$200 million has been appropriated for the Ranch Hand Study. This study is an investigation of the effects of spraying Agent Orange on our servicemen during the Vietnam War. The major problem with this investigation is that the Air Force is conducting an investigation of itself. Congress directed the Air Force to evaluate the health, survival and reproductive outcomes of veterans of Operation Ranch Hand. The study seeks to determine whether Ranch Hand veterans have experienced adverse health and whether those effects, if they exist, can be attributed to exposure to herbicides or dioxin.

The next major problem with this study is the participants. The target group is 1,000 men who were directly involved with spraying herbicides. This includes (but is not limited to): pilots who flew the planes that sprayed the chemicals; maintenance crews of the flight equipment; spray equipment maintenance. The comparison group, 1300 participants, is comprised of Air Force veterans who were involved in C-130 aircraft missions in Southeast Asia during the same period. Neither of these groups include servicemen on the ground who were not part of flight crews from the Air Force (or any other branch of service) that were sprayed with any of the fifteen chemicals used in Vietnam. 1

Following is a breakdown of eligibility and participation according to the latest report dated October 18, 2000.

Morbidity Study Participation 1

	Ranch Hand		Comparison
Year	Eligible	Attended (%)	Eligible	Attended (%)
1982	1208	1045 (56.5)	1667	1224 (73.4)
1985	1198	1016 (84.8)	1714	1293 (75.4)
1987	1187	995 (83.8)	1731	1299 (75.0)
1992	1148	952 (82.9)	1762	1281 (72.7)
1997	1099	870 (79.2)	1700	1251 (73.6)

 

The Ranch Hand Study was designed based on an Index Group of 1,208 Ranch Hand Veterans (the number of the Eligible Ranch Hand participants), a control population of 19,080 Air Force Veterans of Southeast Asia and the number of examined controls matched on age, race and military occupation totaling 1,668 (the number of the eligible comparison participants.) 1

The most interesting thing about this chart is that the Eligible number of Ranch Hand Participants steadily decreases while the Eligible number of Comparison Participants steadily increases.

Q: Are the Air Force scientists who are conducting the Ranch Hand Study manipulating the outcomes by manipulating the comparison group?

 

 

Cause Specific Mortality through December 1993 1
Deaths
Cause	Observed	Expected	SMR
Accidents	26	22.3	1.2
Suicides	4	5.8	0.7
Homicides	2	1.7	1.2
Infection	2	1.3	1.5
Cancer	30	33.2	0.9
Endocrine	1	1.1	0.9
Heart Disease	39	39.6	1.0
(Enlisted)	(24)	(16.1)	(1.5*)
Respiratory	2	4.1	0.5
Digestive	9	5.1	1.7*
Ill Defined	3	2.4	1.3

 

*This information comes directly from a presentation located at http://www.brooks.af.mil/AFRL/HED/hedb/afhs.html and there is not a definition for the numbers that are starred. Likewise, I do not know what SMR stands for.

 

The chart shown above taken from The Ranch Hand Study is dated through 1993. The Study began in 1978 so we are looking at a 15-year period.

The National Center for Health Statistics 3 reports show much different numbers for the Nation than the Ranch Hand Study shows for a select group of men. The numbers shown by the Ranch Hand Study are above or below what is reported by the NCHS.

Suicide rates - for men age 45-64 are 22.4 per 100,000. Therefore, with a group of 1,000 men we should expect .24 suicides not 5.8 expected suicides. Over 15 years, 3.6 suicides per 1,000 men. 3

Accident rates - for men age 45-64 are 46.8 per 100,000. Therefore with a group of 1,000 men we should expect .468 accidents not 22.3 expected accidents. Over 15 years, 7.02 per 1,000 men. 3

Cancer rates - for men age 45-64 are 255.3 per 100,000. Therefore with a group of 1,000 men we should expect 2.553 deaths not 33.2 expected deaths. Over 15 years, 38.295 per 1,000 men. 3

All of my calculations are based on a statistical report from the NCHS dated 1998. Logically, because each of these numbers has risen throughout the years, my calculations should be higher than those based on a yearly figure taken throughout each of the past 15 years.

Q: Where did the Air Force scientists who are conducting the Ranch Hand Study get their statistics? Did they take into consideration that national statistics include the Ranch Hand participants? Why do none of their numbers coincide with any statistical data from another source?

Clark Brooks Reports~

News Articles~

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15 Chemicals Sprayed on Vietnam Soldiers

Agent Purple	Agent Green	Agent Pink	Agent Orange	Agent White
Agent Blue	Super Orange	Donoxol	Trinoxol	Bromacil
Diquat	Tandex	Monuron	Diuron	Dalapon
				2

more information~

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LINKS

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Operation Just Cause

For Colonel Guy

1929-1999

POW and AOVet

 

REFERENCES

1. http://www.brooks.af.mil/AFRL/HED/hedb/afhs.html

2. http://www.lewispublishing.com/herbs1.htm

3. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/