Chemical and Biological Defense: DOD Needs to Continue to Collect and Provide Information on Tests and Potentially Exposed Personnel
Abstract
During the 1962-74 time period, the Department of Defense (DOD) conducted a classified chemical and biological warfare test program, called Project 112, that might have exposed U.S. service members and others including DOD civilian personnel, DOD contractors, and foreign nationals to chemical or biological agents employed in these tests. As a result of questions raised by Members of Congress and veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began working with DOD in September 2000 to obtain information about the test program and possible military participants. Subsequently, concerned that veterans and other individuals might have experienced health problems as a result of being exposed while participating in Project 112 and other classified chemical and biological tests, Congress required DOD, through the Defense Authorization Act for 2003,2 to develop and implement a plan (1) to identify the Project 112 tests and the service members and the number of civilian personnel who were potentially exposed by the tests and (2) to work with veterans and veterans service organizations to identify other chemical and biological projects or tests that may have exposed service members to chemical or biological agents. The act also mandated that we evaluate DOD's efforts to identify the tests and potential service members and number of civilian personnel exposed, as well as VA's progress in notifying potentially exposed service members.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA435938
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office