During the past year, VVA has worked steadfastly to bring to light the consequences of a 1960's-era military chemical and biological weapons testing program called Project SHAD, Shipboard Hazard and Defense. This program was designed to test the vulnerability of naval and other vessels to a variety of hazardous substances, including nerve agents such as sarin and VX, biological agents such as E. coli and Q fever, and possibly radioactive particles. Simulants - or supposedly non-hazardous agents that behave the way certain toxic materials do - also were used in the more than approximately 113 SHAD-related tests.   

Some of the simulants have proven to be not as harmless as originally thought.  Furthermore, some of the chemicals used to decontaminate the ships have been demonstrated to be highly carcinogenic. 

SHAD was part of a larger government chemical/biological weapons testing program known as  Project 112.  While the SHAD spraying primarily occurred in the Pacific Ocean, Project 112 tests also were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean, and around Alaska, Panama and other locations.

The problem is that not all of those exposed to these agents knew that they were test subjects. Many have reported that they were issued no special instructions or protective gear during the tests.  Complicating this is that much of the documentation concerning the test dates, locations, agents used, and personnel affected remains classified. VVA has been working with Congress and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to declassify these records so that affected veterans can be notified, examined, treated, and compensated for residual disabilities.  

On June 27, the Veterans Right to Know Act of 2002 was introduced in Congress. That act is designed to bring relief to veterans involved in SHAD and other testing activities by requiring DoD to declassify all SHAD and Project 112 data. It also establishes an independent General Accounting Office commission to oversee the declassification of relevant test and military personnel records, and requires the VA to notify veterans of their involvement in the tests and to identify any relationships between the agents used and possible adverse health effects.  Congressional hearings on the act were scheduled for July 2002.  

The declassification process already has begun. The DoD has provided the VA with information from 12 tests for approximately 4,300 participants.  Based upon this information, the VA has begun to notify these veterans about the potential risk of exposure. 

If you believe that you, a family member, or someone you know might have been involved in one of these tests, please contact a Veterans service representative in your area. See the VVA website for a list of local service representatives ( http://www.vva.org).  You can also contact the VA directly through the SHAD helpline, 800-749-8387, or by e-mail at shadhelpline@vba.va.gov