delousing, decontamination, CARC painting

[Margaret Diann]

The favorite choices for cause of gulf war illness are generally sarin gas, DU or 'shots' plus some were harmed from smoke (from sabotage of Kuwaiti oil wells); ionized radiation and a few others. They know something is wrong; but they are really at a loss to know WHAT is causing a very odd assorment of ailments.

I shared for more than 4 months with the gulf war vets forum about 2-butoxyethanol (which they got tired of hearing about). However, it is undeniably an exposure (& from what I know about it, it can cause all of the symptoms all by itself).

A milder version of this chemical family, methyl ethanol, may have been used to spray down the big trucks (& sadly their drivers, which Conny shared with me). Is it here?


What was used to delouse?
Pesticides

2-butoxyethanol is a Solvent, a Pesticide, and a poison


CARC Paint (this chemical would surely be in this mix)
AND it would affect more than just those who actually painted
The wind could blow the chemicals into someone's eyes.
Even if they did have the right 'protective equipment' most likely they wouldn't have had any eye protection. If I were a solder today, I wouldn't even go jogging without airtight protective eye goggles

For Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the US shipped thousands of vehicles and other pieces of equipment to the Persian Gulf. Much of the equipment had the three-color "woodland" camouflage scheme designed for the European Theater. These dark colors would be easy to spot against the backdrop of the barren desert environment. Consequently, there was an urgent operational requirement to repaint incoming equipment with tan-colored paint to provide desert camouflage protection. Another operational requirement was protection against chemical warfare agents which were believed to be in the Iraqi weapons inventory.

The military established painting operations in Saudi Arabia to paint vehicles tan with so-called chemical agent resistant coating (CARC) paint. CARC is a polyurethane paint that provides superior durability, extends service life for military vehicles and equipment, provides surfaces with superior resistance to chemical warfare agent penetration, and greatly simplifies decontamination.

DoD occupational safety and health guidance called for proper personal protective equipment, including respiratory equipment, to protect painters who employ spray painting equipment. Several compounds in CARC formulations, if taken into the body in sufficiently high concentrations, may cause short- and long-term health effects. The most notable of these compounds is hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), which hardens the paint. Solvents used in CARC and paint thinners, as well as solvents used to clean equipment, can be hazardous via skin contact and breathing. Exposures to solvents can lead to dizziness, rashes, and nausea. However, the proper wear of personal protective equipment greatly decreases the risks associated with exposure to solvents.

Exposure to high concentrations of aerosolized HDI during spray painting leads to immediate respiratory irritation and watery eyes. Long-term exposure can cause or aggravate respiratory problems, in particular, asthma. The use of personal protective equipment, such as respirators, coveralls, eye protection, gloves, and head coverings, can prevent or minimize exposures to HDI during spray painting. The HDI in polyurethane paint does not present a hazard after the paint dries and cures, unless it is exposed to heat sufficient for thermal decomposition of the coating, such as welding.

Some of the spray painting sites established in Saudi Arabia lacked the appropriate personal protective equipment to assure safe spray-painting operations. Several spray painters at these sites reported short-term symptoms, including coughing, eye and throat irritation, skin rashes, headaches, and nausea. Some veterans believe exposure to CARC contributed to their long-term health problems. The Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses investigated CARC use during the Gulf War to examine the extent of exposures to this material.

Well, if you were to look at the gulf war vets forum today, you most likely won't find the 2-butoxyethanol or diethylene glycol monobutyl ether listed as an exposure (but at least in their case, they know full well about it). Just goes to show that people will believe what they want to believe, and no sense giving input on something else.

This chemical harmed a lot of gulf war vets; but it is harming the average person of every age, also. We have been too narrow in our focus. It should be obvious that it is not just that location that caused the harm to the gulf war vet BECAUSE Walter Reed Army Medical Center will tell you that they are no more harmed (percentage of each ailment to the numbers of vets there) than the average citizen.

GULF WAR (INCLUDING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM) REGISTRY (GWR) PROGRAM
Wants gulf war vets checked for:
Item 11. Diarrhea and/or Abdominal Pain
Item 12. Headache and/or Memory Loss
Item 13. Muscle Aches or Numbness
Item 14. Chronic Fatigue
Item 15. Joint Pain
Item 16. Chronic Cough and/or Shortness of Breath
Item 17. Skin Rash
Item 18. Vertigo and/or Tinnitus
Item 19. Chest Pain and/or Palpitations
Item 20. Reproductive Concerns

Yep, we're talking about the same thing -
It's just not realized

VP Dick Cheney has shortness of breath unrelated to heart concerns.
I'm concerned that he has had exposure somewhere to EGBE
and that his shortness of breath which is one of the signs of THE FATIGUE

May be what he's dealing with

Are the red blood cells small-sized? (immature)
Is there blood in urine?