Frank Vera, Author at George Air Force Base, CA

Primer On Federal Facility Compliance With Environmental Laws: Where Do We Go From Here?

January 30, 2021

Look, Buster, don’t bug me with your crap about permits. I’m building nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, some of the worst [environmental] offenders are our own federal facilities. As President, I will insist that in the future federal agencies meet or exceed environmental standards: The government should live within the laws it imposes on others. Pollution caused by facilities owned or operated by various federal [Read More…]

DoDs Opportunity To Clean Up Its Hazardous Waste Act

January 6, 2021

ABSTRACT: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 was enacted to address the serious problem of hazardous waste contamination in the United States. Although the program has achieved some success, it has failed to achieve its primary purpose – the permanent cleanup of inactive and abandoned hazardous waste sites. With the taxing authority of CERCLA set to expire on [Read More…]

Clarence Tomnitz

January 3, 2021

I was stationed at George AFB, 71-73, as a crew chief on the F4. I lived in the barracks and always thought the water tasted funny, however as a country boy; I blamed it on city water. As I am getting older, my health has for sure started to decline. I have tumors all over my body. I shake so bad that I [Read More…]

Announcement

December 5, 2020

I am not, nor have I ever, been associated with Lisa Marie Tichenor’s (aka Lisa McCrea Tichenor, Lisa McCrea) group, “Military Accountability and Transparency Alliance” (MAATA). I have retained Value-add Health Services to represent my family and me in connection with our claims against DOD and/or Air Force arising from my time at George Air Force Base, CA. I am pleased with Value-add [Read More…]

Scott Wilson

October 11, 2020

I was stationed at George AFB from 1979-82 and I was a firefighter. I lived in the dorms. No government agency notified me of the problems there, I stumbled across this info by accident. So far I have had Gallbladder issues, finally removal, and also liver problems. I have a daughter that has autoimmune issue, heart issues, and mast cell issues. I have [Read More…]

Peggy Dorman-Ramos

August 18, 2020

My husband was stationed at George AFB in 1991-1992, just over 10 months, during the shut-down/turn-over phase. They at one point required we line up for bottled water because ‘over fluoridation in the base water supply that’ll turn your teeth brown’. I was pregnant at the time and gave birth off-base. I had a hard pregnancy & developed SLE lupus while there, undiagnosed [Read More…]

FOIA on FOIA

August 3, 2020

I am requesting a complete and unredacted copy of the contents of the administrative tracking/processing/handling file/folder, including but not limited to notes, memos, and other records, along with any related emails, associated with FOIA Request (or Appeal) Number XXXXX²

Steven Adams

July 15, 2020

My name is Steven Adams and I was stationed at GAFB from April 1975 until July 1978. I was assigned to the 35th Security Police Squadron as an 81152. I lived in the barracks for approximately a year before moving off base. We were notified on several occasions to drink bottled water because of issues with the drinking water but never given anything [Read More…]

sampling for perchlorate was unnecessary

DoD – Report to the Congress Perchlorate in the Southwestern United States

July 3, 2020

In 2005, the DoD/Air Force deliberately misled Congress about the possibility of perchlorate from George AFB contaminating the aquifer used for drinking and irrigation water. As early as 1982, the DoD knew that there were several sources for perchlorate contamination in the Southeast Disposal Area (SDEA). The SEDA is about a ¼ mile upstream of the drinking and irrigation water supply wells for [Read More…]

Gary J Lopresti

June 27, 2020

My name is Gary J Lopresti, I was stationed at GAFB from 1969 to 1973. I was assigned to the 434th TAC Squadron as Environmental Systems Specialist. I was exposed to TCE, Benzenes, Exhaust fumes, and many other toxicants over the years while I was stationed. My wife, daughter and I lived on base for two years. I myself had lived on base [Read More…]

William Holley

April 12, 2020

My name is William Holley. I was stationed at George AFB from 1980 through 1983 and from 1988 through 1991, base closing was in discussion at the time. I was reassigned to Edwards AFB in 1991. I was assigned to 21st Tactical Training Squadron and 29th TASS and lived in dormitory and base housing during my two tours there. Always experienced headaches, tiredness and [Read More…]

Legacy Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Wastes – Press Kit

March 9, 2020

There is an under-reported news story about radioactive contamination at Air Force bases that were closed and transferred to the public by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). Every base where legacy nuclear weapons (early-generation) were deployed (Bomber, Fighter Interceptor Squadrons (FIS), Nike Ajax, BOMARC Missile, ICBM), were maintained, or decommissioned, is potentially contaminated with highly classified 91(b) radioactive material (RAM) from [Read More…]

Featured

SAIC Admits To Falsifying Radiological Testing Results At George AFB

December 7, 2019

In 1991, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) pleaded guilty to defrauding the government by falsifying testing of samples at DoD Superfund sites. SAIC was responsible for the radiological testing done at George AFB’s Weapons Storage and Assembly Area (WSA) and radioactive disposal site (RW-09). Air Force acknowledged that it routinely withheld classified information and records about Buried Radioactive Weapons Maintenance Waste at its [Read More…]

Law Firms Specialising in Class Actions Lawsuits

November 22, 2019

The following law firms have offices in California and were rated as the Best Law Firms for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions by US News. Andrus Anderson LLP Baum Hedlund Law Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP Engstrom, Lipscomb & Lack Girard Sharp Girardi | Keese Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP Lopez McHugh LLP Panish Shea & Boyle LLP Quadra & Coll [Read More…]

2017-07-01 AF – Technical Guidebook to Permitting, Investigations, and Remedial Actions on Air Force Section 91b Radiological Sites

July 20, 2019

Headquarters, Air Force Safety Center, Weapons Safety Division, has the responsibility to permit Air Force organizations possessing Section 91b of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 radioactive materials. The primary radioactive materials involved are residuals from: a) nuclear weapons accidents, b) buried nuclear weapons wastes, c) interior surfaces of nuclear weapon storage and maintenance structures, d) AF nuclear reactors, and e) airborne sampling [Read More…]

Cushman v. Soc. Sec. Admin.

July 2, 2019

Meanwhile, Mr. Cushman filed a civil action in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon regarding the denial of his social security disability claim. The district court remanded Mr. Cushman’s case for further evaluation by the Social Security Office. Mr. Cushman appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In April of 2006, [Read More…]

CUSHMAN v. SHINSEKI – PlainSite

June 30, 2019

PHILIP E. CUSHMAN,Claimant-Appellant,v.ERIC K. SHINSEKI, Secretary of Veterans Affairs,Respondent-Appellee.Kevin A. Calia, Morrison & Foerster LLP, of San Francisco, California, argued for claimant-appellant.Martin F. Hockey, Jr., Assistant Director, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, of Washington, DC, argued for respondent-appellee. With him on the brief were Jeanne E. Davidson, Director, and Allison Kidd-Miller, Trial Attorney. Of counsel on the brief [Read More…]

2019-01-02 USEPA – request for satellite images, aerial photographs, and analysis of George AFB

April 2, 2019

I request a complete and unredacted copy, printout, or export of all satellite images, aerial photographs, AND analysis of the satellite images, aerial photographs of the EPA Superfund site CA2570024453 (former George Air Force Base, CA) and sounding area. Please conduct a comprehensive search for the requested records in possession of the US EPA, US Government archive, and US Government contractor. I would like to receive the information electronically, by secure download if available, e-mail attachment, CD-ROM or thumb drive if not.I agree to pay reasonable fees for the processing of this request up to $25. Please notify me before incurring any expenses more than $25.

[Read More…]

2018-09-26 GAO – Status of DOD Efforts to Address Drinking Water Contaminants Used in Firefighting Foam

November 29, 2018

The GAO report “Status of DOD Efforts to Address Drinking Water Contaminants Used in Firefighting Foam” fails to address the known PFOA and PFOS contamination of the soil and groundwater at the DoD Superfund site George Air Force Base, CA “EPA Superfund ID: CA2570024453.” Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs or what is now called PFOA and PFOS) were detected as high as 5,396 parts per [Read More…]

George Gibson

November 11, 2018

My name is George Gibson. I am a dependent of Paul Gibson. My dad and family lived at 153 Oregon Street From 1969-72. My Dad was a career Airman from 1955-75. He achieved the rank of Ssgt and his mos was communications/cryptography. I remember George AFB as one of the best times of my life. Not knowing what was ahead of my life [Read More…]

Neil Rosen

November 10, 2018

I was stationed at George AFB, CA from December 1976 to July 1981 (4 1/2 years). I have had numerous health issues since being stationed there. During my time there, I swam in the base pool, drank the water, showered in the water on base, and ate food prepared with that water in the base cow halls. I lived in the old WWII [Read More…]

3 Request Rule – FOIA Request

November 6, 2018

If 3+ people request the same records from an agency, the agency has to make those records proactively & electronically public. This was formalized in the FOIA Improvement Act, from what used to be standard policy for “frequently requested records”. 5 USC 552(a)(2)(D)(ii)(II) “(2) Each agency, in accordance with published rules, shall make available for public inspection in an electronic format— … D) [Read More…]

JoAnn Long

October 1, 2018

My name is JoAnn Long. I lived in Adelanto from 1977-1978 then I was stationed at George AFB from mid-1978 to June 1981, assigned to the 35th Aero Squadron. My Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) was 60350. I worked in Transportation. I lived in the base housing and Adelanto from March 1977 to June 1981. I was never told by the Air Force [Read More…]

Jessica R. Barnes

September 29, 2018

My name is Jessica R. Barnes my Grand Father was Stationed at George AFB Francis S. Zoldak Jr was stationed at George AFB from 1972 to 1979. My mom as a dependent lived in the base housing, on Michigan Ave, from 1972 to 1979. My grandfather was exposed to gas, grease, mechanic chemicals, fire chemicals, any chemicals that had to do with the [Read More…]

Military Base Has Legacy of Pesticide and Other Toxic Chemical Exposure and Harm

September 20, 2018

Don’t get pregnant at George Air Force Base’” was the advice imparted from one female Air Force member to another in 1975 at that base, located 100+ miles north of San Diego and used as an active military site from 1941–1992. From the start of their service at George AFB, both parties to this conversation came to be familiar with the shared horror stories of repeated infections, vaginal bleeding, ovarian cysts, uterine tumors, birth defects, and miscarriages among female Air Force members at the site.

[Read More…]

Joyce B

August 23, 2018

My name is Joyce B and I lived at 542 Utah & worked (AFB Commissary) on George AFB from 1985 to 1987 with my enlisted husband & two boys. I divorced my husband & remarried. Became pregnant in Sept 1988 and was employed on base as a Civil Servant working for Civil Engineering until April 1989. I also lived in base housing while I was [Read More…]

Victorville prison where immigrant detainees held built atop toxic Superfund site

August 16, 2018

It was early July 1988 when Rennie Auiler, the 28-year-old wife of an airman, sat in a hospital examination room at George Air Force Base waiting for a routine checkup.

Having given birth six weeks earlier to a premature 6-pound girl following a difficult pregnancy marked by acute morning sickness, she sought assurance from her physician that her next baby would come easier.

Instead, the prognosis stunned her.

[Read More…]

George AFB’s West Winds Golf Course

July 30, 2018

If you played (as a child), lived next to, played golf, or worked at the West Winds Golf Course from 1965 to 1981, you were most likely exposed to unsafe levels of partially treated sewage and industrial waste containing known carcinogens. Before 1965, George AFB discharged its industrial waste into the Mojave River. On November 17, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Executive [Read More…]

USGS Topographic Quadrangle Maps

July 28, 2018

Geological Survey (USGS) Adelanto Quadrangle California San Bernardino County 7.5 Minute Series USGS Topographic Map 1993 Victorville Quadrangle California San Bernardino County 7.5 Minute Series USGS Topographic Map 1993 Search for “George AFB” USGS Map Locator

United States Penitentiary, Victorville, CA (USP Victorville)

How Prisons Are Poisoning Their Inmates

July 23, 2018

Last month, ICE transferred 1,000 undocumented immigrants to the Victorville Federal Correctional Complex in Southern California. FCI Victorville is built on a Superfund site [George Air Force Base], and according to the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Board, industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, pesticides like dieldrin and aldrin, and chemicals from jet fuel have contaminated the region’s water supply.

[Read More…]

April Mandeville

July 20, 2018

My name in April Mandeville and I was born at George Air Force Base in 1984 while my parents were stationed there from 1983-1989. My dad worked as SP flight chief next to the flight line then cross-trained to training management. I was diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism at the age of 16 and had to have one of my para-thyroids removed along with the kidney [Read More…]

Daniel Lee Howell

July 14, 2018

My name is Daniel Lee Howell. I was stationed at George AFB from 1976 to 1978, worked at the golf course, burn pits, dump, and base housing. I was put in the hospital while there for almost two months for an unknown illness, with weakness, heart racing and breathing issues could never say what was causing it. I have been suffering from problems since [Read More…]

2018-07-10 AF – Air Force denial for additional testing for OCPs at GAFB

July 10, 2018

I request a complete and unredacted copy, printout, or export of:

Any records about the EPA request for additional soil and water testing for chlordane and other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) testing at the former George Air Force Base, CA, “EPA Superfund ID: CA2570024453.”
And any records about the Air Force denial of the US EPA request for the additional soil and water testing for chlordane and other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) at the former George AFB.”

[Read More…]