R 171903Z NOV 11

ALCOAST 538/11
COMDTNOTE 6260
SUBJ: GUIDANCE ON THE DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCYS (DTRA) REPORT
ON POTENTIAL RADIATION EXPOSURE ASSOCIATED WITH ASSIGNMENT TO COAST
GUARD (CG) LORAN STATIONS (LORSTA)
1. PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO CG LORSTA FROM 1942-2010 HAVE EXPRESSED
CONCERN THAT THEIR DUTIES MAY HAVE CAUSED THEM RADIOGENIC DISEASE DUE
TO THEIR EXPOSURE TO X-RAYS EMANATING FROM HIGH VOLTAGE VACUUM TUBES
USED IN LORAN AN/FPN-39, -42, -44, AND -45 TRANSMITTING UNITS.
LORSTA VETERANS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED A POSSIBLE RADIOGENIC DISEASE MAY
BE ENTITLED TO VETERANS ADMINISTRATION (VA) BENEFITS.
2. PERSONNEL WHO OPERATED AND MAINTAINED THESE SYSTEMS WERE NOT
TYPICALLY MONITORED FOR OCCUPATIONAL PERSONNEL RADIATION EXPOSURE AND
CONSEQUENTLY HAVE BECOME CONCERNED THAT THEIR UNKNOWN PERSONAL
RADIATION EXPOSURES MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HEALTH RISKS. IN RESPONSE
TO THIS CONCERN, COMDT (CG-1133), DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
AND SAFETY COMMISSIONED A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS FROM DTRA OF PERSONNEL
RADIATION EXPOSURE ASSOCIATED WITH X-RAYS EMANATING FROM LORSTA
TRANSMITTER UNITS (DTRA-TR-10-26).  SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS FROM COMDT
(CG-1133), COMDT (CG-5532), AND THE RETIRED LORAN VETERANS COMMUNITY
WORKED IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH DTRA IN CREATING THIS REPORT.
3. DTRA TECHNICAL ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT LORSTA RADIATION EXPOSURE
COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR FOR SOME RADIOGENIC DISEASES UNDER
CERTAIN SITUATIONS.  PERSONNEL RADIATION DOSIMETRY MONITORING THAT
WAS DONE IN 1988 AND 1994 DEMONSTRATED MINIMAL PERSONNEL RADIATION
EXPOSURE FOR MONITORED PERSONNEL IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ROUTINE
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.  THE LEVELS RECORDED WERE WELL
WITHIN FEDERAL OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION EXPOSURE LIMITS.  THIS SUPPORTS
THE NOTION THAT IONIZING RADIATION EXPOSURE WAS MINIMAL FOR MOST
PERSONNEL PERFORMING ROUTINE TASKS AT LORSTA DURING THE TIME PERIOD
IN QUESTION.  HOWEVER, THERE ARE ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF SOME PERSONNEL
PERFORMING EXCEPTIONAL OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES WHICH
MAY HAVE INCREASED THEIR EXPOSURE TO IONIZING RADIATION. THIS SMALLER
GROUP OF PERSONNEL WHO PERFORMED THESE EXCEPTIONAL ACTIVITIES MAY BE
AT INCREASED RISK FOR RADIOGENIC DISEASE.
THESE EXCEPTIONAL ACTIVITIES USUALLY INVOLVED PERSONNEL WORKING IN
CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ENERGIZED HIGH VOLTAGE VACUUM TUBES WITH LITTLE OR
NO SHIELDING MATERIAL BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUALS AND THE TUBE.  THIS MAY
HAVE OCCURRED DURING PERIODS OF VOLTAGE ARCING OR UNANTICIPATED HIGH
VOLTAGE TRANSIENTS OR WHEN THE TUBES WERE OPERATING NEAR THE END OF
THEIR LIFETIME.
4. THE DTRA REPORT MAY BE FOUND IN ITS ENTIRETY AT THE FOLLOWING
WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.DTRA.MIL/SPECIALFOCUS/NTPR/NTPRHOME.ASPX. (UNDER
LEARN MORE).
5. ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN STATIONED AT LORSTA
AND WHO HAVE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS SHOULD ENGAGE THEIR COGNIZANT CG
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OR SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER
(SEHO).  FOR PERSONNEL WHO FEEL THAT THEY MAY HAVE RADIOGENIC DISEASE
RELATED TO RADIATION EXPOSURE FROM LORSTA DUTIES AND FOR VETERANS WHO
HAVE HAD PREVIOUS CLAIMS DENIED, INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH
THE VA CAN BE FOUND ON PAGES 32 AND 33 OF THE DTRA REPORT.
6. CAPT TIMOTHY M. MCGUIRE, ACTING DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY, AND
WORK-LIFE, SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.