George Air Force Base, which shut down in 1992, used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) in routine fire training exercises, along with nearly 50 other bases in the state. Veterans Affairs Fair Use Notice | Release to one is release to all, So sorry 2 hear about the illnesses at gafb andre duson I was there 86/90. I joined the Air Force in 1980 and returned to GAFB as active duty. Thru the years I have had periods of blackouts and have had problems controlling my urinal and bowel movements. I lived in the base housing from 1981 to 1986. FairWarning February 28, 2017, Air Forces High Desert Legacy: Untold & Unknown Contamination Levels I was also told by my son today that his mother has previously had a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer. My name is William M Sawyer. They at one point required we line up for bottled water because over fluoridation in the base water supply thatll turn your teeth brown. It was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure (or BRAC) 1992 commission at the end of the Cold War. I was a military wife at George AFB from 1984-1988. My dad (Thomas Wileen) was also stationed her when I was born in Dec 75 my elder brother (Peter Wileen) who would have been about 8 years old was there. George Air Force Base was decommissioned in 1992 and has been left to fall into disrepair . Its beautiful. The following is a list of federal environmental crimes that were most likely violated at George AFB. George AFB had over a dozen unlined open-air burn pits and two old style incinerators (without an air scrubber to remove toxic chemicals). I lived at 415 Cory Blvd. I was an Air Cargo Specialist. My father passed away a few months ago from esophageal cancer. Weve done a lot of work, Mook said. The main mission of the base was to support and train tactile fighters and air crews. I began experiencing a severe cough and some trouble breathing in October of 2016. We married April 1983, moved into Base Housing on Utah street near her old place. As a mechanic, as was also exposed to JP-4, oil solvents etc..Good luck to all who served in the contaminated George AFB. Primer On Federal Facility Compliance With Environmental Laws: Where Do We Go From Here? News 21 August 8, 2017, Why The EPA Is Allowing Contaminated Groundwater To Go Untreated I lived in base housing from 1981-1983. Thompto worked as a security police officer on the base from 1978 to 1982. My name is M. D. I was an AF wife at George AFB for 7 years, late 1968 through late 1975. Its mission was to support tactical fighter operations and provided training for air crews and maintenance personnel. Although her sons blood levels did not show a heightened level of PFAS, she is still concerned for the long-term health effects on her son and those who drank the water at the tradeport. All of us are guinea pigs and we bear the burden of proving a product or chemicals safety or lack thereof and the consequences are what were seeing here, Carmichael said. Its a very nice place, said Amico. We move to Germany shortly after and then moved all over from there. I will be filing this with the VA as the list of medical conditions are long. With lawsuits on the horizon, DoD looks for ways to cut contaminated I was at George AFB from July 1971 till October 1973. . Always experienced headaches, tiredness and [Read More], My name is George Gibson. I would come out of there drenched in TCE, he said. Prior to that we had no problems and 5 years after that we had a healthy little girl with no problems. I have fibroids. There are lots of places where this is a problem, said Congressman Dan Kildee, a Democrat from Michigan. The costs to my parents were so enormous due to the Air Forces lack of ANY help medically financially. I was pregnant at the time and gave birth off-base. If you'd like us to review your case, click here for a Free Case Evalution or call: 1-888-477-2363. My dad was stationed at George AFB from 1983 to 1989 my dad was an SP, and then he cross trained to Training Management after his back problem got too much for him. [Read More], My name is Staff Sergeant William R. Mastro. I was stationed at George AFB from 1982 to 1989, assigned to the 37th CRS Squadron and then the 35th CRS Squadron. It ruined my life in so many ways, besides the constant fight of my life, for my life, just to live. Our shop was the last hanger next to the old weapons storage area on the east end of the runway. When I tried to out process from Korea, my Military Medical records, from George AFB, were missingButI had copies. Data as of 6 a.m. Eastern. 5 x 4 x 7-foot long [Read More], My father was stationed at George AFB from 1972 till we left in 1979. I suffered a horrible miscarriage with my first pregnancy and nearly died at 4 months pregnant.I was one of the women sent home to bleed out. Same years you attended. This is WRONG. You can use your full name, initials, or a pseudonym if you are worried about retaliation. In the early [Read More], I was stationed at George AFB from 1963-1965, nearly 2-years. Entering the Air Force, I was physically healthy with no disqualifying defects; reasonably intelligent (Scored a 98 with a category I on the Armed Forces Qualification Test AFQT); of good moral character (Passed an EBI security clearance, Top Secret Clearance); and was nuke qualified. I am not a doctor, Veterans Service Officer (VSO), or attorney; therefore, I cannot provide medical or legal advice. By the time I got there in 1981, she had moved off base. There is more to tell for another time. This is because the developing fetus is especially vulnerable during the first 12 weeks (first trimester); during this time, all major organs and body systems are forming and can be damaged if exposed to toxic substances or radiation. The Daily Press September 1, 1985, Frank Vera As well as proper, way overdue compensation, period. Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Contamination; VA Disability Resources. We owe so much to Frank for his tireless years of work on this, trying to bring this to light (and) letting everybody know because theres still families out there that have no clue.. We did not agree to be needlessly poisoned by the country we swore to protect, and we certainly did not agree to the poisoning of our spouses and children.. I am trying to to connect with people that may have know him or any of my family. But while almost any sign of military life is gone, the water contamination is not. 1) aircraft from George AFB were involved in nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site and decontaminated at the Adelanto side of the base. I was a nurse in the Labor and Delivery and Postpartum unit. Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. 2009). Veterans Today June 30, 2013, US Air Force Investigates Radiological Waste Burial By Mark Gutglueck I had a total hysterectomy with endometriosis and bilateral mastectomies for breast cancer. Is there a connection from being at George AFB for 12 months? Possibly? As of August, the DOD had yet to complete testing for PFAS at more than 200 bases. One of the main things that were hoping for is that the DOD, Air Force, who was the polluter who has taken full responsibility for the contamination, would also pay for a health study to help us understand what in fact the implications are of the exposure, Carmichael said. George Air Force Base - Victorville, California - Atlas Obscura She remembered the day she received the results for her two children. ByScott Schwebke U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. The geology, the climate, and the dry ground's sensitivity to water have complicated the cleanup effort at the former George AFB. My husband was stationed at GAFB from 1978-81. Fifty-one plaintiffs who contend they were exposed to toxic chemicals at the former George Air Force Base and later suffered an array of medical problems, from cancer and heart disease to miscarriages and infertility, have lost their bid to sue the government. To shield and protect us from radiation, we were given disposable plastic gloves (which actual purpose was to protect components). He was exposed to radiation from the aircraft and was in [Read More], My name is Misty D. My father, (Jamie D) retired as E-6 Master Instructor, Electronic Warfare, was stationed at George Air Force Base from 1980-1989. Military bases' contamination will affect water for generations My vision was similar to that of a spider. Robert J Kenyon I worked at the Base Fire Department from April till the base closed I now have stage four prostrate cancer. By Ed Mattson We lived in the George AFB Family Housing for approximately 3 years on Alabama Court. Just makes me wonder. I looked and it was all rolling down and going in the drain.. Who do I go after? Lived on George 78 to 81 .have had mystery illness ever since. With an estimated cleanup cost of $72 million, the DOD expects Wurtsmith to be one of the most expensive cleanups of any former base, according to a 2017 GAO report. By: Mark Gutglueck Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) was used inside enclosed space of aircraft hangars. He was later stationed in Turkey & his last duty station was at Nellis AFB. I was diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism at the age of 16 and had to have one of mypara-thyroids removed along with the kidney [Read More], My name isDaniel Lee Howell. Some of the issues that have came from the toxins cant be treated much less does the DoD, Air Force nor the government really cares that they were killing us knowingly. The stuff was smoking, but not on fire, from the chemicals, toxicity. [Read More], The Air Force deliberately misled the Agency for ToxicSubstances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Congress, and the American people aboutthe toxic substances present at George AFB, CA. She became involved after learning that the water at her sons day care was contaminated. He started showing symptoms in 1984.. He is buried at the cemetery in Victorville. My husband then was Master Sgt. 831st Public Affairs Division April 28, 1989, George AFB cleanup effort mishandled costs may rise I ended up with a primary lung cancer (Adenocarcinoma) and a primary bladder cancer (CIS). By Daniel Ross Air Force Archives - Civilian Exposure By Corinne Roels, Briana Smith and Adrienne St. Clair To meet mission requirements, the base engaged in a variety of . This requirement creates a unique set of problems for the DOD; Federal, State, and Local regulators when trying [Read More], The Air Force has acknowledged that large amounts of trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE/PERC), benzene, and petroleum hydrocarbons (Free Product) were improperly disposed of at the former George Air Force Base, CA, EPA Superfund ID: CA2570024453. [Read More], We enlisted or were commissioned in the military to protect the United States. 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 a research study from the Berkeley School of Law. By Judith Pfeffer And its clearly affected the drinking water.. Recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Daily Press December 25, 2014, The Real Deal with Jim Fetzer podcast The Air Force needs to work to aggressively treat these zones of contamination, Muir said. From 1941 to 1992 (51 years), approximately 100,000 people were potentially exposed to unsafe levels of hazardous, toxic, and radioactive materials on and around George AFB. I lived in the barracks and always thought the water tasted funny, however as a country boy; I blamed it on city water. One of those installations, Hill Air Force Base just north of Salt Lake City, is both one of the states largest employers, with 21,000 employees, and a Superfund site. Worked at the George Air Force base rifle range and pistol range from 78 to 82 now have prostate cancer. 18 people file claims against federal government for chemical exposure Uneven hearing loss, tinnitus, migraines, depression, and anxiety. But 25 years later, the water still is contaminated. Unfortunately, these families are not alone. The doctors said it was a reaction to something in the area. A few weeks after arriving at George AFB, my eyeballs swelled up. Served at GAFB from 87-90. Her daughter and husband had been drinking the water every day for three years. My first wife lost a set of twins and almost died in the process. These results are significant because, [Read More], The former Victorville Army Air Field/Victorville Air Force Base/George Air Force Base (George AFB) is a Superfund site (EPA ID: CA2570024453) and one of the most contaminated military bases in the country. I arrived at George AFB as a 15 yr old in 1978. I came to live with them around 1963 when I was a teen. In July, she made the trip from Ohio to California to revisit the base. Terri Crooks, 59, is an Air Force veteran who was stationed on the base in the mid-80s where she worked as an administrative clerk. Aircraft from George AFB participated in the US Atmospheric Nuclear [Read More], If you worked, lived, or went to school in a building built before1980, on George AFB, you were probably exposed to unsafe levels of asbestos. Contact Hill & Ponton today for assistance. By Jim Fetzer July 26, 2013, The view from being thrown under the bus I have developed neurological problems, specifically MS. I was diagnosed with asthma while there and placed on numerous [Read More], I was stationed at George AFB from March 1983 Nov 1984. The symptoms started while on active dutybut when I filed a claim, they claimed they couldnt find my medical records and denied it. 3) the old WWII buildings (housing, barracks, dorms, shops, and offices) were contaminated with DDT, chlorine and other organochlorine pesticides; I have tumors all over my body. The base closed, everyone scattered to the wind, and I guess they figured, problem solved, she continued. Documents needed for a VA C&P Claim Toxic Exposure, Aquifer Used For Drinking Water Supply, Contaminated Surface / Structure, Indoor Air, Soil, Soil Vapor I looked up 11 of the bases we lived on including a sister born at Spangdalem AFB in Germany, and a brother born in France. There is potential, and thats why the Air Force will be sampling in the future, and well encourage that., Vera, 64, worked in the gun shop, where he said he used chlorinated solvents to clean weapons. Website: George AFB HTRW This may have been caused by the problems at George AFB where I was stationed from [Read More], My name is Willis Parsons. Stationed at George AFB from 1981 to 1985. Steve Oldfield, dependent, cancer survivor. The ATSDR relied on the [Read More], If you worked or lived next to the west side of George AFB, worked at an engine test cell or the weapons test bunker, you were probably exposed to unsafe levels of fission byproducts (radioactive dust) from the decontamination of aircraft and equipment used in the nuclear bomb test at Nevada Test Site (NTS). Another slap in the face with reality, The mission of the 831st Air Division and subsequent 35th and 37th Tactical Fighter wings were more valuable than the health and welfare of the people and spouses that served there. I lived on base as a baby from 77 till 79. My father was stationed at George Air Force Base in 1973. Dug holes, tried [Read More], My brother in 1981 something went wrong one minute everthing is okay whit how everthing went because of what they are hiding back then and how the death went down and the man that brought the body back strange he said all of stuff hiding. I had 12 biopsy samples and all 12 were positive for cancer at G7 level. PO Box 1313 The Air Force knew that the housing and soil under/around the base housing were contaminated with unsafe levels of OCPs that could present a risk to human health. I lived there from 83 to 91, at 238 Oregon St. I/m 36 years of age and suffer from equilibrium/balance issues. By Judith Pfeffer George AFB was officially decommissioned in December 1992. I worked in the school building located directly on the George Air Force Base military site. I was stationed at George from 88 until it closed. Starting in 2011, she dropped her infant daughter off every day at a day care center nestled between lush trees and her husbands office building on the tradeport without worry. You dont see George as far along as some of the other military bases, said Bill Muir, the senior engineering geologist for the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, responsible for protecting water in the region. 1974 My father enlisted in the USAF. Throughout my 20s I suffered [Read More]. He had lymphoma, melanoma, and 2 different types of lung cancer. Our daughter was born 9 years after he got out. News: George AFB HTRW, Copyright 2023 - George Air Force Base, CA - Hazardous Toxic and Radioactive Waste (HTRW) - Sitemap, Posted: I was, assigned to the 831 Security Police Squadron and my Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) was 81150 and worked in the Security Police, Armory, LE Desk, Flight Line shop/building/areas. As the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) recently found, most of the time and money has been spent studying the problem.. Two years after I left my youngest daughter was diagnosed with a rare thyroid cancer normally associated with radiation exposure and had to have her thyroid removed and hasnt had any other problems. With the taxing authority of CERCLA set to expire on [Read More], 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.