While I was applauding the fact that all the veterans who were deployed in Iraq and were exposed to the chemicals of the Burning Pits finally have a VA Health Registry, my happy moment soon became a nightmarish moment. It happened while I was reading comments on a LinkedIn discussion board. There was a comment made about "toxicity at Fort McClellan." I thought, I was at Fort McClellan for basic training, maybe I need to check into this. So I Googled "Fort McClellan" and that is when my nightmare began.
From 1935 to 1999 Fort McClellan was toxic and while I was there for basic training I was exposed to: Agent Orange, Agent Blue, Sarin, VX, uranium, and PCBs, TCEs from the Monsanto plant. I was there in 1978 (when I found out for the first time I was 4 months pregnant) and back again in 1980 when I completed basic training. I drank and showered with the water, breathed the air, and trained on the ground. I have not cried since the passing of my mother in 2006, but as I found this out, I wept hysterically. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I felt like on the one hand "ah ha" and on the other hand "oh no." Now I know why I had so many miscarriages, sinus and breathing problems, joint problems, anxiety, (so far) benign cervical and breast cancer and most recently, thyroid cancer with 2 very large masses to either side of my thyroid. I was connecting the dots.
Then I found out about the chemical exposure being chromosomal....that means our children are affected. Now I was getting angry while I connected more dots: my children have multiple medical and mental health issues (especially my first born----the one in my womb in 1978 at Fort McClellan). I must apologize if you are reading this and were at Fort McClellan and this is the first you are learning about this toxic tragedy. I feel your sorrow----there are internet support groups for us to help each other. We have HR411 hopefully will also be passed.
NEW GLARUS, WI
