Unusual blood cancer cases among US troops who manned nuclear missile silos at a base in Montana are raising new questions for the military
Business InsiderNov 25, 2022
US Air Force Orders Cleanup of Missile Silos Over Cancer Concerns
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Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Facts
On Monday, the US Air Force (USAF) announced a cleanup will be undertaken at two launch facilities at Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) in Montana where unsafe levels of a carcinogen have been detected, as cancer cases among those working at missile silos spike.
A rash of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases at missile launch sites spurred a review in January, as at least 30 personnel stationed at missile sites have been diagnosed with the disease, including nine at Malmstrom AFB.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The USAF is taking extensive steps to ensure the health and safety of those on the frontline of America's missile program, as copious samples are taken from every nook and cranny of the bases and silos. Only a handful of samples detected PCBs, as they were phased out many years ago, with a study underway to get to the bottom of cancer concerns. Nothing is more important that the health of the troops.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Pentagon has long ignored the health risks those in the military face from exposure to toxins, and those who served in the missile program are no exception. In fact, it took a slideshow made individually by a servicemember to finally bring attention to the incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in those who served, despite dozens of cases. These sad revelations just confirm what too many servicemembers and their family already knew.
