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- Dec 8, 2008
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I mentioned in an earlier post about a memo I would post up on the forum. Well I was about to scan them in today and noticed there is some 'sensitive' personal information (email addresses and the likes) throughout the report. I could 'blot' them out but I'd rather just respond to requests for the docs. I will gladly send the documents to anybody by request through email. Anyway, if you were a member of the USAF, USA, USN, or USMC (all of which I saw at FOB Hammer) you may want to keep this in mind if you ever have respiratory problems or some medical issue you believe can be connected to the following, which is the cover page of the report and basically summarizes what was going on with the air there.
EDIT: I tried to hunt down our environmental officer over there but she PCS'ed (I wanted an update on the manganese, as our brigade was at FOB Hammer from March 07 - May 08). I sporadically searched for a more recent report on the manganese levels as I know they were constantly measuring the air samples there (due to a brick factory pouring smoke onto us and the living areas sitting on a former tank range, allegedly full of depleted uranium) and will definitely update this thread if I find anything. Hopefully there is nobody affected by this but just in case there is... Plus I know this memo wasn't handed out to all the regular joes!MCHB-TS-RDE 20 AUG 2007
MEMORANDUM FOR Command Surgeon Office (MAJ Gregory Kimm), U.S. Central Command, 7115 South Boundary Boulevard, MacDill Air Force Base, FL 33621-5101.
SUBJECT: Deployment Occupational and Environmental Health Risk Characterization, Ambient Air Particulate Matter, Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq, 22-25 May 2007, U_IRQ_HAMMER_CM_A10_20070525
1. The enclosed assessment details the risk characterization for two ambient air samples collected by the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division personnel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Hammer, Iraq, 22-25 May 2007.
2. The occupational and environmental health risk (OEH) estimate for exposure to the ambient air at FOB Hammer, Iraq, based on sample results for particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) and metals, is high. The high risk estimate is due to the average PM10 level being at a concentration the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers "hazardous," and is likely to affect the health of all personnel. In generally healthy troops, increased medical visits and respiratory infections may cause some operational impact (that is, lost duty days), particularly if exposures are repeated or continuous.
3. Manganese was also detected above its 1-year military exposure guidelines (MEGs). However, it is expected that manganese levels are not consistently above the MEG for 1 year. Therefore, the OEH estimate for manganese in the ambient air is considered low.
FOR THE COMMANDER:
JEFFREY S. KIRCKPATRICK
Director, Health Risk Management