The Retrograde Equipment investigation followed four general lines of study:
A. Retrograde Operations in the Kuwait Theater of Operations
Before any item of equipment could be re-deployed to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations required that it undergo a rigorous cleaning and inspection to prevent the transport of undesirable pests and microorganisms back to a units home station. All vehicles and equipment had to be thoroughly cleaned before being loaded on board ships or aircraft. This required service members to take apart (as much as possible) and carefully wash each vehicle and piece of equipment.
Information received from a number of sources, including anecdotal information from Gulf War veterans, indicated that the equipment washing operations presented a significant potential for concentrating contaminants at these locations. Troops working in and around these areas might be expected to be more likely to come in contact with contaminants (if present) and/or receive a higher exposure than troops not engaged in such work. If these exposures were sufficiently high to cause acute health effects, it logically follows that some symptoms would manifest themselves at or in the vicinity of the site where the exposure occurred.
To assess the potential for the onset of adverse health effects from retrograde operations, investigators sought the answers to a number of questions, including:
Investigators used several resources to resolve these questions, including:
TAB B is a bibliography of reference documents used in this investigation. Table 1 presents a list of resources which investigators accessed to identify and obtain the required information. TAB C contains selected information which investigators gathered from the interviews they conducted with Gulf War veterans.[5] Conclusions and results reached to date on the investigation are presented in the Significant Findings section (Section V) of this report.
Resource |
Comments |
Pathfinder SCI Database Search | A classified and unclassified database which contains various messages, reports, and other documents organized by service and military organization (e.g., DIA/CIA, Army, Navy, Marines, USCENTCOM, BuMed, Air Force, etc.). |
GulfLINK Website Search |
A subset of the Pathfinder SCI Database containing unclassified documents, which provided information on the topic of retrograde equipment. |
Gulf War Illness Database |
DoD Incident Reporting Line reports which provide information from Gulf War veterans on the retrograde equipment issue. Investigators reviewed approximately 300 lead sheets from veteran call-ins. |
Armed Forces Medical Library | Investigators conducted a literature search on an electronic database for relevant medical studies on the health effects of contaminants that may have been present. |
Gulf War Veteran Interviews | Results of telephone interviews conducted on a subset (i.e., DoD military personnel who deployed) of the Incident Reporting Line calls. The interviews sought information that is more detailed. (Selected information contained in TAB C). Investigators conducted approximately 225 interviews using an issue-specific questionnaire.[6] |
B. Maintenance and Processing of Retrograded Materials in the United States
Investigators also wanted to determine whether personnel at US military bases in the United States (where retrograde type operations are ongoing) were experiencing symptoms similar to those reported by veterans who were involved in equipment and vehicle maintenance and washing while in-theater. It is reasonable to assume that if exposure to equipment and vehicles in the KTO produced symptoms, then individuals should have reported similar symptoms with similar exposures at sites in the United States. Site visits (some of which were completed) to a number of facilities were planned prior to the decision to close-out this investigation (Table 2).
Table 2. Military facilities selected for site visits
Facility |
Site Visit Status |
Comments |
Anniston Army Depot, Alabama | Not Visited |
Performs maintenance operations on vehicles. |
Blount Island Command (Marine Corps), Florida | Completed |
Performs preventive maintenance on equipment and vehicles maintained as part of the Marine Corps Maritime Pre-positioned Force. |
Fort Bragg/Wilmington, North Carolina | Not Visited |
Port of entry for Army retrograded equipment. |
Ft. Hood, Texas | Not Visited |
Repository for war trophies. |
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia | Completed |
Facility provides vehicle and equipment maintenance and supply capabilities for Marine Corps and other customers on the East Coast. |
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California | Completed |
Facility provides vehicle and equipment maintenance and supply capabilities for Marine Corps and other customers on the West Coast |
Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois | Not Visited |
Weapons development and rework facility. |
Investigators selected these sites based on the following criteria:
Reports summarizing the trips to those sites where a visit was completed can be found in TAB E.
C. Chemical Composition of Preservatives and Coatings in Selected Equipment
Investigators have received a number of anecdotal reports of short-term adverse health effects (primarily skin rashes) associated with exposures to tenting, camouflage netting, and sleeping bags. Some theories suggest an association between the symptoms and an exposure to possible off gassing and/or the toxic by-products of the breakdown of the chemical components. The purpose of this phase of the investigation was to determine the chemical composition of the additives, pigments, dyes, and preservatives used in the manufacturing of these items, and to determine whether these chemicals could possibly cause the reported symptoms. Site visits, some of which were completed, were planned to a number of manufacturing facilities before the decision to close-out this investigation (Table 3). Investigators did not conduct an examination of the use, management, and disposal of oil, greases, solvents and other fluids associated with vehicle operation and maintenance. While some of these materials are known to be toxic or represent health hazards, investigators determined them to be outside the scope of this investigation.
Table 3. Manufacturing facilities selected for site visits
Facility |
Site Visit Status |
Comments |
Avondale Mills, South Carolina | Completed |
Manufacturer of Temper Tent fabricthe fabric used in general purpose large tents and other tents. |
Intellitec, Inc., Florida | Completed |
Major manufacturer of woodland and sand camouflage netting screen. Intellitec captured about 40% of the market for net screen during the war. |
Teledyne Brown Engineering, Alabama | Not Visited |
Major competitor of Intellitec in the manufacturing of camouflage netting screen. |
Tennier Industries, Inc., Pennsylvania | Not Visited |
Major manufacturer of sleeping bags. Investigators have received product information, including some information on chemical composition. |
TAB E contains the reports summarizing the trips to those manufacturing sites where a site visit was completed by investigators.
D. Site-Specific Exposure Incidents
Investigators sought to determine whether an association existed between the symptoms reported and any contamination that may have been present at specific facilities and locations where civilian and military personnel came in contact with retrograde materials. Congressional inquires and media reports identified several sites, which became candidates for investigation. Where possible, investigators interviewed the individuals involved and requested supporting information and documentation when available. Site visits, while considered, have not been made to these locations. These incidents almost exclusively involved non-deployed DoD and contractor civilians rather than Gulf War veterans. Table 4 lists the locations where personnel have alleged that exposure incidents occurred. This part of the overall investigation is incomplete.
Table 4. Site specific incidents
Incident Location |
Investigation Status |
Comments |
Alameda Naval Air Station, California |
Preliminary investigation results available |
Civilian contractors complained of various health problems. The Navy completed an investigation that satisfied congressional inquiry. |
Anniston Army Depot, Alabama |
Preliminary investigation results available |
DoD civilian shop workers complained of various health problems. M1A1 tank filter systems being tested for chem/bio agents. Gun tubes tested for DU. |
Bayonne, New Jersey |
Investigation not initiated |
Civilian longshoremen have presented a lawsuit alleging exposure while handling retrograded equipment. |
Camp Robinson, Arkansas |
Preliminary investigation results available |
DoD civilians complained of various health problems while working on retrograded National Guard vehicles. |
Ft. Bragg/Wilmington, North Carolina |
Preliminary investigation results available |
DoD civilians complained of health problems from handling returning vehicles. |
Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri |
Investigation not initiated |
Reports of contact dermatitis from processing retrograde equipment. |
Ohio Air National Guard, Ohio |
Investigation not initiated |
Guard members reported skin rashes from contact with tents. |
San Diego, California |
Investigation not initiated |
Civilian longshoremen have presented a lawsuit alleging exposure while handling retrograded equipment. |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
Investigation not initiated |
US soldiers developed skin rash after guarding retrograde equipment. |
TAB F contains preliminary write-ups on the four incidents where an investigation has been initiated.
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