Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Program
Depleted uranium (DU) is a by-product of the uranium enrichment
process; it possesses less U-235 and about 50% of the radioactivity of
natural uranium. During the Gulf War, uranium containing munitions
were used on a large scale for the first time. It was used by the
United States military in projectiles and armor for tanks. While
thousands of military personnel had proximity to uranium munitions, either
as they were stockpiled, transported or while riding in vehicles carrying
these weapons, of most concern have been those individuals who were on or
in vehicles when struck by depleted uranium projectiles. DU is a
radiation hazard primarily if internalized, such as in shrapnel,
contaminated wounds, and inhalation. In addition to its
radioactivity, DU has some chemical toxicity related to being a heavy
metal (similar to lead).
When the DU Program was established in 1993, only a limited number of
US veterans were known to have been directly wounded by DU weapons.
In 1997, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense became aware that
a number of other service members beyond those first identified by DoD in
1993-1994, were also potentially exposed to DU. DoD's Office
of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses (OSAGWI) was tasked with
investigating and locating a number of veterans potentially exposed to DU
beyond the original participants in the program. VACO officials in
the Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards, OSAGWI and
Baltimore program officials collaborated to initiate a program to assess
potential DU exposure to service members, identify and inform those
service members of the possibility of exposure to DU and advise them of
the availability of testing to determine current urine uranium levels.
Neil S. Otchin, M.D.
VHA
Handbook 1303.4 Evaluation Protocol for Non-Gulf War Veterans with Potential
Exposure to Depleted Uranium (DU) September 2, 2004
1303.4hk 209-02-04.pdf
VHA
Handbook 1303.1 Evaluation Protocol for Gulf War and Iraqi Freedom Veterans with Potential Exposure to Depleted Uranium September 2, 2004
http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1158
(links to PDF file)
VA Form 10-9009D Depleted Uranium (DU) Questionnaire Appendix A, VHA Handbook 1303.1
10-9009D.pdf
VA Form 10-9009E Depleted Uranium Program Checklist 24-Hour Urine Uranium Collection Baltimore VA Medical Center Appendix B, VHA Handbook 1303.1
10-9009f.pdf
Depleted
Uranium - FAQ Sheet
Prepared by the Depleted Uranium
Follow-up Program
VA Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore Division, January
2000 nbsp; revised January 2002.
DepletedUraniumFAQSheet.doc
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