HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
http://www.ab.sympatico.ca/news/Fullstories/n071444.html Sympatico NewsExpress The Canadian Press July 15, 2002 Veterans Affairs says soldier's death possibly linked to Bosnia service MURRAY BREWSTER -"Somebody is finally realizing that these guys we sent over to Bosnia are coming back ill," she said from her home in Fredericton. "They go over healthy but come back sick." HALIFAX (CP) - Veterans Affairs has determined that a soldier whose illness and death sparked a military inquiry could have contracted his condition while serving in Bosnia. The position appears to contradict the findings of a military investigation into the living conditions faced by Canadian peacekeepers serving in the war-torn region in the mid-1990s. In a letter to his widow, Mary Ann Peace, pension officials said there is "a reasonable doubt" that warrant officer Michael Peace became sick as a result of his duty in Visoko. Peace died of a brain tumour two years ago. "A review of the service records reveals your late husband did have some vague complaints, i.e. headaches, while serving in Bosnia," said the letter dated June 20, 2002. "As well, on all reports concerning the claimed condition he consistently gave a history of his first symptoms beginning while serving in the former Yugoslavia. "Having weighed all the evidence presented, a reasonable doubt has been established regarding the origin of the claimed condition and that doubt has been resolved in your favour." The decision means that Mary Ann Peace will be awarded a full survivor's pension. "Somebody is finally realizing that these guys we sent over to Bosnia are coming back ill," she said from her home in Fredericton. "They go over healthy but come back sick." Before passing away in October 2000, Peace asked his superiors to investigate why he and some of his comrades had become sick after serving in Bosnia. The military convened a board of inquiry which found that while more than 34 soldiers developed mysterious ailments, none could be directly linked to their tours in the region. A spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs cautioned against reading too much into the decision. Janice Summerby said she couldn't talk specifically about the Peace case, but in issuing the letter, the department is saying "we're not sure what caused your disability." When faced with soldiers who develop debilitating illnesses, such as cancer or multiple sclerosis, pension officials must err on the side caution, she said. "When you serve in an area like that, you go in healthy and come back with an illness, we can grant you benefit of the doubt," Summerby said from Ottawa. "We can't say it's due to your service or not due to your service, but because you were healthy before, we're going to give you benefit of the doubt." The military wasn't available to comment. In an April 2000 letter to his commanding officer at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick, Peace said he believed the fumes from special modifications to armoured vehicles were to blame for his tumour. The modifications took place on Peace's second peacekeeping tour in the former Yugoslavia between the fall of 1994 and spring 1995. The so called "add-on armour" consisted of specialized ceramic tiles that had to be cut and pasted on to the vehicles. The work took place in the basement of the Royal Canadian Regiment's living quarters and, according to the army's own reports, dust from the process was spread throughout the building. The board reviewed medical records and toxicology reports and deemed that the tiles were not toxic and posed no health risk. During its investigation, the board discovered another 34 soldiers were sick, many of them reporting ailments that resemble Gulf War syndrome. The health complaints raised by the soldiers ranged from persistent headaches, vision and memory problems to mysterious bleeding. However, the board found no evidence that the troops had been exposed to a variety of chemicals, or dust from spent depleted uranium ammunition. It attributed many of the illnesses to stress brought on by combat situations. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
