US ICBM forces, has given his approval for a thorough investigation into cancer risks at missile bases in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.
Last month, a US Space Force officer reportedly disclosed that 36 missileers who had been stationed at Montana's Malmstrom Air Force Base as long ago as 25 years had been diagnosed with cancer, including ten cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
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"My top priority continues to be the safety and health of our airmen and [Space Force] guardians," said Bussiere in a statement. "Air Force Global Strike Command and our Air Force takes the responsibility to protect airmen and [Space Force] guardians extremely seriously.
"We also reaffirm our commitment to upholding transparency throughout this process, and we promise to keep the lines of communication open with members, their families, and other stakeholders at all times."
NHL cases among former missileers appear to be significantly higher than the national average, according to US Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana. Only about 400 airmen, he observed, are employed by Malmstrom's 150 Minuteman III missile silos.
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With only 19 newly diagnosed cases of NHL per 100,000 people on average annually, NHL is regarded as a rare cancer in the US. The ex-airmen are considerably younger than the median diagnosis age of 67, he continued.
Various toxins and chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos, radon, and lead, can be harmful to missile operators. Health issues predate the Minuteman era by a long way.
According to Military.com, there were 125 propellant leaks from Titan II missiles at bases in California, Arizona, Arkansas, and Kansas between 1975 and 1979. Two airmen were killed in one such leak, which also led to the evacuation of a small Kansas town.
Various toxins and chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos, radon, and lead, can be harmful to missile operators. Health issues predate the Minuteman era by a long way.
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there were 125 propellant leaks from Titan II missiles at bases in California, Arizona, Arkansas, and Kansas between 1975 and 1979. Two airmen were killed in one such leak, which also led to the evacuation of a small Kansas town.