4 15 137 https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/72bd3c5cad88684102499b4a3763d6f4.pdf f48c60acb34d785e5100dded455174e2 PDF Text Text Item D Number 01932 Author Young. Alvin L. Corporate Author ROpOrt/ArtlCiO TItlfl Letter: to Polor Shannon from Alvin L. Young, December 22, 1982. Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color Number of Images 1 DOSCrlptOH NOtOS Letter answers a question Shannon asked by telephone on Docombor 21 regarding amounts of spray drift. Thursday, July 26, 2001 Page 1932 oM 957 �Deoerabwr 22, 1082 10A7A Shwmon Australian 1601 m, nc MO 36 Tr--e, follCMirej int'onstinn is .'siven in r«sply to yonrtelar>:::>riivCftll o» lViCf*?»iH:r 21. ? i^; ovffi liable on tho Fr.r»u/:»- of .Irift that wouV' h«v«> by (-^} HferbicL'Ifa, ^r^ {!/} ina>aotici ••?«-£. sr:.my<Ml by CF.fi, ^3 vinci strccatit anr? h'sli.csv-^-'* rei'pcctiv.*.}!"/, Ov»f>y vh^t distance s*r>ul-:1 spray b«svo be«r;« cxpewrt^ to -5 of _ tu« nr."123.VVAaSY-l frga "yst«s. Mr " Sores Tadiicftl P^porc ^ ( X V l w - o - T l , Al»0 p.) tost pwyir«r:i ftVcilnaMnq rssan rctrjwt'-ry of Ti«; rb5.cri:'<e Orfi^;o I?/ -rj'co cKi frrra six viissic??-:?. fjcwrs under cpcr«t a!? iti ?:>.oufch vi«*trvv/. vars 87^. **ic rwainiivj 13% may have cine? Sx> sair.pl Irvi t**d';niqiicj or r*iay fc\«!\w fall«3 to iK».«ct thr sfffpling array '.Jt*? to drifl: or volatility* Thv nwsr- rarfcic?.,*? ai«« for the sis isis-story;. O.^*wn war. 3'S7 wicrr,-!!. ilarriqafi it> t"rw aiscwe t«st prtvfras- with ner)ii«t;*o Ot^info, fciT^ t\w follcwinq <Yoplot: n tr.ion in t;%Parfcicl»?.s I«JB thsr? 10 !> wlcron 3*'-"* perrv-nt 100 tc> *>f.M; wicron "76 ,2 psccant 500 ^icfon 23 «*> percent n qen^cnl, tctst. staiirf. ; at fx?lin AKTi Ploeivla Kif-.y-r^tst that herbicide l-'i h-aw ruini'fially rtrtl t**fl. ^*» i.^ct fstinvjtes uw!w; t':j<? operation sanf^i vt.ru iftiS for u'>- ir Southwa^t Aaio wouW place 73ft of cidcr inc2'.Kii:x> ^rft v;trv:i volet il« jr>iti&a, within the spray nvr/.t/j R.IT.I tivs1 ror^.ir'dn'j 2S« wit 'dn 1 V*.s i't if? also li^ftly thint «#5^ of tif iiis^cit.it..*v:i*; vWlfj' haw Uie*': :'.w;x- :-itfcVin!;?;C«-r'tefl within 1 ksp, S-iricc rij.lv* cc: I0.s7 HP.11 02o � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 074 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1932 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Letter: to Peter Shannon from Alvin L. Young, December 22, 1982. Subject The topic of the resource spray equipment herbicide testing ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/948297df17d66ab98d507c8dddcae416.pdf 338faaeb9ef55e76472f835c3fd92391 PDF Text Text Item D Number 01959 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author RBpOrt/APtiClBTltb Letter: to Hon. Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt, from Dr. Alvin L. Young, December 22, 1983. Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color Number of Images " DOSCPtatOn NotBS ln tne letter Monday. July 30. 2001 - Young expresses his thanks for the opportunity of serving as a scientific consultant to the Australian Royal Commission. He also summaries the briefings he gave and shares his specific concerns and suggestions on a morbidity study. Page 1959 of 1993 �Alvin L. Young, Lt. Col., U.S.A.F., PhD., Senior Policy Analyst for Life Sciences, Executive Office of the President, Office for Science & Technology Policy, WASHINGTON, D.C., 20500, U.S.A. 22 December, 1983. The Hon. Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt, D.S.C., Royal Commissioner, Royal Commission on the Use b Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam, G.P.O. Box 4842, SYDNEY, N.S.W., 2001, AUSTRALIA. Dear Judge Evatt, I want to express to you my appreciation for having had the opportunity of serving as a scientific consultant to the Royal Commission on the very complex issues related to Agent Orange and the Vietnam experience. I believe that the week (14-22 December, 1983) spent working with you and your staff has been beneficial to both of our nations. The issues associated with Agent Orange transcend national boundaries, political parties and governmental agencies. Indeed, the success to which our respective governments resolve this controversy satisfactorily will have significant impact on the public's perception of both "responsible government" and the obligations associated with military service. During my visit I provided briefings in the following areas: * The use of herbicides & insecticides in Vietnam, 1961-71; * Development of the Agent Orange controversy in the United States : Scientific and social issues; * Disposition of Agent Orange, 1972-77; * Environmental fate of 2,3,7,8-TCDD; * Exposure analyses of Seveso, Italy; Vietnam and Missouri : Results of Adipose Tissue Analysis; * On going health studies on Agent Orange Exposure and the Vietnam experience in the United States. Each of these topics was thoroughly discussed with your staff and members of the staff of the Australian Veterans Health Studies (A.V.H.S.). Perhaps the most important role that I have played, however, this past week is in my assessment of the need for a Morbidity Study. Accordingly, 1 wish to share with you some specific concerns and suggestions that I have discussed with Mr. John Coombs Q.C. during my service as a consultant to you. The Australian Forces that served in Vietnam provide a unique population for epidemiologic study of the Vietnam experience. Whereas, United States troops were very hetergeneous as to race, socio-economic class, military service tasks and in-country locations, Australian Forces were more homogenous for these characteristics. For example, Australian personnel served primarily in one area of South Vietnam and they functioned as a unit for tour of duty. U.S. units moved extensively in a large area of operation and rotation for tour of duty was based only on the individual. Thus, I am suggesting that these differences may mean that epidemiologic studies of U.S. veterans as to Vietnam experience �- 2may not provide information sufficiently applicable to Australian veterans. I do not wish to imply, however, that the U.S. studies won't be of value. Indeed these studies may provide some indications to you of the impact of Vietnam service. Another important as[x?ct of the Australian Forces is that of population size. You have a readily jdentiliabJo population of sufficient sJze for conducting valid epidemiologic studies of the Vietnam experience, but I do not believe that your population is large enough to identify cohorts (groups) having distinctly different magnitudes of chemical exposure (to herbicides or insecticides). Thus, a study of cohorts selected on the basis of exposure to Agent Orange is unlikely to have scientific value. It is my opinion that the United States Air Force Health Study, a carefully conducted epidomiological study of the RANCH HAND personnel, may provide sufficient data on which to identify an Agent Orange Syndrome given that such a syndrome can be identified. If the disease is rare, then the Centers For Disease Control's Agent Orange Epidemiologic Study of Ground Troops will have sufficient population size (18,000) to detect it. In summary, a scientifically valid epidemiologic study of the Vietnam experience on the morbidity of Australian veterans can be conducted. Moreover, since A.V.H.S. has a study team in-place and the veteran population identified, such a study can be conducted on an acceptable time frame (within two years). To add the necessary assurance that the Scientific and Veteran community will accept such a study, I strongly recommend that a recognised Australian Epidemiologist be appointed principal investigator. Such a superb candidate would be Dr. John D. Mathews. In addition, a Scientific Advisory Panel should be appointed by you that would serve to monitor the scientific progress and assist in the evaluation of the results. I would suggest that you select a small group of scientists representing the Australian, New Zealand and United States experts in the appropriate disciplines. The careful conduct of this study is critical. Any "short-cuts" or "lack of support" will only decrease the quality of the study. Moreover, only an excellently conducted study will serve the concerns of the nations whose troops fought in Vietnam and who now share in the health concerns of those troops. Lastly, I wish to express to you my admiration for the superb manner in which Mr. John Coombs, has interacted with me this past week. His concerns for all parties participating in the Royal Commission is worthy of your praise. I also wish to offer my services to you should you feel that I can further contribute to the Commission. Yours sincerely, Alvin L. Young. �APPENDIX 3 DESCRIPTIONS OF MAJOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC OF U.S. VETERANS, STUDIES AGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE AND THE VIETNAM EXPERIENCE CURRENTLY ON-GOING IN THE UNITED STATES A.L. Young �1) The U.S. Air Force Health Study a) Description of the Study In 1979, the U.S. Air Force established the protocol for a comprehensive epidemiologic study of RANCH HAND personnel, a group of approximately 1260 men who conducted the fixed-wing aerial herbicide spraying missions in Vietnam from 1962 through 1971. The study is designed around the question, "Have there been, are there now, or will there be in the reasonably foreseeable future, any adverse health effects among RANCH HAND personnel caused by repeated exposure to Herbicide Orange?" The investigation is composed of three integrated elements: 1) a mortality study of those individuals who have died since their exposure, 2) a morbidity study to examine the current health status of the study subjects, and 3) a follow-up study to look for delayed effects over the next 20 years. The mortality and morbidity study elements are being conducted simultaneously on RANCH HAND personnel and on a group of very carefully matched controls using personnel tracking procedures employing the following means: a) an extensive review of military medical personnel records; b) a detailed face-to-face interview using questionnaires to ascertain current and past health events as well as occupational and family data; and c) comprehensive physical examinations, psychological testing, and diagnostic laboratory studies to determine exact health status. Additional questionnaires and physical examinations are to be administered periodically during the follow-up phase. b) Preliminary Results In June 1983, a report was released comparing the mortality experience of 1247 RANCH HAND personnel and 6171 comparison subjects. The comparison subjects were individuals assigned to selected Air Force units with the mission of �flying cargo to, from, and in Vietnam during the same period. As of December 31, 1982, 50 RANCH HAND and 250 comparison subjects had died. The mortality experience, including deaths caused by malignant neoplasms, of the RANCH HAND population was almost the same as that of the comparison group. soft tissue sarcoma deaths were detected in either group. No Although there was no indication that the RANCH HAND subjects suffered from any increased mortality or any unusual patterns of death, the study results should not be regarded as final because of the small sample consisting of young, healthy individuals and the relatively short follow-up period. The results of the initial questionnaire, current health status, and reproductive histories are to be released in early 2) 1984. Vietnam Veteran Mortality Study The US Veterans Administration has initiated a large mortality study that will compare cause-of-death profiles between veterans with service in Vietnam and comparable veterans with no service in Vietnam. Because there are no estimates of the population at risk, the study will provide only proportionate mortality ratio (PMR) data. The study will use existing records to identify a group of approximately 60,000 deceased veterans and determine cause of death and Vietnam service status. The study will also include independent validation of the computer data base used to identify deaths. Although this study will not provide information specifically related to a reason for greater or lesser relative frequency or specific cause of death, the study will provide a large amount of potentially useful information on Vietnam veteran mortality. research. In addition, it will provide ideas for future The results are to be reported in late 1984. �3) Vietnam Experience Twin Study a) Description of the Study The Vietnam Experience Twin Study was begun by a group of research staff members at the US Veterans Administration Medical Center, St Louis, Missouri. The study will identify pairs of identical twin veterans of which one twin served in Vietnam during the period of Agent Orange spraying and the other served in an area other than Southeast Asia. Approximately 600 pairs of twins will be examined using a series of psychologic, physiologic, and biochemical tests. b) Present Status The protocol for the study has been completed and approved by a Scientific Advisory Panel. The Twin Registry from which participants will be solicited is being established by the Medical Follow-up Agency of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. The study will focus primarily on the total Vietnam experience rather than any single factor such as Agent Orange. If sufficient identical twin pairs are identified, there may be an opportunity to draw some conclusions regarding the effects of specific aspects of the Vietnam experience such as combat, herbicide exposure, or use of insecticides. study is to begin in January 1984. The A report on the results is planned for early 1986. 4) Agent Orange Epidemiologic Study of Ground Troops a) Description of the Study Public Law 96-151 charged the US Veterans Administration to "design a protocol for and conduct an epidemiological study of persons, who while serving in the �Armed Forces of the United States during the period of the Vietnam conflict, were exposed to any of the class of chemicals known as 'the dioxins1 produced during the manufacture of the various phenoxy herbicides (including the herbicide known as 'Agent Orange1) to determine if there may be long-term adverse health effects in such persons from such exposure." The Centers for Disease Control (through an interagency agreement with the VA) has completed a protocol for the conduct of this study. This will be a huge research effort that will include interviews and examinations involving 18,000 U.S. Vietnam veterans. b) Present Status A major problem in the conduct of such a study is that there are very few records maintained that link specific ground troops to herbicide exposure. Nevertheless, an effort is being made to identify three cohorts, each containing 6,000 veterans. The cohorts will differ by likelihood of exposure to herbicides (high and low) and to combat activity. The pilot study will begin early in 1984 and the study is to be completed by 1987. 5) Epidemiologic Study of the Vietnam Experience The "exposure" of military service in Vietnam comprises numerous factors, many of which are unknown, poorly defined, or not quantifiable. Nevertheless, the Vietnam "experience" could have influenced anyone who served there. The Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, have initiated a study of two cohorts of U.S. Army draftees and single-term enlistees who served in the infantry. Each cohort will consist of six thousand men. For the Vietnam service cohort, soldiers will be selected so as to provide a year-of-tour distribution which is proportional to the year by year Army troop strength in Vietnam over the period 1966-1971. The selection procedure for the control cohort will be such that its period of service distribution is equivalent to �the Vietnam cohort. However, this latter group will have served either in the U.S., Europe or Korea. determined. 6) The morbidity of the men in both cohorts will be The study is to be completed in 1987. Centers for Disease Control Birth Defects Study In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, began a study designed to determine if U.S. veterans are at an increased risk of having children with birth defects. Since 1968, CDC has maintained a registry of all babies born with structural or functional defects in the greater metropolitan Atlanta area. Of the more than 15,000 children in this registry, approximately 7,500 had significant anatomical defects at birth. The investigators will locate and interview both parents of approximately 5,400 of the children in this group. In addition, the parents of 3,000 matched control normal babies born during the same time period will be interviewed. Since the major objective of this study will be to determine whether an unusually high proportion of fathers of babies born with defects served in Vietnam, information will be gathered about Vietnam service, as well as on other factors that may be associated with occurrence of birth defects. If results demonstrate that a Vietnam veteran has an increased risk of fathering a child with a defect, then an attempt will be made to determine whether the increase is associated with Agent Orange exposure or with some other factor(s). study. An index of herbicide exposure has been prepared for use in this The study is scheduled to be completed by the end of 1983 and results are to be reported in early 1984. �7) Soft Tissue Sarcoma Studies a) Kansas Study In view of concern raised by many veterans that their contact with phenoxy herbicides and TCDD during Vietnam service may increase the risk of developing soft tissue sarcoma (STS), and because of the conflicting research findings reported in the scientific literature regarding association between exposure to phenoxy herbicides and STS, many epidemiological studies have been initiated in the US to determine host and environmental risk factors for STS. The National Cancer Institute is conducting a case-control study in the state of Kansas to evaluate the effects of occupational and environmental risk factors including herbicide exposure on the development of STS, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Hodgkin's disease. A minimum of 100 white male cases of each type of such cancers drawn from the Cancer Data Service of the University of Kansas Medical Center will be compared to controls matched to each case (3:1) by age, race, sex, and area of residence. Results of this study are due in mid-1984. b) U.S. Veterans' Administration/Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Study The VA, in collaboration with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), has started a case-control study of STS. A minimum of 500 STS cases selected from the AFIP registries will be compared to controls matched (2:1) to each case by age (+_ 5 years) , race, sex, and place of initial diagnosis. Phase I of the study will investigate whether military service in Vietnam increases the risk of developing STS. Phase II of the study will investigate other host and environmental risk factors for STS based on information obtained from interviews with subjects or their next of kin. Phase I of the study is scheduled for completion in the fall of 1984; Phase II will be completed in late 1985. �c) NIOSH Dioxin Registry Study Since 1979, NIOSH has begun to develop a registry of US workers involved in production of herbicides possibly contaminated with dioxin. As of May 1, 1983, about 4,000 workers have been included in the registry. The enrollment of an expected number of 6,000 workers will be completed by the end of 1983, and their mortality pattern, including deaths caused by STS, will be available in early 8) 1985. Studies of Chlorinated Dioxins and Furans in Adipose Tissue in the U.S.A. The U.S. Veterans Administration in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated a study of the levels and the frequency of occurrence of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in adipose tissue from a selected group of U.S. males. Since 1968, the EPA has been collecting adipose tissue from the US general population by region, age, sex, and race in a National Adipose Tissue Bank which now contains specimens from over 12,000 individuals. Adipose tissue from approximately 550 males born between 1937 and 1953 is available from this bank. Many of these men served in the military during the Vietnam era, and some served in Vietnam during the period of Agent Orange use. A retrospective study of their adipose tissue may establish data on background levels of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in the U.S. male population, as well as whether service in the military and especially in Vietnam has had an effect on the levels of TCDD in adipose tissue. The study will be conducted in three phases. Phase I will obtain the name and social security number for the approximately 550 males noted above. information will be used to determine military service status. This Phase II will �be the development of analytic methods for the determination of selected chlorinated dioxins (especially 2,3,7,8-TCDD) and furans in human adipose tissue. The method will be subjected to rigorous interlaboratory validation by an independent analytic referee, such as the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Phase III will be the analysis of the adipose tissue and the preparation of a final report. Phases I and II should be completed within the 1983 calendar year, and the report from Phase III should be available in early 1985. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 076 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1959 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Letter: to Hon. Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt, from Dr. Alvin L. Young, December 22, 1983. Subject The topic of the resource international cooperation Australia ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/6009df056b31dd6a2634e83a24f491d9.pdf d53c22f0a375983c88e27189d915cfbe PDF Text Text Item D Number 01966 Author Young. Alvin L Corporate Author Executive Office of the President. Office of Science and pr °P°sed Itinerary (23 February - 9 March 1984) for the Visit of Mr. John S. Coombs. QC, Senior Counsel Assisting Royal Commission, Sydney. Australia, and Dr. John Matthews. National Health and Medical Research Council, Melbourne. Australia Journal/Book Title Year 1984 Month/Day Color Number of Images Descriptor) Notes Monday, July 30, 2001 "em also includes a letter to John Coombs presenting the itinerary and asking for input. Dated January 23, 1984. Page 1960 of 1993 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHMOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON. D.C. 20600 January 23, 1984 Dear John: I was pleased to hear that you and Dr. John Matthews will serve as the advance party for a formal visit by the Royal Commissioner. Accordingly, I have prepared, in cooperation with Dr. Barclay Shepard, Veterans Administration, a proposed itinerary (attached). The proposed itinerary consists of a tighly scheduled series of briefings and meetings designed to cover the spectrum of interests of those of the Royal Commission. Hence, I have scheduled meetings with scientists, key agency personnel, veteran groups and government coordinating groups. I have taken the liberty of suggesting that you and Dr. Matthews would be willing to speak to the Agent Orange Working Group and the VA Advisory Committee about the tasks of the Commission in general (you), and the research agenda (Dr. Matthews). If this agenda is acceptable, I will formalize a time schedule. I have been in touch with Mr. Peter Shannon, First Secretary, Australian Embassy, regarding this itinerary. I look forward to seeing you both in late February. Sincerely, Alvin L. Young LT COL, USAF, Ph.D. Senior Policy Analyst Enclosure Mr. John S. Coombs, Q.C. Senior Counsel Assisting Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam G.P.O. Box 4842 Sydney, N.S.W. 2001 Australia cc: Mr. Shannon �PROPOSED ITINERARY (23 FEBRUARY - 9 MARCH 1984) FOR THE VISIT OF MR. JOHN S. COOMBS, QC SENIOR COUNSEL ASSISTING ROYAL COMMISSION SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA and DR. JOHN MATTHEWS NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA 23 February Arrive Washington, D.C. 24 February Release of Air Force Health Study Meeting with investigators of Air Force Health Study 2 5^26^ February Open 2_7_ February Briefings by Veterans Administration Agent Orange Projects Office ( Drs . Barclay Shepard, Lawrence Hobson, Han Kany) Courtesy visit to Dr. Donald Custis, Chief Medical Director, Department of Medicine and Surgery, VA; and Ms. Dorothy Starbuck , Chief Benefits Director, VA 28 February Briefings on New York State Epidemiolog ic Studies (Dr. Peter Greenwald, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland) Briefings on Agent Orange Exposure Studies (Mr. Richard Christian, Army Agent Orange Task Force, Washington, D.C.) Briefing by Mr. Arvin Maskin, Agent Orange Litigation, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. Joint meeting with Veteran Organizations �1-2 March Visit to Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia Hosts: Dr. David Erickson and Dr. Vernon Houk 3-4 March Open 5 March Meeting with the Agent Orange Working Group, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. (Dr. Edward N. Brandt, Jr. Chair Pro Tempore Assistant Secretary for Health) 6 March Meeting of the VA Advisory Committee on Health Effects of Herbicides Veterans Administration Central Office Washington, D.C. 7-8-9 March Visit to St. Louis, Missouri VA Twin Study Monsanto Presentation � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 076 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1966 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Description An account of the resource <strong>Corporate Author: </strong>Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington, D. C. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Title A name given to the resource Proposed Itinerary (23 February - 9 March 1984) for the Visit of Mr. John S. Coombs, QC, Senior Counsel Assisting Royal Commission, Sydney, Australia, and Dr. John Matthews, National Health and Medical Research Council, Melbourne, Australia Subject The topic of the resource international cooperation ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/fa93827127f4451ce826793cbb41abb3.pdf 58280a7efd1e2d84dbc750fc1c803089 PDF Text Text Item ID Number °1711 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author Typescript: Development of an Exposure Index for an Epidemiologic Study of Ground Troops Exposed to Agent Orange During the Vietnam Conflict, October 1982 Journal/Book Title 000 Year ° Month/Day Color Number of Images D 14 Descripton Notes Monday, June 11, 2001 Page 1712 of 1793 �DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPOSURE INDEX FOR AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF GROUND TROOPS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE DURING THE VIETNAM CONFLICT ALVIN L. YOUNG MAJOR, USAF, PH.D. Office of Environmental Medicine Veterans Administration Washington, D.C. October 1982 Epidemiologic studies have been proposed of veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the period 1965-1970 of the Vietnam Conflict. These studies are predicated on the identification of cohorts obtained from objective evaluations of their likelihood of having been exposed to Agent Orange during their military duties in South Vietnam. Since the military records available on the Vietnam Conflict were never extended for epidemiologic investigations, there were no data availabee on personnel exposed bo the herbicides or the magnitude of these exposures. Nevertheless, a relative exposure index may be developed based upon those factors that would have influenced the likelihood of exposure to herbicides, namely, the herbicide formulations, methods of application, routes of exposure and environmental fate of the herbicides and the associated dioxin contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-<3ioxin (TCDD). Historical Background Synthesis technology, efficacy data, and field application techniques were developed for the two major phenoxy herbicides, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,-5 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) during World War II at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland. Following World War II, the commerical use of these two "synthetic" organic herbicides revolutionized American agriculture. In 1950, more than 10 million pounds of these materials were used annually for weed and brush control in the United States. By 1960, in excess of 36 million pounds were used. �In May 1961, the Office of the Secretary of Defense requested the Fort Detrick personnel to determine the technical feasibility of defoliating jungle vegetation in the Republic of Vietnam. By early fall, 1961, 18 different aerial spray tests (defoliation and anticrop) had been conducted with various formulations of commercially-available herbicides. The choice of these herbicides was based upon the chemicals that had had considerable research, proven performance, and practical background at that period in time. Also, such factors as availability in large quantity, costs and known or accepted safety in regard to their toxicity to humans and animals were considered. The results of these tests were that significant defoliation and anticrop effects could be obtained with two different mixtures of herbicides. The first was a mixture of the n-butyl esters of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T and the iso-butyl ester of 2,4,5-T. This mixture was code-named "Purple." The second "military" herbicide was code-named "Blue" and consisted of the acid and sodium salt of cacodylic acid. The colored bands which were painted around the center of the 55-gallon drums served as aid to the identification by support personnel. The first shipment of Herbicides Purple and Blue was received at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, on 9 January 1962. These were the first military herbicides used in Operation RANCH HAND, the tactical military project for the aerial spraying of herbicides in South Vietnam. Two additional phenoxy herbicide formulations were received in limited quantities in South Vietnam and evaluated during the first two years of Operation RANCH HAND. These were code-named Pink and Green. By January 1965, two additional military herbicides, �code-named Orange and White, had been evaluated and brought into the spray program. Herbicide Orange replaced all uses of Purple, Pink, or Green, and eventually became the most widely used military herbicide in South Vietnam. The composition of the three major herbicides used in South Vietnam were as follows: 1. Herbicide Orange Orange was a reddish-brown to tan colored liquid soluble in diesel fuel and organic solvents, but insoluble in water. One gallon of Orange theoretically contained 4.21 pounds of the active ingredient of 2,4-D and 4.41 pounds of the active ingredient of 2,4,5-T. Orange was formulated to contain a 50:50 mixture of the n-butyl esters of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. The percentages of the formulatfon typically were: n-butyl ester of 2,4-D free acid of 2,4-D n-butyl ester of 2,4,5-T 49.49 0.13 48.75 Free acid of 2,4,5-T 1.00 inert ingredients (e.g., butyl alcohol and ester moieties) 0.62 2. Herbicide White White was a dark brown viscous liquid that was soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents and diesel fuel. One gallon of White contained 0.54 pounds of the active ingredient of 4-amino-3,5,6trichloropicolinic acid (picloram) and 2.00 pounds of the active ingredient of 2,4-D. White was formulated to contain a 1:4 mixture of the triisopropanoamine salts of picloram and 2,4-D. The percentages of the formulation were: �triisopropanolamine salt of picloram 10.2 triisopropanolamine salt of 2,4-D 39.6 inert ingredient (primarily the solvent triisopropanolamine) 50.2 3. Herbicide Blue Blue was a clear yellowish-tan liquid that was soluble in water, but insoluble in organic solvents and diesel fuel. One gallon of Blue contained 3.10 pounds of the active ingredient hydroxydimethyarsine oxide (cacodylic acid). Blue was formulated to contain cacodylic acid (as the free acid) and the sodium salt of cacodylic acid (sodium cacodylate). The percentages of the formulation were: cacodylic acid 4.7 sodium cacodylate 26.4 surfactant 3.4 sodium chloride 5.5 water 59.5 antifoam agent 0.5 As previously noted, not all of the herbicides used in South Vietnam were used throughout the entire 10 years (1962-1971) encompassed by the Department of Defense defoliation program. In addition, 2,4,5-T formulations used early in the program are believed to have contained higher levels of the toxic contaminant TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or "dioxin") than did the formulations used in the later years. The three time periods �shown in Table 1 can be differentiated on the basis of specific herbicides used and the mean dioxin content. TABLE 1. THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THREE TIME PERIODS DURING THE US MILITARY DEFOLIATION PROGRAM IN SOUTH VIETNAM AND MEAN DIOXIN CONTENT Herbicides Used (Code Names) Period Mean Dioxin Content (parts per million)* January 1962June 1965 Purple, Pink, Green Blue ^32** 0 July 1965June 1970 Orange White, Blue * 2+ 0 July 1970October 1971 White, Blue 0 *Found only in 2,4,5-T containing formulations. **Value based on analyses of five samples. +Value based on the analyses of 488 samples. Herbicide Orange was the most extensively used herbicide in South Vietnam. Orange accounted for approximately 10.7 million gallons of the total 17.7 million gallons of herbicide used (Table 2). It was used from mid-1965 to June 1970. However, as noted in Table 2, Orange was not the only 2,4,5-T containing herbicide used in the defoliation program. Small quantities of Purple, Pink, and Green, all containing 2,4,5-T were used from 1962 through mid-1965. In subsequent sections of this document, the term "Herbicide Orange" will refer to all of the 2,4,5-T containing herbicides used in Vietnam (Purple, Pink, Green, and Orange). �TABLE 2. NUMBER OF GALLONS OF MILITARY HERBICIDE PROCURED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DISSEMINATED IN SOUTH VIETNAM DURING JANUARY 1962 - OCTOBER 1971 Code Name Herbicide Quantity Period of Use Orange 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T 10,646,000 1965-1970* White 2,4-D; Picloram 5,633,000 1965-1971** Blue Cacodylic Acid 1,150,000 1962-1971** Purple 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T 145,000 1962-1965 Pink 2,4,5-T 123,000 1962-1965 Green 2,4,5-T 8,200 17,705,200 1962-1965 Total *Last fixed-wing mission of Orange 16 April 1970; last helicopter mission of Orange 6 June 1970. **Last fixed-wing mission 9 January 1971; all herbicides under US control stopped 31 October 1971. Use Patterns of Individual Herbicides Each of the three major herbicides (Orange, White, and Blue) had specific uses. Ninety-nine percent of Herbicide White was applied in defoliation missions. It was not recommended for use on crops because of the persistence of Picloram in soils. Because the herbicidal action on woody plants was usually slow, full defoliation did not occur for several months after spray application. Thus, it was an ideal herbicide for use in the inland forests in areas where defoliation was not immediately required, but where it did occur it would persist longer than if the area were sprayed with Orange or Blue. �Herbicide Blue was the herbicide of choice for crop destruction missions involving cereal or grain crops. Approximately 50 percent of all Blue was used in crop destruction missions in remote or enemy controlled areas with the remainder being used as a contact herbicide for control of grasses around base perimeters. Ninety percent of all Herbicide Orange was used for forest defoliation and it was especially effective in defoliating mangrove forests. Eight percent of Herbicide Orange was used in the destruction of broadleaf crops (beans, peanuts, ramie, and root or tuber crops). The remaining 2 percent was used around base perimeters, cache sites, waterways, and communication lines. Table 3 shows the number of acres sprayed with herbicides in South Vietnam within the three major vegetational categories. TABLE 3. THE NUMBER OF ACRES TREATED IN SOUTH VIETNAM, 1962-1971, WITH MILITARY HERBICIDES WITHIN THE THREE MAJOR VEGETATIONAL CATEGORIES Vegetational Category Areas Treated* Inland forest 2,670,000 Mangrove forests 318,000 Cultivated crops 260,000 Total *Areas receiving single or multiple coverage. 3,248,000 �Certain portions of South Vietnam were more likely to have been subjected to defoliation. Herbicide expenditures for the four Combat Tactical Zones of South Vietnam are shown in Table 4. These data were obtained from the HERBS tape (a computer listing of all herbicide missions in South Vietnam from 1965 through 1971). Total volume is in close agreement with the actual procurement data shown in Table 2. TABLE 4. US HERBICIDES EXPENDITURES IN SOUTH VIETNAM, 1962-1971: A BREAKDOWN BY COMBAT TACTICAL ZONE* Combat Tactical Zones Herbicide Expenditure (gallons) Orange White Blue CTZ I 2,250,000 363,000 298,000 CTZ II 2,519,000 729,000 473,000 CTZ III (includes Saigon) 5,309,000 3,719,000 294,000 CTZ IV 1.227,000 435,000 62,000 Subtotals Grand total 11,305,000 5,246,000 1,127,000 17.678.000 *Source: HERBS tape In addition to the herbicides, numerous other chemicals were shipped to South Vietnam in 55-gallon drums. THese included selected fuel additives, cleaning solvents, cooking oils, and a variety of other pesticides. The insecticide Malathion was widely used for control of mosquitoes and at least 400,000 gallons of it were used from 1966 through 1970. In addition, much smaller quantities of Lindane and DDT were used in ground operations �throughout the war 1n Southeast Asia. The distribution of the herbicides within Vietnam after their arrival did not occur randomly. About 65 percent was shipped to the 20th Ordnance Storage Depot, Saigon, and 35 percent was shipped to the 511th Ordnance Depot, Da Nang. Military Aircraft and Vehicles Used in the Pisseminatiqn^of Herbicides Numerous aircraft were used in the air war in Vietnam, but only a few of these aircraft were used for aerial dissemination of herbicides. The "work horse" of Operation RANCH HAND was the two-engine aircraft C-123/UC-123 called the "Provider." This cargo aircraft was adapted to receive a modular spray system for internal carriage. The module (the A/A 45 Y-l) consisted of a 1,000-gallon tank, punp, and engine which were all mounted on a frame pallet. An operator's console was an integral part of the unit, but was not mounted on the pallet. Wing booms (1.5 inches in diameter, 22 feet long) extended from the outboard engine nacelles toward the wing tips. A short tail boom (3 inches in diameter, 20 feet long) was positioned centrally near the aft cargo door. Each aircraft normally had a crew of three men: the pilot, co-pilot (navigator), and flight engineer (console operator). During the peak activity of RANCH HAND operations (19681969), 33 UC-123K aircraft were employed. The "U" designated modification for aerial spraying and the "K" designated modification with jet boosters. However, many other squadrons of non-RANCH HAND C-123 aircraft were routinely used throughout South Vietnam in transport operations. The control of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases in South Vietnam necessitated an extensive aerial insecticide application program in order to control these vector insects. From 1967 through 1972, three UC-123K aircraft were used to spray Malathion, an organophosphate insecticide. These aircraft •• could be distinguished from the Herbicide-spraying aircraft because they were �not camouflaged. These aircraft routinely sprayed insecticide adjacent to military and civilian installations, as well as in areas where military operations were in progress, or about to commence. Approximately 10 to 12 percent of all herbicides used in South Vietnam was disseminated by helicopter or ground application equipment. Generally, helicopter crews were not assigned to herbicide spray duties on a full-time basis and rotated the spraying duties with other mission requirements. The military UH-1 series of helicopters, deployed by the Air Force, the Army, and Navy units, generally sprayed the herbicides. The most common spray system used was the AGRINAUTICS unit. This unit was installed in or removed from the aircraft in a matter of minutes because it was "tied down" to installed cargo shackles and aircraft modifications were not required for its use. The unit consisted of a 200-gallon tank and a collapsible 32-foot spray boom. The unit was operated by manual controls to control the flow valve and a windmill brake. Generally, each helicopter had three crew members. A summary of the aircraft used in herbicide and insecticide operations is shown in Table 5. TABLE 5. US MILITARY AIRCRAFT USED IN THE DISSEMINATION OF HERBICIDES AND INSECTICIDES IN SOUTH VIETNAM Aircraft Camouflaged Chemical Disseminated UC-123K Yes All Herbicides UC-123K No Malathion Yes Orange, Blue Helicopter Air Force UH-1 Army UH-1B/UH-1D Navy UH-1E 10 �Various ground delivery systems were also used in South Vietnam for control of vegetation in limited areas. Most of these units were towed or mounted on vehicles. One unit that was routinely used was the Buffalo turbine. It developed a wind blast with a velocity up to 150 mph at 10,000 ft /minute volume. When the herbicide was injected into the air blast, it was essentially "shot" at the foliage. The buffalo turbine was useful for roadside spraying and applications of perimeter defenses. The herbicides of choice in these operations were Blue and Orange. Exposure Considerations: Applications and Environmental Parameters There were relatively few military operations that involved the handling of herbicides by military personnel. A review of operations involving Herbicide Orange in South Vietnam from January 1962 to April 1970 revealed that there were essentially three groups of US military personnel potentially exposed to Herbicide Orange and its associated dioxin contaminant. These three groups were: 1. "Operation RANCH HAND" personnel actively involved in the defoliation program. This group included aircrew members and maintenance and support personnel directly assigned to the RANCH HAND squadrons. 2. Personnel assigned to selected support functions that may have . resulted in exposure to Herbicide Orange. This group included, for example, personnel who sprayed herbicides, using helicopters or ground application equipment; personnel who may have delivered the herbicides to the units performing the defoliation missions; aircraft mechanics who were specialized and occasionally provided support to RANCH HAND aircraft; or, personnel who 11 �may have flown contaminated C-123 aircraft, but were not assigned to RANCH HAND (e.g., during the Tet Offensive, all RANCH HAND aircraft were reconfigured to transport supplies and equipment, and were assigned to non-RANCH HAND squadrons). 3. Ground personnel who may have been inadvertently sprayed by defoliation aircraft or who, during combat operations, may have entered an area previously sprayed with Herbicide Orange. The total number of US military personnel exposed to Herbicide Orange is not known. Approximately 1,200 RANCH HAND personnel were exposed in direct support of the defoliation operations; however, there are no data on the number of non-RANCH HAND personnel who may have been exposed. The actual number of people may be in the thousands since at least 100 helicopter spray equipment units were used in South Vietnam, and most military bases had vehicle-mounted and backpack spray units available for use in routine vegetation control programs. The number of military ground personnel who may have inadvertently been sprayed by RANCH HAND aircraft, or who may have entered areas recently sprayed with Herbicide Orange during combat operations is not known. Approximately 10 percent of South Vietnam was sprayed with herbicides, and most of this area was contested and/or controlled by enemy forces. Most areas sprayed were remote, unpopulated and forested. Because of the dense canopy cover, the target of the defoliation operation, the amount of herbicide penetrating to the forest floor would have been small. The exposure of personnel could have occurred by essentially three routes: 12 �1. Percutaneous absorption and inhalation of vapors/aerosols by direct exposure to sprays. 2. Percutaneous absorption and inhalation of vapors by exposure to \ treated areas following spray application, and 3. Ingestion of foods contaminated with the material. The chemical and physical characteristics of Herbicide Orange and the spray, as it would have occurred following dissemination from a UC-123K, are important factors in assessing relative exposures to the Herbicides and TCDD. Table 6 reviews the pertinent chemical and physical characteristics of Herbicide Orange. Table 7 reviews both the application parameters of the spray system used in the UC-123K aircraft and the characteristics of the spray itself. Generally, herbicides were sprayed in the early morning or late afternoon, so as to minimize the effects of air movement on particle dispersion. TABLE 6. PERTINENT CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HERBICIDE ORANGE Formulation Concentrated (8.6 Ib ai/gal)* Water Insoluble Vapor Pressure Density = 1.28 3.6 x 10 mm Hg at 30°( NBE** 2,4-D NBE 2,4,5-T : 1.2 x 10"4 : 0.4 x 10"4 TCDD : 1 x 10"V Viscous Noncorrosive to metal Deleterious to paints, rubber, neoprene Long shelf life 40 centipoises at 20°C *Pounds active ingredient (2,4-D and 2,4,5-T) per gallon. **NBE - Normal Butyl ester 13 �TABLE 7. APPLICATION PARAMETERS AND SPRAY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE UC-123K/ AA 45 Y-l INTERNAL SPRAY SYSTEM Aircraft speed 130 KIAS* Aircraft altitude 150 feet Tank volume 1,000 gallons Spray time 3.5-4 minutes Particle size: <100 microns: 1.9% 100-500 microns: 76.2% >500 microns : 21.9% 87% impacted within 1 min 13% drifted or volatilized Mean particle volume 0.61 microliters Spray swath 260 + 20 feet Mean deposition 3 gallons/acre Total area/tank 340 acres *Knots indicated air speed Ground combat forces normally would not have been expected to have entered a previously treated area for several weeks after treatment, during which time numerous environmental factors would have reduced the potential for exposure to military personnel. An indepth review of the environmental fate of Herbicide Orange and TCDD concluded the the vast majority of the phenoxy herbicides would have impacted forest canopy, the intended target. 14 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 063 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1711 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries III Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Typescript: Development of an Exposure Index for an Epidemiologic Study of Ground Troops Exposed to Agent Orange During the Vietnam Conflict, October 1982 Subject The topic of the resource Agent Orange Exposure Study ground troops exposure Ranch Hand crew Ranch Hand ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/620294ad073fa0fd6c3f020e2931ca02.pdf 291037b038463232e61219356849404c PDF Text Text Item D Number °1968 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author RBOOrt/APtiClB Title Lettcr to J. S. Coombs from Alvin L. Young. January 25, 1984 Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color Number of knages 3 Young responds to Coombs's letter of January 13, 1984 (also included in item), discussing Young's support of the Australian Servicemen's Health Study protocol and his concern about the commitment of resources. See item 1969 for continuation of this line of correspondence. Monday. July 30. 2001 Pago 1968 of 1993 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506 January 25, 1984 Dear Mr. Coombs: I have reviewed your letter of January 13, 1984 requesting my signature on the attached document as affirmation that the Australian Servicemen's Health Study is "epidemiologically sound and feasible and that its performance is scientifically desirable." I fully appreciate your concern that the protocol is now finalized and that it is imperative for the study, if approved, be initiated immediately. My concern is not whether the protocol is epidemiologically sound (in my opinion it certainly is) nor whether its performance is scientifically desirable (in my opinion both of our nations will gain valuable information from this scientific study), rather my concern is with the word "feasible." The study is feasible only if the resources are committed. The commitment of resources to such a study is not one that should be made lightly. It will involve governmental priorities and political concerns. As an "outsider" I must not contribute to those deliberations. I endorse the scientific validity of the protocol and recognize the importance of conducting, in a timely manner, health studies of veterans who served in Vietnam. Sincerely, «r. //' , Alvin Lj Y~6ung Senior Policy Analyst for Life Sciences Mr. J. S. Coombs O.C. G.P.O. Box 4842 Sydney, N.S.W. 2001 Australia �ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE USE AND EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL AGENTS ON AUSTRALIAN PERSONNEL IN VIETNAM Commissioner: The Hon. Mr Justice Phillip Evatt DSC Secretary: Mr B.D. Meade G.P.O. Box 4842 Sydney. N.S.W. 2001 Telephone: (02) 239 6222 13 January, 1984 Dr. Alvin L. Young, Lt. C o l . , U . S . A . F . , PhD, Senior Policy Analyst for L i f e Sciences, Executive O f f i c e of the President, O f f i c e for Science and Technology Policy, WASHINGTON DC 20500 USA Dear Al, Notwithstanding the participation of all members of the Scientific Advisory Panel in the finalisation of the protocol our masters require the attached confirmation of the agreement reached which I included in a letter to the appropriate Minister. Accordingly I would be obliged if you would return the attached document as a matter of extreme urgency. Kind regards, J. S. Coombs Q.C. Attachment. �The Hon. Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt DSC LLB, Royal Commissioner, Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel In Vietnam, G.P.O. Box 4842, SYDNEY. N.S.W. 2001 Dear Judge, We the undersigned, members of your Scientific Advisory Panel, hereby confirm that we took part in a review and critique of a protocol for Australian Servicemens Health Study leading to its consolidation into the protocol dated 22 December, 1983. We confirm our agreement that the study is epidemiologically sound and feasible and that its performance is scientifically desirable. Yours sincerely, Dr. Bruce Armstrong Dr. Tony McMichael MB, BS Dr. John Mathews B. Sc, MB, MD, MRACP, PhD, FRACP Dr. D. Riedel, M.Sc, PhD Dr. Alvin Young � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 076 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1968 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Letter to J. S. Coombs from Alvin L. Young, January 25, 1984 Subject The topic of the resource international cooperation AVHS study protocol ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/807f43f1dde03857d586217d022f9014.pdf 935dede7f0dfdb3aa4ff367c2c6802c4 PDF Text Text Item D Number 01959 Author Young. Alvm L. Corporate Author RBpOPt/ArtiClB Titta Letter to The Honorable Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt from Alvin L. Young. January 26. 1984 Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color Number of Images 1 DOSCrutOn NOteS Young endorses the scientific validity of the Australian Servicemen's Health Study protocol and recognizes the importance of conducting this study. See item 1968 for correspondence leading to this letter. Monday. July 30. 2001 Page 1969 of 1993 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Ol F ICE OP SCIFNCF AND TECHNOLOGY I'OL ICY January 26, 1984 Dear Judge, I endorse the scientific validity of the protocol for the Australian Servicemen's Health Study and recognize the importance of conducting, in a timely manner, health studies of veterans who served in Vietnam. Sincerely, Alvin L. Young Senior Policy Analyst for Life Sciences The Honorable Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt DSC LLB, Royal Commissioner, Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Autstralian Personnel In Vietnam, G.P.O. Box 4842 SYDNEY. N.S.W. 2001 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 076 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1969 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Letter to The Honorable Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt from Alvin L. Young, January 26, 1984 Subject The topic of the resource international cooperation AVHS study protocol ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/7ef44819fdcfdc6bd1cae4bb29a33d7d.pdf a6e183bdf33a3d4afc78862f1c696fb2 PDF Text Text ftemU Number 0197 Author Young. Alvin L. ° Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and RBPOrt/ArtiClB Tlth Lettor to 6, 1984 Mrs. Pat Bragg from Alvin L. Young. February Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color Number of Images 1 Letter discusses the telephone conversation that Bragg and Young had the previous week regarding the official visit of Mr. John Coombs and Dr. John Matthews from the Australian Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian personnel in Vietnam. The mentioned attached itinerary is missing. See item 1966 for proposed itinerary for this visit. Monday. July 30. 2001 Page 1970 of 1993 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON. D C 20600 February 6, 1984 Dear Mrs./Bragg: This is to confirm our telephone conversation of last week informing you of the official visit of Mr. John Coombs and Dr. John Matthews from the Australian Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam (itinerary attached). Dr. Matthews is the principal investigator of the Australian Serviceman's Health Study and Mortality Study. The two men will be in Washington for the release of the Air Force Health Study, February 24, 1984, and requested that arrangements be made with the Air Force for them to meet with the Air Force Principal Investigators. Mr. Coombs and Dr. Matthews have suggested either a late afternoon or an evening meeting on February 24, or a meeting on Saturday morning, February 25. Dr. Barclay Shepard, Veterans Administration, has offered to provide an office for the meeting. I would appreciate your assistance in coordinating the meeting between these two scientific teams. If you have any questions or if I can be of assistance, please contact me at 395-3125. Sincerely, to Alvin Young" LT COL USAF, Ph.D Senior Policy Analyst for Life Sciences Mrs. Pat Bragg HQ USAF/SGI Boiling, AFB, D.C. cc: 20332 Dr. Barclay Shepard � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 076 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1970 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Description An account of the resource <strong>Corporate Author: </strong>Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington, D. C. Title A name given to the resource Letter to Mrs. Pat Bragg from Alvin L. Young, February 6, 1984 Subject The topic of the resource international cooperation Australia AVHS ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/72b052afa308d2ef9586e3adc75a955f.pdf 63be1bd4bb5e2574fb4ae68f2848d9f1 PDF Text Text Item D Number °2034 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author RBDOrt/ArtiCle Title Letter: to The Honorable Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt from Alvin L. Young, July 13, 1984 Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color D Number of Images 1 DeSCrlptOn NOtBS Letter is updating Evatt on the Agent Orange activities in the United States, including several studies. Young also expresses his opinion that the Royal Commission must continue its work seeking a thorough assessment of the scientific data so that the most accurate picture and answers can be given to the veterans of both countries. Tuesday, August 07, 2001 Page 2034 of 2084 �EXECUTIVE C OFFICE OF SCIE ,/ - -- OtOGY POLICY WASH^UTON, D.C. 20506 July 13, 1984 Dear Judge: It has been a few months since our last communication. I believe it is important to bring you up-to-date on activities related to Agent Orange. Currently, efforts are underway through the auspices of the White House Agent Orange Working Group, to advance the Veterans Administrations Identical Twins Study (VETS) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) Dioxin Registry and accompanying mortality and morbidity studies. In addition in mid-August the Center For Disease Control will release its completed Birth Defects Study. Although, much of the activity involving the Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange appears, at least in the press, to center on the legal out-of-court settlement activities in New York, the Federal Government continues to press for scientific answers to the critical health questions posed by this issue. The dichotomy is that in the United States we may not get the opportunity to place before the public and the veteran and scientific communities a proper assessment of the scientific information. For that reason, I believe it is imperative that the Royal Commission continues to seek a very thorough assessment of the scientific data. It is only through a process of open and complete scientific dialogue that we can hope to provide answers to the very complicated situation that surrounds the men and women who so gallantly served in Vietnam. I hope that the proposed epidemiologic study, planned during my visit to Australia, can be conducted and the results viewed by your Commission. I feel that a trip to the United States to meet with the research and veteran communities should clearly be taken before the Commission completes its assessment. I will be pleased to assist in appropriate arrangements. Sincer Alvin L.l YoCTng, Ph.D. Senior Policy Analyst for Life Sciences The Honorable Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt, D.S.C. Royal Commissioner Royal Commission on the Use & Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam G.P.O. Box 4842 SYDNEY, N.S.W., 2001 , AUSTRALIA � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 079 Folder The folder containing the original item. 2034 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Letter: to The Honorable Mr. Justice Phillip Evatt from Alvin L. Young, July 13, 1984 Subject The topic of the resource AOWG Vietnam Experience Twin Study NIOSH international cooperation ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/ee91c22d5a206690b3af4021298b007e.pdf 19c12bb1eb4774b550fa2ca56c849eed PDF Text Text Item D Numbnr 02052 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author RODOrt/ArtiClB Titb Memorandum: for Jay Keyworth from Al Young, October 15, 1984, with subject line Briefing Memorandum for the Meeting with the Honorable Justice Phillip Evatt, Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam, to be held October 16 at 11:00 a.m. Journal/Book Title Year 0000 Month/Day Color D Number of knages DeSCrtatOU NOtBS Memo gives background on the Australian Royal Commission Hearings and points out issues for discussion which are of interest to the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Tuesday, August 07, 2001 Page 2052 of 2084 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON. D.C 20506 October 15, 1984 MEMORANDUM FOR JAY KEYWORTH l. FROM: AL YOUNG SUBJECT: Briefing Memorandum for the Meeting with the Honorable Justice Phillip Evatt DSC, Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam, to be held October 16 at 11:00 a.m. PARTICIPANTS; The Honorable Justice Phillip Evatt, Royal Commissioner (brief resume attached) Mr. John Coombs, Queens Counselor, Senior Counsel Advising Mr. Michael Wilde, Counsel Advising OSTP staff: BACKGROUND: ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION: Al Young, Barbara Moore The issues of Agent Orange and the Vietnam Experience have received heavy media attention in Australia. Australia provided 50,000 men as an allied contingent to Vietnam (1962-1970), As the Agent Orange issue has been fueled by emotion and scientific concern in the United States, a similar situation has occurred in Australia. However, in place of litigation activities, the Australian Vietnam Veterans Association sought and obtained Australian Royal Commission Hearings on the subject of chemical exposures. The "Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam" has the responsibility to evaluate all the scientific evidence on the health impact of the chemicals used in Vietnam. The Commission must also examine the Government Programs that have been established to care for the Vietnam Veterans. Judge Evatt has for the past two weeks been visiting various U.S. Government and privately-sponsored research programs on Agent Orange and the Vietnam Experience. His impressions of these research programs would be of interest to OSTP. �Judge Evatt has a difficult task of trying to evaluate the science of this very controversial subject. The Commissioner has sought expert testimony from scientists throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Western Europe. In addition, he visited Vietnam in May 1984. His impressions of the scientific evidence to date would be of interest to OSTP. Judge Evatt is required to prepare and submit a final report on this issue to the Australian Government in April 1985. We may want to make an offer of assistance to provide additional scientific data from the Government studies currently underway. �THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE PHILLIP GEORGE EVATT. D.S.C..LL.B. Mr Justice Evatt is the Royal Commissioner of the Vietnam Veterans Royal Commission. Following is a list of bis official appointments: Judge of the Federal Court of Australia since 1977 Judge of the Australian Industrial Court and the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory since 1974 Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory since 1976 Judge of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island since 1981 Mr Justice Evatt was born on 2 July 1922. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve 19*10 - 1946. He received his law degree from the University of Sydney arid was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1951. Mr Justice Evatt is married to the former Nancye Guy, and has two daughters. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 079 Folder The folder containing the original item. 2052 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Memorandum: for Jay Keyworth from Al Young, October 15, 1984, with subject line Briefing Memorandum for the Meeting with the Honorable Justice Phillip Evatt, Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam, t Subject The topic of the resource Australian Royal Commission Hearings international cooperation ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/a04eb3ae68fb1f131b3d8fc5adbd796d.pdf f3187e9e7ad06e38dba68389a402f4b3 PDF Text Text Item D Number °2104 Author Young', Alvin L. Corporate Author Report/Article HtlB Letter: From Alvin L. Young to Justice Phillip Evatt regarding the final report of the Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam Journal/Book Title Year Month/Day Color Number of Images DBSCripton NOtBS Augustas D 1 See ltem 1444 for Gou 9n's article as referred to in the letter and Items 2078 to 2086 for the Final Report Tuesday, August 21, 2001 Page 2104 of 2109 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506 August 28, 1987 Dear Justice Evatt: I wish to call your attention to a recent article published in the National Academy of Sciences' Journal ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. The article, titled "Environmental Epidemiology: Separating Politics and Sciences", was authored by Dr. Michael Gough, a former Senior Associate with the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. In his article (copy attached, pg. 27) Dr. Gough noted, in discussing the concerns of the United States Congress for the Vietnam veteran via a mandated epidemiologic study, that the origins of the Agent Orange study were obviously political and social. Hence, he stated: "I believe it is poor policy to conduct science for purely political reasons. The better response is to deal with the social and scientific problems separately". The key, Gough concludes, is to know when science cannot provide the answer and when a political decision must be made instead. In reflecting back to the Final Report of your "Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam", it is apparent that you recognized the limits to which Agent Orange was a science problem. Indeed, I believe you correctly concluded that Agent Orange was but a symptom of a larger problem--our society's inability to deal compassionately with the Vietnam veteran. I hope your Commission's Report has led the way to settling the difficult issues of re-adjustment by both the Vietnam Veteran and the Australian Public. I wish to again express my appreciation for the opportunities we have had, in both Australia and the United States, to meet and express our joint concerns for the courageous men who served our countries during the Vietnam Conflict. Sincerely, Alvin L. Young, Senior Policy Analyst for Life Sciences The Honorable Justice Phillip Evatt Royal Commissioner c/o Selborne Chambers 174 Phillip Street Sydney 2000, Australia � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 084 Folder The folder containing the original item. 2104 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries IV Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 28 1987 Title A name given to the resource Letter: From Alvin L. Young to Justice Phillip Evatt regarding the final report of the Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam Subject The topic of the resource Australian Royal Commission hearings Agent Orange controversy ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/db08da78cd51027626714d9c0366e5d8.pdf 526bee336bb2ceaf796a1d07fa663656 PDF Text Text Item ID Number 01734 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author RopOrt/ArtiClB TltlU Memorandum: Veterans Administration Agent Orange Briefing, from Alvin L. Young to Bernadine Bulkley, October 23, 1984 Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color D Number of Imagos 6 Dascripton Notes Monday, June 11, 2001 Page 1735 of 1793 �EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506 October 23, 1984 MEMORANDUM FOR BERN.ADINE BULKLEY FROM: AL YOUNG SUBJECT: Veterans Administration Agent Orange Briefing A briefing has been set for October 23, 1984 at 2:30 p.m. on the Agent Orange and Vietnam Experience Health Studies currently being conducted by the Veterans Administration. John A. Gronvall, M.D., Acting Chief Medical Director, and Barclay M. Shepard, M.D., Director, Agent Orange Projects Office, will present the briefing. You should be aware of the extensive research program that has been initiated by the Veterans Administration. Three investigations are retrospective epidemiologic studies; namely, the VA Mortality Study (a study of 75,000 deaths), the VA/AFIP (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology) Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study (a study of 400 cases and 800 controls), and the VA/EPA Adipose Tissue Study (a study of the dioxin content of 500 human fat samples). In addition, the VA has health surveillance programs consisting of the Agent Orange Registry and the Patient Treatment File. I have attached a review of the VA studies. The VA has had difficulty conducting morbidity Studies of Vietnam Veterans. Congress mandated the VA to conduct an epidemiologic study of ground troops exposed to Agent Orange. After more than two years of preparation and protocol development, select members of Congress requested that the Administration transfer the conduct of the study from the VA to the Centers for Disease Control. Although the VA has an extensive program, Veterans have the perception that the Agency has minimal involvement and that the CDC is responsible for the conduct of credible human health studies, It is for that reason that the VA Vietnam Experience Twin Study is so important. This study has been widely advertized by the VA, the twin Registry has been established with the National Academy of Sciences Medical Follow-Up Agency, and the protocol has passed two extensive and comprehensive reviews. As I discussed with you, this study appears to be in peril of cancellation. Its cost is estimated at $9 million. I believe some internal politics are behind this effort, rather than good science. Dr. Gronwall should give us an update. I believe the Administration, and especialy the VA will loose credibility with the Vietnam Veteran if this study is cancelled at this late date. �DEPARTMENT OP MEDICINE AND SURGERY AGENT ORANGE PROJECTS OFFICE (10A7) STATUS REPORT OF AGENT ORANGE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 1. Vietnam Veterans Mortality Study The Vietnam Veterans Mortality Study is designed to assess mortality patterns of U.S. servicemen in the Army or Marines who served during a portion of the Vietnam era. A sample of 75,000 veteran deaths has been selected from the VA files. For each of the deaths, military service and cause of death information are being collected and coded. The two types of data will be merged and analyzed to compare the mortality experience of veterans who served in Vietnam with veterans of the same era who did not serve in Vietnam. Various analytical approaches are being studied including classical proportionate mortality ratio (PMR) analyses as well as categorical data analyses. As of August 1984 the military records search and abstracting have been conmpleted for 95% of total cohort of 75,000. Ninety five percent of the expected 72,000 death records have been received, ftwever, about 15% of the records received did not include the cause of death information. Extensive tracing efforts have been made using both internal records and records maintained by other government agencies. Data collection will be completed by the end of 1984 and the final report is expected in June 1985. 2. VA/AFIP Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study (STSS) The possibility that exposure to phenoxy herbicides may induce rare forms of cancer in humans such as soft tissue sarcoma (STS) has been suggested from recent studies in Sweden. Subsequently, there is much concern in the United States that many veterans who served in Vietnam might have had a significant exposure to the phenoxy herbicides including Agent Orange and, therefore, might be at increased risk of developing STS. In view of the concern raised by many veterans and conflicting findings in the scientific literature, the VA, in collaboration with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), is conducting an independent epidemiologic study to determine the relationship of Vietnam service, probable Agent Orange exposure and other factors to the risk of developing STS. �2. VA/AFIP Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study (STSS) - Continued The study is conducted in two phases. Phase I of the study will investigate whether service in Vietnam during 1965-1971 increased the risk of developing STS. Providing that the Environmental Support Group of Department of the Army can develop a rough but acceptable exposure ranking scheme based on military records, an attempt will be made to determine a trend in the odds of developing STS with increasing probability of exposure to Agent Orange. In addition, the histopathology and anatomic site of STS will be compared among Vietnam veterans, non-Vietnam veterans and non-veterans. Military service status of cases and controls will be determined through cross-checking the VA BIRLS (Beneficial Identification and Records Location System) file, the National Personnel Records Center files and the military personnel records center files of each branch of service. Phase II of the study will investigate other host and environmental risk factors for the dvelopment of STS based on information obtained from telephone interviews with the subjects or their next-6f-kin. Information on risk factors such as occupational and non-occupational exposure to phenoxy herbicides, ionizing radiation, asbestos, arsenic, vinyl chloride, genetic syndromes, and immunologic deficiency will be obtained from the interviews and analyzed individually and jointly with respect to the risk of developing STS. The study protocol has been reviewed by scientific groups {AOW3, Science Panel; VA Advisory Committee on Health-Related Effects of Herbicides; Armed Forces Epidemiological Board) and the study subject selection process has begun. As of August 1984, a total of 180 hospitals have selected three controls per STS case and sent in requisite patient information. The RFP for tracing and conducting interviews for the study subjects was approved by the Administrator on May 2, 1984, and announced in the Commerce Business Daily beginning in late May. Evaluation of both technical and business proposals were completed in September and the contract is expected to be awarded in October 1984. The Office of Management and Budget is still reviewing our request for questionnaire approval. Data collection will "be completed by December 1985 and the final report is expected in June 1986. �3. Retrospective Study of Dioxins and Fucans in Adipose Tissue Since 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been collecting human adipose tissue from the general population to be analyzed for residues of selected pesticide-related chemicals and ploychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Within the bank of approximately 8,000 tissue specimens available for further chemical analysis there are specimens from 524 males born between 1937 and 1952. Many of these individuals will have served in the military during the Vietnam era and some will have served in Vietnam during the period of Agent Orange use. A retrospective study of selected chlorinated dioxins and furans will provide data on background levels of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in the U.S. male population and will determine if service in Vietnam has had an effect on the levels of TCDD in adipose. The study will be conducted in three phases. In phase I the names and social security numbers of the approximately 524 males noted above will be obtained to determine military service status. Phase II will be the development of analytic methods for the determination of selected rigorous interlaboratory validation by an independent analytic referee, e.g., the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Phase III will be the analysis of the adipose tissue and the presentation of a final report. A draft study protocol is being prepared for the AOWG Science Panel review. Once the panel completes its review and necessary resources are secured, the study will take approximately two years to complete. 4. A Review of the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Cases in Patient Treatment File (PTF) for Vietnam Era Veterans In a parallel effort to the VA/AFIP Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study, the VA's Agent Orange Projects Office (AOPO), in collaboration with VA's Pathology Service and AFIP, is reviewing the soft tissue sarcoma cases in the VA's Patient Treatment File (FY 69-83) for Vietnam era veterans. We are comparing anatomic site, histopathology and frequency of soft tissue sacoma between Vietnam veterans and non-Vietnam veterans. A total of 418 patients with International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 171 (malignant neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue) were identified in the PTF between 1969 and 1982. A review of the pathology reports for these cases was made by an "independent" VA pathologist. Military service information for these cases (Vietnam vs. non-Vietnam) was obtained through the National Personnel Records Center in St. Eouis. It was found that 36% of the STS cases served in Vietnam whereas in the overall PTF, 41% of the Vietnam era patients served in Vietnam. This �4. A Review of the Soft Tissue Sarcoma^Casesin Patient Treatment File (PTF) for Vietnam Era Veterans - Continued suggests that for Vietnam era veterans treated in the VA Medical Centers the frequency of the STS among veterans who served in Vietnam is not greater than those who did not serve in Vietnam. As Phase II of this review, we plan to have the tissue specimens for these cases actually examined by an outside expert pathologist to confirm the original diagnosis. We are in process of selecting an outside expert pathologist and receiving the specimens from the VA medical centers. The final report is expected in May 1985. 5. Other Projects a. Agent Orange Register Review - The Agent Orange Register is a computerized information retrieval system that abstracts both medical and non-medical information from the Agent Orange Registry. The medical information includes syirptoms attributed by the veteran to exposure to Agent Orange and pertinent diagnosis made by VA physicians. The non-medical information includes veterans' demographic data, veterans' self-reported information on their military service and their recollection of exposure to Agent Orange. There are some differences in format between the "old" code sheet and the "new" code sheet, but in general both code sheets cover similar areas. Because of the self-selective nature of the Registry participants, this group of veterans cannot, with any scientific validity be viewed as being representational of Vietnam veterans as a whole. The information in the Registry can, however, be used to detect suggested health trends and provide some descriptors as to the characteristics of the group itself. The Agent Orange Register of 86,000 Vietnam veterans was reviewed and results were reported to the VA Advisory Committee on Health-Related Effects of Herbicides in September, 1983. The monitoring of the Agent Orange Register is continuing. �b. Pat lent Treatment File JPTE1') Review - The VA also continues to review health problems of Vietnam veterans treated in its hospitals. Questions have been asked many tiroes by Congress and others whether Vietnam veterans oome to the VA hospitals with different or unique health problems as compared to their counterparts who did not serve in Vietnam. An-initial review of a sample of 13,000 Vietnam era veterans (EY 69-82) and another review of a random sample of 1,000 veterans' (FY 83) military records and PTF medical data reveal no significant difference in the distribution of diagnoses between Vietnam veterans and non-Vietnam veterans treated in VA hospitals. These findings were also reported to the VA Advisory Committee on June 5, 1984. This effort of monitoring health problems of Vietnam veterans hospitalized in the VA medical facilities will continue. c. PTF/Cancer Study - In collaboration with the AFIP, the VA plans to conduct a pathological evaluation of malignant neoplasms among Vietnam era veterans treated in the VA medical facilities. There are several published reports which suggest that exposure to phenoxy herbicides may contribute to a higher risk of developing soft tissue sarcoma, lymphoma, nasal cancer, and possibly liver cancer. In general, it takes over a decade for cancer to manifest itself if it is caused by environmental chemicals. It has been more than a decade since the last U.S. troops were exposed to defoliants in Vietnam and about 20 years since the first massive spraying of Agent Orange there. Therefore, the time is about right for evaluating cancer problems in Vietnam veterans. About 5,000 cancer cases among Vietnam era veterans treated in the VA medical facilities in the last 3 years will be selected for this study. The AFIP will make a pathological diagnosis without knowing Vietnam service status of cases and the Army Environmental Support Group will determine military service status and Agent Orange exposure likelihood for each case without knowing the pathological diagnosis. The VA's Agent Orange Projects Office will coordinate this effort and perform data analyses once all the information is collected. This study will serve as a built-in quality control program for the VA's Pathology Service by systematically comparing diagnosis made by the VA pathologist with that of the AFIP experts. d. The In-depth Review of Suicide Among Vietnam Veterans - In addition to the above en-going research efforts, the VA's AOPO is actively cooperating with the Readjustment Counseling Service in designing an in-depth review of the cases listed as suicide or possible suicide in the mortality study being conducted. This will enable the VA to determine whether the frequency of suicide among Vietnam veterans is higher than among non-Vietnam veterans and also will help to develop a clinical profile of Vietnam veteran suicides which may assist in preventing suicides in the years to come. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 064 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1734 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries III Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Memorandum: Veterans Administration Agent Orange Briefing, from Alvin L. Young to Bernadine Bulkley, October 23, 1984 Subject The topic of the resource Vietnam Experience Study VA Mortality Study VA/AFIP STSS Agent Orange Registry ao_seriesIII Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 085 Folder The folder containing the original item. 2144 Series The series number of the original item. Series IV Subseries I Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Description An account of the resource <strong>Corporate Author: </strong>Veterans Administration Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 14 1983 Title A name given to the resource Typescript: Presentation to Dioxin Task Force, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Jefferson City, Missouri Subject The topic of the resource ecological impact herbicide damage assessment human exposure Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 086 Folder The folder containing the original item. 2158 Series The series number of the original item. Series IV Subseries I Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 18 1983 Title A name given to the resource Typescript and letter: Brief Review of Health and Environmental Data from the Seveso, Italy TCDD Episode accompanied by cover letter to David E. Bedan Subject The topic of the resource Seveso herbicide poisoning https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/f4555f8a4887f0642f52fc067c2cc320.pdf a9a880813e85397665dfa89e33a5a273 PDF Text Text ItomD Number °2178 Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author Repert/ArtlClO TltlO Letter: from Alving L. Young to Glenn E. Haughie, May 7,1981 Journal/Book Title Year Month/Day Color Number of Images D 6 DBscripton Notes Thursday, September 20, 2001 Page 2178 of 2293 �* �Alvin L. Young, Ph.D. Environmental Scientist 520A Magnolia Maxwell AFB AL 36113 7 May 1981 Dr. Glenn E. Haughie, MD Director, Office of Public Health New York Department of Health Tower Building, Empire State Plaza Albany NY 12237 Dear Dr. Haughie I apologize for the tardiness of my correspondence! I did appreciate the invitation to serve on the Expert Panel and to have had the opportunity of personally viewing the Binghamton State Office Building. Let me formally share with you my observations and recommendations, First, I commend you and your staff for the progress that has been made on resolving this chemical contamination "episode". However, you are faced with a monumental decontamination task which, unfortunately, has the potential for becoming an albatrose around the neck of the NY Department of Health for many years to come. It will likely produce negative benefits for the State of New York in the press and with the public unless the task is done carefully and tactfully. To this end, I believe you must immediately initiate long-term plans. The most important recommendation that I urge you to adopt is the formation of an "Authority" or "Special Agency" to coordinate all activities and functions associated with this episode. This "Authority" must be headquartered in Binghamton (preferably near the State Office Building so that decontamination activities can be readily monitored, and so that the "crisis" will be a daily reminder of the importance of its task). The MBING-HAMTON AUTHORITY" should be composed of committee members or advisors pMs a full-time, state-employed staff. The committee members should represent the concerned public, appropriate labor unions or employees of the State Office Building, and the city, county, state and federal governments. The full-time staff should minimally consist of a project director, staff scientist, public relations coordinator, and a small support staff. The full-time staff should maintain a facility where the Committee could hold weekly meetings, and where 1. �letters could be typed, phone calls received, status reports prepared, and interviews given to the news media. The current "Panel of Experts" could periodically serve the Authority on difficult scientific questions or sensitive public issues. The point that I am trying to make is that the Binghamton Authority must have the responsibility and authority to "get the job done". You desperately need a single focal point for this episode. When I visited Binghamton I was appalled by the number of "players" and the apparent lackoof coordination between them in collecting samples and giving interviews,and tours. Unless you can get this facet of the program in hand,^, future accomplishments Mil be minimal. A Binghamton Authority would provide the needed focal point. It is important that every action that concerns this episode be coordinated and appropriately documented. This includes proposals for research, contractual arrangements and actions, sampling protocols, labor actions, press releases, and the maintenance of a registry of visitors and tours of the contaminated facility. Although the cost of establishing a Binghamton Authority will be significant, the dollars that will be saved, the knowledge that will be documented, and favorable public relations that will be cultivated will offset the investment. The second issue I would like to address concerns exposure standards. The Expert Panel meeting of 3 April was unable to establish permissible expositae levels. In the absence of such data, I would recommend the use of interim standards. For example, for PCBs, an interim standard of 2 micrograms/per square meter for public surfaces and 1 microgram per cubic meter of air would be consistent with NIOSH actions. For TCDD, I would recommend an interim standard of 0.01 microgram per square meter and 0 0 6 microgram per cubic meter for similar surfaces and air, .0 respectively. These latter interim standards are in keeping with actions by the Italians and the US Air Force, respectively. I would also recommend that different areas of the building have different interim cleaning standards. For example, for TCDD, permissible levels of 5 micrograms per square meter should be adopted for inaccessible areas. Obviously, until sufficient analytical and toxicological data are 2. �available on the sample matrix, final exposure standards cannot be decided. I believe that chemical binding within the soot has signifanctly decreased the toxicity of the samples (see ATCH 1, article fr©m J, Agric. Food Ohem. 1981, 29:288-293). However , decontamination efforts are pointless unless you have a goal-oriented program. Thus, interim standards must be established concurrent with decontamination actions, least you be faced with the delemma of when to stop cleaning. In reference to toxicological testing, I was pleased to hear that you've had state laboratories undertake the testing and evaluation of the soot matrix. I feel very strongly that state and local laboratories should play important roHes in this project. Nevertheless, testing protocols should be prepared and evaluated on all projects, and all personnel should be instructed in the safe handling of the chemicals associated with the soot matrix. The entire project ooiald suffer if some laboratory personnel are contaminated due to poor testing and safety procedures. In reference to analytical determinations, I continue to support analyses by Br O'Keefe and Br»Spalik. However, because of the complexity of the analytical tasks, I believe it is important that confirmation of selected samples be obtained from an independent laboratory. I suggested to Br Schecter that the University of Nebraska has the necessary capability to exam samples for 2,3,7,8-TCBB. A commercial laboratory may also be of value in providing rapid turn-a-round time for selected samples. During my visit to Binghamton, I discussed with Br Schecter the need for a standard sampling protocol. This should include a program where all samples for all facets of the project (toxicology, characterization, and decontamination) are collected by the same team with records established on where, when, and how the samples were collected, I believe the current procedure is not providing the adequate "economy of sample" nor "maximum data per sample" that is so necessary in this project. For example, I recommended to Br Schecter that: A. The same location be wiped sampled on multiple floors. I suggested that a site near the vent in the NE Mens Room be sampled on Floors 3,7,11, 15, niid 18. This will allow dispersion modelling from the source. 3. �B. Wipe samples (from floor, wall, and ceiling) be collected from common areas (e.g., elevator lobbies) associated with floors 4,8, 12, and 16. This will allow comparisons between similar floors, walls, and ceilings that are located at equal distance from each other. C. Air samples be similarily collected from 2 locations (heavy traffic areas) on 3 different floors. The air samples should be 48-hr samples and should represent both partic.ulate and vapor phases. Detailed analyses of the above samples would provide a more complete picture of the magnitude of chemical contamination of the State Office Building,,They would also provide excellent baseline data prior to extensive decontamination operations. There are a few minor (but critical) items that I would bring to your attention. It is essential that a registry be prepared of all personnel potentially exposed to the toxins. This should include fireman, workers, visitors, etc. The more thorough the documentation of the individuals (identification, job, age, address,etc.) and the exposure (date, circumstances", located visited, etc.), the more valuable this registry will become in the next few years, especially when legal actions are taken and liability determinations are made. Another item is the disposition of the contaminated office equipment and furniture. I discussed an idea with Dr. Schecter concerning the equipment and furniture; I believe that with appropriate safe guards (approved by EPA), some enterprising firm may be willing to decontaminate, repair, and repaint the equipment and furniture. The firm would be responsible for safely removing the "bagged" equipment and furniture at no cost to the state. It would in-turn recover costs through the sale of the items. The county or state would profit by not ihaving to dispose of the material in a sanitary landfill or through incineration. This idea would be most feasible if it is shown that the soot reduces the exposure potential of the toxic chemicals. The parking garage was essentially decontaminated when I visited Binghamton. I would hope that the latest wipe and air samples confirm that the area is "essentially" decontaminated. Since this is an important parking facility, and one that can be controlled, I believe that the most stringent standards need not apply, I believe that the 4. �benefits gained from opening this parking facitity as soon as possible will outweigh the minimal risks associated with exposure to almost negligible levels of soot-bound contamination. This brings me to my last point. Because of the incidents associated with controlling the fire, and the initial attempts at decontamination, the soot, and hence, PCB, TCDD, and TCDP,;have spread from the building to other areas in the community. I realize that some mapping of the surrounding contamination has been conducted. I would certainly recommend continuation of a systematic (and periodic) mapping program. The public needs to know that there is an environmental monitoring program. The public needs to also hear "positive" information (the intent of my short seminar to your medical association). The "Doom and Gloom" team constantly maximizes any threat at the expense of perspectives and probabilities. In truth, we have no information that the low levels of PCBs, TCDDs, and TCDFs encountered in the environmental monitoring programs or in the decontaminated areas pose a threat to man or his environment. We must not let emotion dictate that the State Office Building and all its contents be destroyed. The project that faces you will be difficult but it ;is manageable? I believe that my comments address the questions and concerns in your letter of 15 April and Dr Schecter's letter of 10 April. It I can be of further assistance or clarify any of my comments, please contact me. Sincerely yours, AIVIN L. YOUNG, PhD 1 Atch Journal Article cc Dr. Arnold Schecter 5. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 087 Folder The folder containing the original item. 2178 Series The series number of the original item. Series IV Subseries II Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Letter: from Alvin L. Young to Glenn E. Haughie, May 7, 1981 Subject The topic of the resource BSOB building remediation exposure assessment PCBs https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/9098f5da95da08100660fbf213683621.pdf b9cea019ad99fb8a7c6fba0d5ecc3b0b PDF Text Text Item D Number °1795 Author Young, Alvin L. Corporate Author Rmort/ArOdfl TlflB Typescript: Use of Herbicides in South Vietnam, 1961nivui i/ni uuu MUD 1971 _ June 14 _ 1983 Journal/Book Title Year 000 ° Month/Day Color n Number of images 9 DeSCTlpton NOtBS Alvin L Youn 9filed tnis item under "Vietnam Veterans Twin Study." Typescript is a synopsis of information from Chapters I and III of The Toxicology, Environmental Fate, and Human Risk of Herbicide Orange and Its Associated Dioxin (see Item 1165). Wednesday, July 11, 2001 Page 1796 of 1870 �USE OF HERBICIDES IN SOUTH VIETNAM, 1961-1971* Alvin L. Young MAJOR, USAF, Ph.D. Herbicides used in support of tactical military operations in South Vietnam from 1961 to 1971 are today, twelve years after the last herbicide mission, the center of intense scientific debate involving not only medical but also legal, political and ecological issues. This paper reviews the historical and operational concepts and some potential human exposure considerations involving the military use of herbicides in the Southeast Asian Conflict. Synthesis technology, efficacy data, and field application techniques were developed for the two major phenoxy herbicides, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4--D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) during World War II at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland. Following World War II, the commercial use of these two "synthetic" organic herbicides revolutionized American agriculture. In 1950, more than 10 million pounds of these materials were used annually for weed and brush control in the United States. By 1960, in excess of 36 million pounds were used. In May 1961, the Office of the Secretary of Defense requested the Fort Detrick personnel to determine the technical feasibility of defoliating jungle vegetation in the Republic of Vietnam. By early fall, 1961, 18 different aerial spray tests (defoliation and anticrop) had been conducted with various formulations of commercially-available herbicides. The choice of these herbicides was based upon the chemicals that had had considerable research, proven performance, and practical background at that period in time. Also, such factors as availability in large quantity, costs, and known or accepted safety in regard to their toxicity to humans and animals was considered, The results of these tests were that significant defoliation and anticrop effects could be obtained with two different mixtures of herbicides. The first was a mixture of the n-butyl esters of 2,4-D and 2,^,5-T and the iso-butyl ester of 2,4, 5-T. This mixture was code-named "Purple". The second "military" herbicide was code-named "Blue" and consisted of the acid and sodium salt of cacodylic acid. The colored bands which were painted around the center of the 55~gailon drums served as aid to the identification by support personnel. . * The first shipment of Herbicides Purple and Blue was received at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, on 9 January 1962. These were the first military herbicides used in Operation RANCH HAND, the tactical military project for the aerial spraying of herbicides in South Vietnam. Two additional phenoxy herbicide formulations were received in limited quantities in South Vietnam and A synopsis of Information from Chapters I and III of The Toxicology, Environmental Fate, and Human Risk of Herbicide Orange and Its Associated Dioxin, Air Force Technical Report OEHL-TR-78-92, USAF Occupational and Environmental Health Laboratory, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. (Authors: A. L. Young, 3. A. Calcagni, C. E. Thalken, and 3. W. Tremblay) 1978. 6-14-83 �evaluated during the first two years of Operation RANCH HAND. These were code-named Pink and Green. By January 1965, two additional military herbicides, code-named Orange and White, had been evaluated and brought into the spray program. Herbicide Orange replaced all uses of Purple, Pink, or Green, and eventually became the most widely used military herbicide in South Vietnam. The composition of the three major herbicides used in South Vietnam were as follows: 1. Herbicide Orange Orange was a reddish-brown to tan colored liquid soluble in diesel fuel and organic solvents, but insoluble in water. One gallon of Orange theoretically contained 4.21 pounds of the active ingredient of 2,4--D and 4.41 pounds of the active ingredient of 2,4,5-T. Orange was formulated to contain a 50:50 mixture of the ri-butyl esters of 2,4~D and 2,4,5-T. The percentages of the formulation typically were: n-butyl ester of 2,4-D .free acid of 2,4-D n-butyl ester of 2,4,5-T free acid of 2,4,5-T inert ingredients (e.g., butyl alcohol and ester moieties) 2. 49.49 0.13 48.75 1.00 0.62 Herbicide White White was a dark brown viscous liquid that was soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents and diesel fuel. One gallon of White contained 0.54 pounds of the active ingredient of 4-amino~3,5,6~trichloropicolinic acid (picloram) and 2.00 pounds of the active ingredient of 2,4-D. White was formulated to contain a 1:4 mixture of the triisopropanoamine salts of picloram and 2,4-D. The percentages of the formulation were: triisopropanolamine salt of picloram 10.2 triisopropanolarnine salt of 2,4~D 39.6 inert ingredient (primarily the 50.2 solvent triisopropanolamine) 3. Herbicide Blue . •* Blue was a clear yellowish-tan liquid that was soluble in water, but insoluble in organic solvents and diesel fuel. One gallon of Blue contained 3.10 pounds of the active ingredient hydroxydimethyarsine oxide (cacodylic acid). Blue was formulated to contain cacodylic acid (as the free acid) and the sodium salt of cacodylic acid (sodium cacodylate). The percentages of the formulation were: cacodylic acid sodium cacodylate surfactant sodium chloride 6-14-83 4.7 26.4 3.4 5.5 �water antifoam agent 39.5 0.5 As previously noted, not all of the herbicides used in South Vietnam were used throughout the entire 10 years (1962-1971) encompassed by the Department of Defense defoliation program. In addition, 2,4»5-T formulations used early in the program are believed to have contained higher levels of the toxic contaminant TCDD (2,3,7,8~tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or "dioxin") than did the formulations used in later years. The three time periods shown in Table 1 can be differentiated on the basis of specific herbicides used and the mean dioxin content. TABLE 1 THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THREE TIME PERIODS DURING THE US MILITARY DEFOLIATION PROGRAM IN SOUTH VIETNAM AND MEAN DIOXIN CONTENT PERIOD HERBICIDES USED - (CODE NAMES) MEAN DIOXIN CONTENT (PARTS PER MILLION)* January 1962 June 1965 Purple, Pink, Green Blue July 1965June 1970 Orange White, Blue 2+ 0 July 1970 October 1971 White, Blue 0 * ** 32** 0 Found only in 2,4,5-T containing formulations. Value based on analyses of five samples. Orange based on the analyses of 488 samples. Herbicide Orange was the most extensively used herbicide in South Vietnam. Orange accounted for approximately 10.7 million gallons of the total 17.7 million gallons of herbicide used (Table 2). It was used from mid-1965 to i June 1970. However, as stated in Table 2, Orange was not the only 2,^5-T containing herbicide used in the defoliation program. Small quantities of Purple, Pink, and Green, all containing 2,4,5-T were used from 1962 through mid-1965. In subsequent sections of this document, the term "Herbicide Orange" will refer to all of the 2,4,5-T containing herbicides used in Vietnam (Purple, Pink, Green, and Orange). 6-14-83 �TABLE 2 NUMBER OF GALLONS OF MILITARY HERBICIDE PROCURED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DISSEMINATED IN SOUTH VIETNAM DURING JANUARY 1962 - OCTOBER 1971 Code Name Herbicide Orange 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T 1965-1970* White 2,4-D; Picloram 1965-1971** Blue Cacodylic Acid 1962-1971** Purple 2,4-D; 2,4,5-T 1962-1965 Pink 2,4,5-T 1962-1965 Green 2,4,5-T 1962-1965 Quantity Period of Use Total * First fixed-wing spray mission of Herbicide Orange April 16, 1970; last helicopter spray mission of Herbicide Orange June 6, 1970. ** Last fixed-wing mission January 9, 1971; all herbicides under US control stopped October 1971. Use Patterns of Individual Herbicides Each of the three major herbicides (Orange, White, and Blue) had specific uses. Ninety-nine percent of Herbicide White was applied in defoliation missions. It was not recommended for use on crops because of the persistence of Picloram in soils. Because the herbicidal action on woody plants was usually slow, full defoliation did not occur for several months after spray application, thus, it was an ideal herbicide for use in the inland forests in areas where defoliation was not immediately required, but where it did occur it would persist longer than if the area were sprayed with Orange or Blue. Herbicide Blue was the herbicide of choice for crop destruction missions involving cereal or grain crops. Approximately 50 percent of all Blue was used in crop destruction missions in remote or enemy controlled areas with the remainder being used as a contact herbicide for control of grasses around base perimeters. Ninety percent of all Herbicide Orange was used for forest defoliation and it was especially effective in defoliating mangrove forests. Eight percent of Herbicide Orange was used in the destruction of broadleaf crops (beans, peanuts, 6-14-83 �ramie, and root or tuber crops). The remaining 2 percent was used around base perimeters, cache sites, waterways, and communication lines. Table 3 shows the number of acres sprayed with herbicides in South Vietnam within the three major vegetationai categories. TABLE 3 THE NUMBER OF ACRES TREATED IN SOUTH VIETNAM, 1962-1971, WITH MILITARY HERBICIDES WITHIN THE THREE MA3OR VEGETATIONAL CATEGORIES Vegetationai Caafegory Areas Treated* Inland forest 2,670,000 Mangrove forests 318,000 Cultivated crops 260,000 Total 3,2*8,000 "Areas receiving single or multiple coverage. Certain portions of South Vietnam were more likely to have been subjected to defoliation. Herbicide expenditures for the four Combat Tactical Zones of South Vietnam are shown in Table 4. These data were obtained from the HERBS tape (a computer listing of all herbicide missions in South Vietnam from 1965 through 1971). Total volume is in close agreement with the actual procurement data shown in Table 2. TABLE 4 US HERBICIDES EXPENDITURES IN SOUTH VIETNAM, 1962-1971: A BREAKDOWN BY COMBAT TACTICAL ZONE* ical Zones Orange Herbicide Expenditure fgalions) White Blue ''* CTZ I .2,250,000 363,000 298,000 CTZ II 2,519,000 729,000 473,000 5,309,000 3,719,000 294,000 1*227^000 11,305,000 *35jpOO 5,246,000 62*000 1,127,000 J7,678A000 CTZ III des Saigon) CTZ IV Subtotals Grand Total 6-14-83 �In addition to herbicides, numerous other chemicals were shipped to South Vietnam in 55-gallon drums. These included selected fuel additives, cleaning solvents, cooking oils, and a variety of pesticides. The insecticide Malathion was widely used for control of mosquitoes and at least 400,000 gallons of it were used from 1966 through 1970. In addition, much smaller quantities of Lindane and DDT were used in ground operations throughout the war in Southeast Asia. The distribution of the herbicides within Vietnam after their arrival did not occur randomly. About 65 percent was shipped to the 20th Ordnance Storage Depot, Saigon, and 3.5 percent was shipped to the 511th Ordnance Depot, Da Nang. Numerous aircraft were used in the air war in Vietnam, but only a few of these aircraft were used for aerial dissemination of herbicides. The "work horse" of operation RANCH HAND was the C-123, "Provider". This cargo aircraft was adapted to receive a modular spray system for internal carriage. The module (the A/A 45 Y-l) consisted of a 1,000-gallon tank pump, and engine which were all mounted on a frame pallet. An operator's console was an integral part of the unit, but was not mounted on the pallet. Wing booms (1.5 inches in diameter, 22 feet long) extended from the outboard engine nacelles toward the wing tips. A short tail boom (3 inches in diameter, 20 feet long) was positioned centrally near the aft cargo door. Each aircraft normally had a crew of three men: the pilot, co-pilot (nagivator), and flight engineer (console operator). During the peak activity of RANCH HAND operations (1968-1969), approximately 30 U C-123K aircraft were employed. However, many other squadrons of non-RANCH HAND C-123 aircraft were routinely used throughout South Vietnam in transport operations. The control of malaria and other rnosquito-borne diseases in South Vietnam necessitated an extensive aerial insecticide application program. From 1966 through 1972, three C-123 aircraft were used to spray Malathion, an organophosphate insecticide. These aircraft could be distinguished from the Herbicide-spraying aircraft because they were not camouflaged. These aircraft routinely sprayed insecticide adjacent to military and civilian installations, as well as in areas where military operations were in progress, or about to commence. Approximately 10 to 12 percent of all herbicides used in South Vietnam were disseminated by helicopter or ground application equipment. Generally, helicopter crews were not assigned to herbicide spray duties on a full-time basis and rotated the spraying duties with other mission requirements. The military UH-1 series of helicopters, deployed by the Air .Force, the Army, and Navy units, generally sprayed the herbicides. The most common spray system used was the AGRINAUTICS unit. This unit was installed in or removed from the aircraft in a matter of minutes because it was "tied down" to installed cargo shackles and aircraft modifications were not required for its use. The unit consisted of a 200gallon tank and a collapsible 32-foot spray boom. The unit was operated by manual controls to control the flow valve and a windmill brake. Generally, each helicopter had three crew members. A summary of the aircraft used in herbicide and insecticide operations is shown in Table 5. 6-14-83 .6 �TABLE 5 US MILITARY AIRCRAFT USED IN THE DISSEMINATION OF HERBICIDES AND INSECTICIDES IN SOUTH VIETNAM Aircraft Camouflaged Chemical Disseminated UC-123/UC-123K Yes All Herbicides UC-123K No Malathion Yes Orange, Blue Helicopter Air Force UH-1 Army UH-1B/UH-1D Navy UH/iE Various ground delivery systems were also used in South Vietnam for control of vegetation in limited areas. Most of these units were towed or mounted on vehicles. One unit that was routinely used was the Buffalo turbine. It developed a wind blast with a velocity up to 150 MPH at 10,000 ft^/minute volume. When the herbicide was injected into the air blast, it was essentially "shot" at the foliage. The buffalo turbine was useful for roadside spraying and applications of perimeter defenses. The herbicides of choice in these operations were Blue and Orange. Table 6 reviews the pertinent chemical and physical characteristics of Herbicide Orange. Table 7 reviews both the application parameters of the spray system used in the UC-123K aircraft and the characteristics of the spray itself. Generally, herbicides were sprayed in the early morning or late afternoon, so as to minimize the effects of air movement on particle dispersion. 6-14-83 �TABLE 6 PERTINENT CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HERBICIDE ORANGE Formulation Concentrated (8.6 Ib ai/gai)* Water Insoluble Density = 1.28 Vapor Pressure 3.6 x 10~* mm Hg at 30°C NBE** 2,4-D : 1.2 x 1Q~4 NBE 2,4,5-T : 0.* x 10-* TCDD : Viscous 1 x 10-* . 40 centipoises at 20°C Noncorrosive to rnetal Deleterious to paints, rubber, neoprene Long Shelf life * ** Pounds active ingredient (2,4™D and 2,4,5-T) per gallon. NBE - Normal Butyl ester. TABLE 7 APPLICATION PARAMETERS AND SPRAY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE C-123 MODULAR INTERNAL SPRAY SYSTEM Aircraft speed Aircraft altitude Tank volume Spray time Particle size: 100 microns: 1.9% 100-500 microns: 76.2% -. 500 microns: 21.9% 87% impacted within 1 min 13% drifted or volatilized Mean particle volume Spray swath Mean deposition Total area/tank Knots indicated air speed 6-14-83 130 K1AS* 150 feet 1,000 gallons 3.5-4 minutes 0.61 microliters 260 + 20 feet 3 gallons/acre 340 acres �SUMMARY The choice of herbicides used in South Vietnam in Operation RANCH HAND, 1962-1971, was based upon those herbicides that had been widely used in world agriculture, shown to be effective in controlling a broad spectrum of vegetation, and thought to be safe to humans and animals. The major herbicides used in South Vietnam were the phenoxy herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. These two herbicides were formulated as the water insoluble esters and code-named by the military as Purple, Orange, Pink and Green. A water soluble amine formulation of 2,4~D was used in Herbicide White. Two other herbicides were extensively used by the military, picloram (in White) and cacodylic acid (in Blue). An estimated 107 million pounds of herbicides were aerially disseminated on 3 million acres in South Vietnam from January 1962 through October 1971. Approximately 94 percent of all herbicides sprayed in Vietnam were 2,4-D (56 million pounds or 53 percent of total) or 2,4,5-T (44 million pounds or 41 percent of total). The 44 million pounds of 2,4,5-T contained an estimated 368 pounds of the toxic contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin). Ninetysix percent of all 2,4,5-T was contained in Herbicide Orange; the remaining 4 percent in Herbicides Green, Pink and Purple. However, Herbicides Green, Pink and Purple contained approximately 40 percent of the estimated amount of TCDD disseminated in South Vietnam. Green, Pink and Purple were sprayed as defoliants on Jess than 90,000 acres from 1962 through 1964, a period when only a small force of US military personnel were in South Vietnam. Ninety percent of all the Herbicide Orange (containing 38.3 million pounds of 2,4,5-T and 203 pounds of TCDD) were used in defoliation operations on 2.9 million acres of inland forests and mangrove forests of South Vietnam. 6-14-83 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 066 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1795 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries III Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young, Alvin L. Title A name given to the resource Typescript: Use of Herbicides in South Vietnam, 1961-1971, June 14, 1983 Subject The topic of the resource Ranch Hand herbicide application Ranch Hand aircraft herbicide properties ao_seriesIII