WSU to Study Iraq Toxins' Effect
Spokesman-Review
by Bert Caldwell
Research to examine how exposure might damage offspring of soldiers
Washington State University scientists will use a $1.7 million grant to study what multi-generation genetic damage might be done by toxins U.S. troops could encounter in Iraq.
The research using laboratory rats, not humans, will be the first for the military to examine the epigenetic effects of pesticides, herbicides and other compounds, said lead scientist Michael Skinner, director of the university's Center for Reproductive Biology.
Previous studies have looked at the health effects of other substances, notably the Agent Orange used to defoliate jungles in Vietnam, on the soldiers directly exposed, he said, not on their children or grandchildren.
"The science really had not caught up with the trans-generational stuff," said Skinner, one of several WSU pioneers in the field of epigenetic, or multi-generational, inheritance.
Besides herbicides and pesticides – which and in what combinations has not been determined – the study also will look at the effects of explosives residues, he said.
The four-year study will allow researchers to see how any changes in genetic chemistry that develop are passed along through two subsequent generations of rats, he said, noting that only the first two years of research have been funded.
Among the problems that might develop are kidney disease, or changes in the male and female reproductive organs, he said.
If any genetic markers are identified in rats, Skinner said, follow-up research could look at whether they might show up among members of the military as well.
That would be of particular interest to Dave Holmes, interim chief operating officer of the Institute for Systems Medicine, which was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense grant passed through to Skinner.
Holmes' son, Tim Hammond, did two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps.
"They sprayed all kinds of stuff on them," Holmes said.
Although the grant money, the first awarded ISM, will fund work in Pullman, he said the organization's supporters hope any subsequent clinical studies will be done in Spokane.
"There's a lot of excitement about making it happen," he said.
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Report Highlights: Review of Alleged Improper Emergency Payments For Education Benefits
On September 14, 2010, the VA's Office of Inspector General (VAOIG) released the following report:
Veterans Benefits Administration Review of Alleged Improper Emergency Payments for Education Benefits -- Report Number 10-01248-249, 9/14/2010 | Summary | Report (PDF)
Why We Did This Review
The Post-9/11 GI Bill significantly expanded education benefits for qualified persons beginning with the fall 2009 school term. However, due to a processing backlog and challenges implementing the new program, VA issued 122,000 emergency payments worth $356 million for students facing delayed payments during this time. VA intended to offset these payments against forthcoming education benefits. We reviewed a hotline allegation that inadequate controls during this emergency initiative resulted in payments to ineligible recipients.
What We Found
The emergency payment initiative offered effective relief to veterans affected by the untimely processing of claims. However, our review substantiated that VA inappropriately provided 35,000 emergency payments totaling approximately $103 million to ineligible military service members and veterans who did not participate in VA’s education programs. VA also provided 2,700 emergency payments worth $8 million to service members who were enrolled in VA education programs, but who did not meet VA criteria for emergency payments.
VA rushed to plan and implement the emergency payment initiative in late September 2009 to prevent further hardship to students affected by significant delays in processing claims during implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Widespread payments to ineligible recipients occurred in part because VA did not have a contingency plan for emergency payments, did not clearly communicate eligibility rules to service members, and did not have adequate controls to determine whether applicants were eligible for VA emergency payments or enrolled in school during the fall 2009 term. These program weaknesses created vulnerabilities that were exploited by applicants who were either misguided or engaged in potentially fraudulent activities. The emergency payment initiative also resulted in increased administrative burdens and an estimated loss of about $87 million in unrecoverable debts out of the $356 million in total emergency payments.
What We Recommend
We recommended that the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits develop a contingency plan for future advance payments that includes clear communication on service member eligibility and controls to check for eligibility.
Agency Comments
The Acting Under Secretary for Benefits concurred with our finding and recommendation. He added additional information to describe the urgency of the situation that led VA’s leadership to take steps to alleviate veteran’s financial burdens due to payment delays.
(original signed by:)
BELINDA J. FINN Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations
