Heroes of Freedom are Not Sacrificial Lambs for Anthrax Experimentation

By Maureen Kennedy Salaman

President, National Health Federation
Summer 2004

On this year's 60th Anniversary of D-Day I was in Normandy - a town in France called St. Mere Eglise, near Utah Beach, where the first decisive battle of WWII was fought. It was a great honor to be with the heroic veterans of D-Day as well as the soldiers who defend us today - those brave young men who are willing to sacrifice all their tomorrows so that we might have today.

Myopically, Tom Brokaw lauds only the past warriors as "the greatest generation." I am here to testify that the greatest generation is here, and now. It is easy to be brave when the crowds are cheering. It takes supreme character, integrity, and inner conviction to fight while divisionists attempt to tear America apart on the home front. These heroes stand out as brilliant luminaries cast against the darkest sky. In a world where rock stars, athletes, and celebrities have been elevated to hero status, the lessons of true heroism are here. These soldiers, whose brilliance continues to light the world, the Pat Tillmans among them - they are all heroes. They light the way for mankind.

This is the generation whose brilliance will continue to light the world when they are no longer among us. These are the stars whose radiance will be visible on earth after they have long been extinct.

Anthrax Vaccine Proven Dangerous

The men and women who fight for our country deserve our daily gratitude, prayers, and concern. They deserve to be protected from misguided medicine, which effectively turns our troops into guinea pigs. As they sacrifice gallantly for us our freedoms and our safety, their health, well being, and even their lives are being insidiously jeopardized by the dangers of the anthrax vaccine.

There are too many reasons to distrust conventional medicine. There are many more reasons to fear the anthrax vaccine. Even as the Pentagon conducts a comprehensive educational campaign to convince American troops that mandatory anthrax vaccinations are safe, military documents indicate high level acknowledgment of dangers.

Bioport Corp. of Lansing, Michigan, the makers of the vaccine, called Biothrax, report in their product label that six percent of reported adverse reactions are considered serious, adding that, "Serious adverse events include those that result in death, hospitalization, permanent disability or are life-threatening.”

I can't think of anything more life threatening than death!

In addition, a study of infants born to women in the U.S. military service worldwide in 1998 and 1999 suggests that the vaccine may be linked with an increase in the number of birth defects when given during pregnancy. This study proves that, without knowing the risk, the U.S. military inoculated pregnant service women.

In a study of 337 vaccinated service members from Korea, the rate of any reaction (from very minor to severe) was 40 percent in men and 70 percent in women. Reactions led to "decreased activity" in three percent of males, and eight percent of females.

An ongoing study of 600 service members at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii, resulted in 20 percent (120 people) developing a systemic reaction after at least one of the first three injections. Only four VAERS were filed, despite the high rate of lost duty time, and need for medical attention. VAERS is the Food and Drug Administration's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, the only "official" way to report problems. Reasons for not filing VAERS are interesting. Since an adverse reaction may prevent further vaccination, and thereby prevent a service member from deployment, interfering with a career, some physicians feel it is unethical to report adverse effects, based on the "first do no harm" principle. For those part timers such as pilots, a VAERS could end a civilian career. So far, only 111 VAERS have been filed for 250,000 vaccinees.

Sacrificed Soldiers

Tyran Duncan was just 17 when he signed up for the Army, to fight in Iraq. At boot camp, he eagerly lined up for vaccinations, including anthrax. He was given seven shots - one at a time. First he got a rash, then flu symptoms. It got to where he couldn't walk. He couldn't hold up a glass with both hands. The Army accused him of faking it. But Duncan wasn't faking. Within days, he was paralyzed, on a respirator and certain he'd die, until his grandmother who reared him came to help.

"There was nothing wrong with him when they got him," said Duncan's grandmother Faye Harville. "It had to be the vaccines. I'll never see it another way."

He fought back with physical therapy. In January 2004, he weighed 96 pounds. Months after his paralysis hit, he was finally back at home, but he still couldn't feed himself or put on his shoes. Today, he remains unsteady, and muscle and joint pain are constant companions. Incredibly, Duncan has been listed as "active duty" all this time, meaning the Army has yet to process his medical case or decide on compensation. Duncan's paralysis was diagnosed as Guillain Barre Syndrome, which is clearly listed under "adverse reactions" on the anthrax vaccine label. But soldiers don't get to see that vaccine label when they get their shots. And the Pentagon publicly claims there are no long term adverse events from the anthrax vaccine. So soldiers may end up misdiagnosed, then discharged with serious illnesses.

The U.S. Army lost a valuable soldier in April 2003 - Army Specialist Rachel Lacy – who died a month after she received five vaccinations. Although the evidence was termed "inconclusive," medical experts determined that the vaccination may have contributed to her death.

Duncan and Lacy are two of thousands of reports of adverse reactions ranging from headaches and vomiting to severe autoimmune and neurological problems. The vaccine is under attack in three separate federal lawsuits brought by affected soldiers.

The Forces of Reason

The apparent absence of Iraqi biological warfare capability raises serious questions about the threat of an anthrax attack against our troops. If inspectors find no signs of anthrax, why should the Pentagon risk the health of our soldiers by requiring them to get the vaccine?

As the Pentagon moves thousands of troops into Iraq as part of a huge rotation of forces, soldiers, citizen groups, and members of Congress are increasingly calling upon defense officials to stop the vaccinations. Concerned about reports linked to the vaccine, soldiers headed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere are asking more questions about the program's rationale.

U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, D NM, introduced a resolution on November 25, 2003, asking Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to review the vaccine program, reconsider actions taken against soldiers who refuse it, and re evaluate the current threat of anthrax and smallpox attacks on U.S. troops. The resolution also notes that a government advisory committee withdrew its support for expanding the smallpox vaccination program for first responders "after finding that 1 in 500 civilians vaccinated for smallpox had a serious vaccine event." Prospects for the resolution do not look promising Bingaman introduced the measure without any co sponsors. But the issue is getting increased attention among veterans groups and soldiers' families.

Lawsuits also have had limited success. A lawsuit was filed on March 18, 2003, by six plaintiffs who are either members of the active duty and selected National Guardsmen components of the Armed Forces or civilian contract employees of the Defense Department. Each of the plaintiffs had been ordered to take the anthrax vaccine.

On December 22, 2003, U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan granted a Preliminary Injunction prohibiting the government’s use of the anthrax vaccine for protection against inhalation exposure without informed consent. The Court ruled that the vaccine “is an investigational drug and a drug being used for an unapproved purpose . . . . Absent an informed consent or presidential waiver, the United States cannot demand that members of the armed forces also serve as guinea pigs for experimental drugs.” However, on December 30, 2003, the defendant Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Final Rule and Order concerning the alleged safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Relying upon a 1985 proposed rule, the FDA claimed that “the efficacy of the vaccine includes all cases of anthrax disease regardless of the route of exposure or manifestation of disease.”

On January 7, 2004, Judge Sullivan, on the sole basis of the FDA's new Final Rule, rescinded his order enjoining the Government from administering the anthrax vaccine without consent (except for the six plaintiffs who remain protected). He called the timing of FDA's issuance "highly suspicious."

Currently, the Pentagon requires inoculation for any soldier about to deploy for more than 15 days to "high risk" areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea.

Soldiers Choose Insult over Injury

Some soldiers decide they would rather face a court martial than risk a lifetime of ills and misery. I have become aware of 45 cases involving vaccine refusers since 2002. These soldiers find themselves subjected to a wide range of punishments.

At Fort Campbell, Ky., Army Sgt. Richard Norris, 27, is awaiting punishment for refusing the shots. When his unit of the 101st Airborne Division left for Iraq in February 2003, Norris was sent anyway, with no vaccine and no questions asked. He returned in December to find himself still flagged as "punishment pending," a status that has put his whole career on hold.

Penalties range from quiet discharge, to court martial, to imprisonment with 60 to 90 days in the brig. Soldiers are being threatened with two to three to 10 years in prison. In the military, even rape or drug charges may not get you 10 years in prison. The punishment is based solely on the discretion of the individual commander.

The Battle Against Biological Illness

Anyone who has traveled overseas, forced to drink strange water, and depend on alien food knows the havoc it can wreak on the body. Our troops are stationed in a country where running water can be scarce, sanitation can be nonexistent, and the stress is horrendous. They need to be armed on the inside as well as the outside.

The anthrax vaccine seems to put the immune system into overdrive, to the point where it turns on itself. Other vaccines can trigger problems as well. The smallpox vaccine is well known for causing heart problems, for example.

When I've recommended various methods to strengthen the immune system, I've received letters saying, "The last thing I need is a stronger immune system! What are you talking about?"

A better way of saying it is that we recommend giving your body a fighting chance, by clearing out the toxins you may have accumulated, and changing your eating and drinking habits. I also recommend reading my booklet, "Achieving Super Immunity," which will be sent to any member of the armed forces free of charge. Call 1-800-445-4325 or 209-536-9300 or write Maximum Living, 20071 Soulsbyville Road, Soulsbyville, CA 95372-9748.

BioPort was cited numerous times for quality control issues, including lack of sterility, contaminated product, and switching the expiration labels on some lots of the vaccine. Whatever the cause from bad manufacturing to the concept of the vaccine itself most of the adverse reactions to the vaccine are tied in some way to the human immune system and to the neurological system.

Taking nutritional supplements, herbs and vitamins, especially vitamin C, can help alleviate their symptoms and fatigue. The body needs oxidative substances to beat back the foreign germs long enough for the body to regain its strength.

I offer the following information for the biological betterment of our troops - supplements that can help ward off bacterial bad guys and overcome them when they manage to invade.

Chlorine is well known for its ability to kill virus and bacterial infections. If you add two atoms of oxygen to chlorine you have chlorine dioxide (ClO2). This added atom makes all the difference. Viruses and bacteria cannot live in oxygen. The plagues of Europe were caused by stagnant water. As part of drinking-water treatment in America, the water is aerated to increase oxygen levels. If chlorine dioxide sounds familiar, it is because it is used to disinfect swimming pools. Chlorine dioxide is also used to disinfect the facilities where people have died from anthrax, and it is used to kill bacteria on food and disinfect drinking water supplies. It is in an oral rinse to combat mouth infections and in a gel for wound infections. It is not poisonous when used correctly. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2), unlike the more common chlorine, is non mutagenic, non carcinogenic, and relatively non irritating. ClO2, when exposed to water does not form hydrochloric acid as does chlorine, nor does it combine with organics to form chlorinated hydrocarbons, which are carcinogenic. Similarly, hydrogen is an explosive gas. But when combined with oxygen, it becomes dihydrogen oxide commonly known as water (H2O).

It may save the lives of our soldiers. If a member of our armed forces is reading this, or a relative, I want them to have this information. Take vitamin C now, to combat against infection (500 milligrams three times daily). Relatively large doses of vitamin C taken regularly are necessary to allow the antioxidant to normalize the bowel, where most infections - viral and bacterial - begin. In order to treat viral and bacterial infections with vitamin C it must be taken to "bowel tolerance." The individual's own body will determine how much vitamin C it requires. The cutoff point is determined by the onset of diarrhea. The tolerance level in each individual differs. Some days you can tolerate more, some days less, but from general experience I label a cold as a 20 to 30 gram cold, or 60 gram flu, according to how much a person can take before he reaches the bowel-tolerance level.

In high doses vitamin C becomes an oxidative agent. Viruses and bacteria don't live in oxygen. It helps protect the body against stress as well. If you are forced to accept the anthrax vaccine or think you might have been exposed to anthrax, take more vitamin C (2,000 milligrams five times daily, titrating to bowel tolerance) and look into obtaining chlorine dioxide. It's available in a sublingual form (under the tongue) from Rodrigo Rodriguez, M.D., at the International Bio Care Hospital & Medical Center. Call 1 800 785 0490 or 011 536 646. You may also call Dr. John Pitman in Raleigh, North Carolina at (910) 571-4391. If you have another source, please let us know.

In the Meantime...

In the meantime, it is unacceptable for Congress to continue to follow the line that the vaccine is safe, effective, and good enough for our troops and to jail those who refuse. We have a responsibility to those who fight so nobly and sacrifice so dearly. If those who have sacrificed themselves for the cause of liberty are truly to be honored, than we, who have not sacrificed, we, who have not served enough, we, who have benefited from that sacrifice, also have a duty and a responsibility to serve them.

The time to act is now. I urge all National Health Federation members to act now and urge others to do the same. Get others involved. Copy the letter in this issue - send it to everyone you know or write your own and send that one. Demand that anthrax vaccines be voluntary for all military personnel. Our soldiers deserve more than dangerous vaccines. They deserve our eternal vigilance, loyalty, and action.

Loyalty to a cause, to a country, to a service, is not a one-way street. Those who serve a cause, a country, a service, deserve the loyalty of those for whom they serve. Can we do less? It is the only responsible thing to do. It is the only Christian thing to do. It is the only action to take. Take it now.