In a letter to Indiana Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, who has a seat on the Armed Services Committee, Army Secretary Pete Geren wrote that the review will look into the Army's procedures for handling hazardous exposure and the follow-up protocols for dealing with those who may have been exposed, as well as whether the Army Corps of Engineers was remiss in the oversight of the contract work undertaken by Kellogg, Brown & Root. Geren also indicated he has asked for an independent assessment of the medical evaluations conducted by the Army immediately after the chemical exposure was identified.
Bayh requested the Army investigation after congressional Democrats in June held a forum about the potential exposure at the Qarmat Ali water pumping plant.
Two KBR employees told Senate Democrats that workers and soldiers were exposed in 2003 to sodium dichromate, a known carcinogen, despite the company's assurances that the site was safe.
Members of the 1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry of the Indiana National Guard were among the soldiers providing protection to the defense contractors.
Bayh called the investigation "an essential first step to ensure that members of the Indiana National Guard received the best care possible when they were unwittingly exposed to potentially carcinogenic toxins in the line of duty."
One former KBR employee said the plant was covered in a layer of bright orange dust that became airborne during dust storms.
Ed Blacke, who was the company's health, safety and environmental coordinator at the site, said that after he determined the chemical was sodium dichromate, KBR officials told workers that the chemical was only a mild irritant and that the plant had been thoroughly checked for safety.
KBR has denied that the company "knowingly harmed troops and was responsible for an unsafe condition."
Bayh is seeking the creation of an "Agent Orange" type registry to identify and track military personnel who are exposed to hazardous chemicals while serving in uniform. He said that such a registry would guarantee access to evaluations and assure priority status at VA facilities.
