AGENT ALERT

The most frustrating part of the earlier debate over the health effects of Agent Orange, the defoliant used during the Vietnam War, was the sense that the Pentagon wanted veterans to stop talking about the issue and just take its word for it there was little danger. That attitude gave the issue a life it otherwise would not have had. So now that Canada – and many U.S. states, including Maine – are in the early stages of reviewing the use of Agent Orange and its more potent form, Agent Purple, at a military base in New Brunswick, the chance to avoid the mistakes of the past couldn’t be clearer.

Maine’s National Guard, like National Guard units from other states, has used the Canadian Forces Base Gagetown facility for years. In 1966 and 1967, Agents Orange and Purple were sprayed in one section of that base, and now Canada is trying to figure out what, if any, effects the spraying had on the guard members who trained there afterward.

The task before Canadian and U.S. military leaders is to ensure, first, that a thorough investigation is conducted into cancer rates and other illnesses among the trainees, and, second, that the public is kept informed along the way. There is some encouraging news on the second issue. Canadian officials have held public hearings on the spraying, taking statements from members of the public, who are, according to reports, deeply concerned about government behavior on this issue. Today, the head of Maine’s National Guard, Maj. Gen. John Libby, will be meeting in Augusta with officials from Togus to discuss the problem. The meeting is open to the press, a good sign.

According to a recent news story, some in Canada already believe their government allowed the dioxin-bearing defoliants to poison the local water supply while others say they think the government secretly tested both agents on humans. The only way to refute such charges is to release as much information as quickly as possible. That means having the information to release, which could demand health surveys and related work.

Affecting two countries and multiple states, the data-gathering challenge on this side of the border is an issue for Washington, but the release of information would come best if it came locally. This is a matter of trust, and, if the Canadian hearings are an accurate measure, it is trust that must be gained quickly.