Index

Environmental Exposure Report

Depleted Uranium in the Gulf (II)

Environmental Exposure Reports are reports of what we know today about certain events of the 1990-1991 Gulf War. This particular environmental exposure report focuses on the use of, and exposures to, depleted uranium (DU). This office published its first report on DU in August 1998. This is a second interim, not a final, report. We hope that you will read this and contact us with any information that would help us better understand the events reported here. With your help, we will be able to report more accurately on the events surrounding DU use and exposures. Please contact my office to report any new information by calling:

1-800-497-6261

Bernard Rostker
Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses
Department of Defense

2000179-0000002

Ver 2.0

Last Update: December 13, 2000

Many Gulf War veterans have expressed concern their unexplained illnesses may result from their experiences in that war. In response to veterans' concerns, the Department of Defense (DoD) established a task force in June 1995 to investigate those incidents and circumstances relating to possible causes. The Office of the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses assumed responsibility for these investigations on November 12, 1996, and gathered information on depleted uranium. This is the second interim report on depleted uranium; it updates the August 4, 1998 Environmental Exposure Report, "Depleted Uranium in the Gulf."

To inform the public about the progress of this office, DoD is publishing on the Internet and elsewhere accounts related to the possible causes of illness among Gulf War veterans, along with documentary evidence or personal testimony used in compiling the accounts. This environmental exposure report is such an account.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

V. E.

I. OVERVIEW

V. E.

II. METHODOLOGY

V. E.

III. DEPLETED URANIUM -- A SHORT COURSE

III. A. Health Effects from the Chemical Toxicity of Depleted Uranium

III. A. 1. DU's Chemical Properties

III. A. 2. Chemical Effects

III A. 3. Chemical Toxicity Standards and Guidelines

III. A. 4. Implications for the Military

III. B. Health Effects from the Radiological Toxicity of Depleted Uranium

III. B. 1. General Considerations on Radiation Effects

III. B. 1. a. Radioactivity and Radiation Emissions

III. B. 1. b. Radiation Effects

III. B. 1. c. Exposure to Radiation

III. B. 1. d. Radiation Exposure Quantities and Units

III. B. 1. e. Sources of Exposure

III. B. 2. DU's Radiological Properties

III. B. 3. Radiological Effects of Depleted Uranium

III. B. 4. Radiological Protection Standards and Guidelines

III. B. 5. Implications for the Military

V. E.

IV. POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS FROM DU USE IN THE GULF THEATER, 1990-1991

IV. A. Summary of Dose and Risk Assessment Methods

IV. B. Level I Exposures (Friendly Fire)

IV. B. 1. Issues with Level I Assessments

IV. B. 2. Refinement of Level I Estimates of DU Intake and Radiation Dose

IV. B. 3. Assessing Possible Health Effects of Refined Level I DU Intake and Radiation Dose Estimates

IV. C. Level II Exposures

IV. C. 1. Field Units

IV. C. 1. a. Estimates of DU Intake and Radiation Dose

IV. C. 1. b. Assessing Possible Health Effects

IV. C. 2. Camp Doha Personnel

IV. C. 2. a. Estimates of DU Intake and Radiation Dose

IV. C. 2. b. Assessing Possible Health Effects

IV. D. Level III Exposures

IV. D. 1. Field Units

IV. D. 1. a. Estimates of DU Intake and Radiation Dose

IV. D. 1. b. Assessing Possible Health Effects

IV. D. 2. Camp Doha Personnel

IV. D. 1. a. Estimates of DU Intake and Radiation Dose

IV. D. 2. b. Assessing Possible Health Effects

IV. E. Other Reports Investigated

IV. E. 1. Welders

IV. E. 2. Ammunition Truck Explosion

IV. E. 3. A-10 Crash

IV. E. 4. Misfired DU Rounds on A-10 Aircraft

IV. F. Summary of Health Assessments

V. E.

V. FOLLOW-UP

V. A. Environmental Assessments

V. B. Post-Gulf War Developmental Testing and Evaluation of DU Munitions

V. C. DoD and VA Medical Surveillance Program for Gulf War Veterans

V. D. Medical Testing By Other Laboratories

V. E. Postwar Research and Literature Reviews

V. E. 1. Embedded Fragment Research

V. E. 2. Literature Reviews

V. E.

VI. LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS

VI. A. Doctrine and Policy

VI. B. Organizational Support to Deployed Units

VI. C. Training and Education

VI. D. Materiel

VI. E. Medical Readiness, Force Health Protection, and Risk Management

VI. F. Information Management (Including Record-Keeping)

VI.

VII. CONCLUSION

VI.

TAB A -- Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Glossary

VI.

TAB B -- Units Involved

VI.

TAB C -- Properties and Characteristics of DU

VI.

TAB D -- Methodology

VI.

TAB E -- Development of DU Munitions

VI.

TAB F -- DU Use in the Gulf War

VI.

TAB G -- DU Exposures in the Gulf War

VI.

TAB H – Friendly-fire Incidents

VI.

TAB I -- The Camp Doha Explosion and Fires (July 1991)

VI.

TAB J –Tank Fires

VI.

TAB K -- DU Notification and Medical Follow-up Program

VI.

TAB L -- Research Report Summaries

VI.

TAB M -- Characterizing DU Aerosols

VI.

TAB N -- Gulf War Protective Guidance

VI.

TAB O -- DU Dose and Risk Estimates for the Gulf War Theater, 1990-1991

VI.

TAB P -- DoD and VA Medical Surveillance Programs for Gulf War VeteransIV.

VI.

TAB Q -- General Accounting Office Comments

VI.

TAB R -- Changes in this Report

VI.

TAB S -- Bibliography

VI.

END NOTES

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