Army: War fighters not exposed to harmful radiation

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Army: War fighters not exposed to harmful radiation
By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Dec 1, 2007 8:06:38 EST

Soldiers who served at a nuclear research center in Baghdad, Iraq, were not exposed to harmful levels of radiation, Army officials said during town hall meetings at Fort Campbell, Ky., to address concerns from soldiers and their families.

Since 2003, more than 750 soldiers have been monitored for exposure to radiation at the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center, a 23,000-acre site about 12 miles south of Baghdad. About 75 percent of those soldiers had no measurable radiation exposure, said Col. Mark Melanson, chief of radiation safety at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and team leader of the Army Radiological Advisory Medical Team.

For those who received measurable levels of radiation, their levels of exposure were safe and well within U.S. safety standards, he said.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell were among the soldiers who served at the nuclear facility in 2005 and 2006. The Army scheduled the meetings for soldiers and families after a former soldier in mid-August sent an e-mail detailing his concerns to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Melanson said.

The e-mail, sent by Sgt. Jason Boatright, a former 101st medic, found its way to the Army Medical Department and eventually to Melanson.

Melanson talked to Boatright, who said more than 200 fellow soldiers were concerned about their health while stationed at Tuwaitha. Melanson said he in turn contacted the soldiers provided to him by Boatright and decided that it would be a good idea to host town hall meetings at Fort Campbell to address the issue and ease any fears.




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