Very interesting that you mentioned this and coming from COB Adder/Tallil. I was there as a medic from 2008-2009 and was assigned to the hospital there, in the year that I was there, we had at least 5 documented cases of Testicular cancer in young males under the age of 25 that was diagnosed while at Tallil. Upon diagnosis, they were transfered back to the States for further evaluations and treatment.
I am currently returning from an additional deployment from Iraq/Kuwait 2011-2012 and trying to Demob here at Ft Hood. Going thru medical screening here is a joke. There is no compassion or interest in what possibly could have occurred or exposed to while in theater. They process you like a herd of cattle, and the only medical test they are interested in, is an HIV Blood draw. Anything else of question is to be dealt with at a VA Hospital upon your return to indiivdual States. When I questioned why Soldiers were not questioned further about health concerns or additional testing for hazard exposures, I was viewed as threat and immediatly sent to behavior health for an attitude adjustment.
Well, I am still here and demanded that my questions and requests for further testing be granted. I have now been assigned a case manager and was tested for all hazard exposures to include heavy metals and vitamin levels and mineral values. I am still here waiting for results which may take a week. No one wants to take responsibilty for their decisions or actions for all Soldiers who have had multiple tours in theater. Yet, we are coming home sick and discouraged. VA Hospitals are overwhelmed and we are now being forced at out processing to fill out VA Forms stating that we are willing to pay a $50.00 co-pay everytime we need to seek an appointment with the VA Hospital since we do not have an established service connected disability upon return from combat, we can start the paperwork here for processing, but they have already advised it could take up to 12 months for any type of consideration for approval or denial of said claims.
It's forcing the Soldiers to just give up and become sheeple and don't rock the boat, go home to your families and don't ask questions.
It willnbe interesting to see if or what comes back for the blood work and Urinalysis and what the Military's plan will be to deal with on any potentail issues.
OIF 2008-2009
OND 2011-2011