There was a significant amount of dark liquid accumulating on the floor in Washington. The lack of fresh air and overheating computer displays caused a fishy-smelling gel to ooze out, making the crew feel nauseated. Asbestos levels were found to be 50 times higher than what is considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Since the 1960s, Air Force nuclear missile crews have been exposed to toxic risks while working in underground capsules and silos. As a result, many of these service members have developed cancer. These incidents are just a few examples of the dangers faced in these facilities.

Hundreds of pages of documents dating back to the 1980s, obtained by The Associated Press through Freedom of Information Act requests, reveal the toxic hazards that were downplayed by Air Force leadership to the nuclear missile community. This contradicts the information given to service members decades ago when the first cases of cancer were reported.

On December 30, 2001, a report by the Air Force concluded that the workplace does not pose any health risks.

According to a subsequent review conducted by the Air Force in 2005, on occasion, diseases may arise purely by coincidence.

The capsules are once again being examined.

In January, the Associated Press stated that a minimum of nine present or past officers responsible for nuclear missiles, also known as missileers, were found to have been diagnosed with the cancer non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Subsequently, many more individuals came forward to report their own cancer diagnoses. As a result, the Air Force initiated an extensive investigation and conducted tests on air, water, soil, and surface samples from all facilities where these service members worked. Four current samples revealed levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that were deemed unsafe. PCBs are a known cancer-causing agent commonly used in electrical wiring.

By the beginning of 2024, there will be additional data available and the Air Force is currently in the process of determining the exact number of current or former members of the missile community who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Several missileers currently interviewed by the AP expressed worry over recent findings, but trust that the Air Force is being open about their efforts to identify potential health hazards. They follow the same practices that have been passed down through generations, including wearing “capsule clothes” during their 24-hour shifts. These clothes are civilian attire that they change into upon entering the missile capsule. After their shift, the clothes are immediately put in the laundry due to the metallic smell they acquire.

“When the word ‘cancer’ is mentioned, it can be a bit worrisome,” stated Lt. Joy Hawkins, a 23-year-old missileer stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. For Lt. Hawkins and her colleague Lt. Samantha McGlinchey, who spoke with an AP reporter during a shift in the underground launch control capsule Charlie, this news meant that they would need to be extra vigilant about their medical checkups. “There will be more testing, necessary steps to take, and cleanup efforts,” shared Lt. McGlinchey, who is 28 years old. “As early career professionals, it’s better to catch any issues as soon as possible.”

Some people are concerned that the risks will once again be downplayed.

According to Steven Mayne, a former supervisor at Minot Air Force Base, the Air Force did not immediately disclose the results of recent tests that showed higher than acceptable levels of PCB contamination. Additionally, many other areas that were tested were only slightly below the EPA’s limit. Mayne now manages a Facebook group focused on sharing Air Force news and internal documents.

Mayne stated that the EPA, OSHA, and senators from North Dakota and Montana should investigate this issue.

In December 2022, Jackie Perdue and Monte Watts, former missileers at Malmstrom, requested the Defense Department’s inspector general to conduct an investigation due to their diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

According to an inspector general complaint obtained by the AP, Perdue, who was a nuclear missile combat crew commander at Malmstrom from 1999 to 2006, stated that health and safety standards may have been disregarded and should be looked into.

The United States currently has three nuclear missile bases: F.E. Warren Air Force Base located in Wyoming, and Minot and Malmstrom. Each base contains 15 underground launch control capsules, which serve as central locations for 10 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile silos. These capsules are continuously staffed every day of the year, with missileers spending at least 24 hours per shift monitoring the ICBMs and prepared to launch them upon the president’s orders.

The Air Force recognizes that the current evaluation may not offer complete information regarding the past exposure of missileers, but the collected data will create a health profile that can assist them in obtaining benefits for veterans.

Nonetheless, there are numerous indications of previous hazardous dangers in the records acquired by AP.

“Please contact immediately regarding the type and content of asbestos,” reads a handwritten memo dated November 9, 1992. All of the documents obtained by the AP have been edited to omit names, but the sense of urgency is clear. The handwritten note emphasizes this urgency by writing “PRIORITY” in all capital letters.

The environmental team at Malmstrom Capsules Hotel and Juliet received concerning readings of asbestos underneath a generator in the equipment rooms located underground. These rooms are sealed within the same workspace. According to the EPA, the acceptable level of asbestos exposure for an eight-hour workday is 1%, but missileers often spent 24 hours locked in these rooms and could potentially be stuck underground for up to 72 hours if weather conditions were bad. Hotel and Juliet found high levels (15% to 30%) of chrysotile asbestos, a type that can be inhaled, in solid samples.

In the report released a mere seven days later, the potential dangers were minimized.

The yearly evaluation for the Hotel stated that asbestos poses a danger to health only when it is crushed or able to be pulverized by hand pressure. However, all potentially hazardous asbestos found was deemed to be in good condition.

In 1989, at the Quebec-12 missile silo, high levels of amosite asbestos, a type of brown asbestos commonly found in cement and insulation, were discovered. Additionally, a team examining the Malmstrom’s Bravo capsule that year issued a warning that it could pose a danger even if left undisturbed. They specifically noted the presence of asbestos in the diesel room, which could leak while in operation.

According to a complaint filed by ex-missileer Watts, there was asbestos found in the floor tiles at Malmstrom. He also stated that missileers frequently handled and replaced these tiles as part of mandatory survival equipment checks.

The records indicate that there were several instances of PCB spills over the years. In a report from 1987, a missile operator reported feeling a strong headache and dizziness to their commander. Upon investigation, the crew discovered a sticky and clear syrup leaking from the power panel of the capsule. A bioenvironmental engineer advised opening the blast door for better ventilation and avoiding contact with the substance. It was determined that the team only needed to open the blast door and avoid the spill, without needing to close the capsule.

Doreen Jenness, whose husband Jason Jenness was a Malmstrom missileer, expressed frustration and anger at the fact that the issue of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma among young men and women was not addressed earlier. Despite claims that no evidence has been found, it is known that in 2001, 2003, and the early 2000s, there were incidents of the disease in the area.

Doreen and Jason Jenness crossed paths while he was stationed at Malmstrom. They tied the knot and resided on the base in the mid-1990s. Their fellow missileer companions would often joke about their pet dog, a golden Labrador named Sierra, which happened to be the name of one of the capsules in Jason’s squadron.

The environmental documents from Malmstrom during Jason’s assignment revealed that Sierra faced a multitude of hazards. In 1996, a medical team discovered that there were over 25 gallons of fluid contaminated with biological growth on the floor of Sierra’s capsule. They also observed a parked car idling near the intake that brought in outside air for Sierra for a prolonged period of 20 minutes. Additionally, the team noted that the fan responsible for circulating clean air into Sierra had been non-functional for at least six months, leaving the crew with no choice but to leave the steel door open in order to get fresh air.

According to the medical team, the air quality in the other capsules was deemed “marginal” but not harmful to health. However, in Sierra, the air quality was found to be dangerous in March 1996, with carbon dioxide levels reaching 1,700 parts per million. At this level, it is expected that many people would experience symptoms such as headaches, drowsiness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. The team recommended considering removing workers from this environment.

There were no alterations. In May, the medical team once again measured exposure levels of 1,800 ppm and reiterated their recommendation to remove the missileers.

In the mid-1990s, a replacement missile targeting system was required. To accommodate this, each capsule underwent a renovation to include a large computer console known as REACT (Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting System). This updated system would enable the U.S. to efficiently reprogram and redirect its nuclear missiles during times of war. The previous computer was demolished and construction of REACT took place within all 15 Malmstrom capsules.

The missile operators are concerned that the REACT renovation may have caused additional disturbance to the asbestos and PCBs present in the capsules. However, upon installation, the updated console also posed a new hazardous risk to the operators.

According to a report from May 1995 about an incident at Malmstrom’s Bravo capsule, crew members observed a video display malfunction which produced a clicking sound. The display then shut off and only showed a white line to the crew members.

A transparent liquid started to seep out, accompanied by a scent reminiscent of fish and ammonia. The crew members started experiencing headaches and nausea, and the capsule was evacuated after two hours.

Malmstrom’s group discovered that the substance was dimethylformamide, an electrolyte utilized in the capacitors of REACT’s video display unit, as F.E. Warren, the base in Wyoming, had recently reported similar occurrences of leakage.

In 1996, a memo discovered that the capacitors were overheating and releasing into the capsule instead of experiencing a catastrophic failure. However, there is currently no information on the amount of this material present in the capsules or the potential danger it poses to missile crews and maintenance personnel who may come into contact with it.

There is conflicting evidence in medical research regarding the potential connection between dimethylformamide and cancer. While some studies suggest a definitive link to liver cancer, others indicate that further investigation is necessary.

The capsules will be shut down in the near future due to the introduction of the military’s new ICBM, the Sentinel. As part of the upgrade, the old capsules will be destroyed and replaced with a modern underground control center. The Air Force teams responsible for the new designs are taking into account the reports of cancer and implementing current environmental health standards, which were not previously in place when the Minuteman capsules were constructed. According to Maj. Gen. John Newberry, commander of the Air Force’s nuclear weapons center, these measures are a necessary part of the modernization process.

Newberry stated that we are actively gathering knowledge and comprehending the situation regarding Minuteman III, and if there are any matters that require our attention from a Sentinel perspective, we will address them accordingly.

According to Doreen Jenness, the Air Force must be fully transparent with its missileers at this time, since the old capsules will still be in use until that time.

Due to their young age, neither she nor Jason thought it could be cancer when he began experiencing fatigue in the autumn of 2000. They also didn’t consider it a possibility when his hip started to hurt in December.

In February 2001, he eventually sought medical help and was immediately hospitalized. By March, Jason and Doreen were aware that his lymphoma was incurable. He passed away in July.

Doreen Jenness expressed the difficulty of acknowledging a difficult truth, stating that taking action on that knowledge is even more challenging. Now, 23 years since Jason’s passing, there are many young individuals facing similar struggles. They are forced to endure the same experiences and potentially have the same future as Doreen, which she finds deeply saddening.

___

The article has been updated to reflect that the documents documented hazardous risks, not actual toxins.

___

The Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation provide funding for the Associated Press’ coverage of nuclear security. The AP holds full responsibility for all published material.