Military Roll Call! Veterans, GTFIH!

Decades later, Vietnam vets may be silently fighting cancer-causing parasite
VA pilot study suggests many have liver flukes that are linked to rare bile duct cancer.


by Beth Mole - Nov 22, 2017 7:58am PST

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Clonorchis_sinensis_2-800x272.jpg

An adult Clonorchis sinensis.
PLoS Medicine
A small pilot study hints that a startling number of Vietnam veterans may be infected with a liver parasite that can induce a rare type of cancer, the Associated Press reports.

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The study, conducted by the Northport VA Medical Center in New York, involved blood samples from 50 Vietnam veterans. Testing performed at Seoul National University in South Korea found that more than 20 percent of those samples were positive or borderline positive for antibodies against the parasite, a liver fluke.

The results are preliminary and require follow-up research. It’s also unclear how the 50 blood samples were chosen. That said, the results hint that many veterans may have the cancer-inducing infection and not yet know. The study follows a report last year by the AP, which raised questions about the rate of that otherwise rare type of cancer in veterans.

The results of the pilot study were “surprising,” Sung-Tae Hong, the tropical medicine specialist behind the testing, said.

https://arstechnica.com/science/201...be-silently-fighting-cancer-causing-parasite/
 
A small pilot study hints that a startling number of Vietnam veterans may be infected with a liver parasite that can induce a rare type of cancer.

...and 40 years from now we will find health problems with those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The usual consequences of being in third world countries. There are always issues with the water.

Clonorchis_sinensis_LifeCycle.png
 
...and 40 years from now we will find health problems with those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The usual consequences of being in third world countries. There are always issues with the water.

Clonorchis_sinensis_LifeCycle.png
It's happening now with people who were exposed to burn pits.
 
Decades later, Vietnam vets may be silently fighting cancer-causing parasite
VA pilot study suggests many have liver flukes that are linked to rare bile duct cancer.


by Beth Mole - Nov 22, 2017 7:58am PST

Login to bookmark34
Clonorchis_sinensis_2-800x272.jpg

An adult Clonorchis sinensis.
PLoS Medicine
A small pilot study hints that a startling number of Vietnam veterans may be infected with a liver parasite that can induce a rare type of cancer, the Associated Press reports.

Advertisement

The study, conducted by the Northport VA Medical Center in New York, involved blood samples from 50 Vietnam veterans. Testing performed at Seoul National University in South Korea found that more than 20 percent of those samples were positive or borderline positive for antibodies against the parasite, a liver fluke.

The results are preliminary and require follow-up research. It’s also unclear how the 50 blood samples were chosen. That said, the results hint that many veterans may have the cancer-inducing infection and not yet know. The study follows a report last year by the AP, which raised questions about the rate of that otherwise rare type of cancer in veterans.

The results of the pilot study were “surprising,” Sung-Tae Hong, the tropical medicine specialist behind the testing, said.

https://arstechnica.com/science/201...be-silently-fighting-cancer-causing-parasite/
If there is a class action lawsuit I can see my dad and his siblings trying to get my grandpa exhumed stop they can get paid like the useless cunts they are.
 
It's time stamped.

Those guys are 2 cans short of a six-pack and not running on all 8 cylinders. Their videos are hilarious. Tampons are always part of it. Guns, women, and the military.
 
@sub_thug Aren't you SF? What do you make of this? Seems like Q standards are going to shit.

This is the state of the entire SFQC as it stands today. Students do not need to be able to pass a 2-mile run at an 80% standard. They do not need to pass a 5-mile run in under 40 minutes. They do not need to be able to pass a 12-mile ruck march in under 3 hours. They are not required to find ANY points during their land nav training and assessment. They do not need to be able to perform 8 pull-ups. They do not need to be able to perform 57 push-ups, or 66 sit-ups. They no longer need to be able to climb a 15 foot rope with weight on. Students are no longer administered any form of physical or administrative punishment. After passing a 19-ish day selection process, there are no physical barriers to earning the coveted Green Beret. These all were standards for EVERY Green Beret in modern history prior to this month. To say that standards have not been eliminated would be laughable, were it not so tragic.

https://sofrep.com/94786/careerism-...warfare-center-end-special-forces-capability/

And the response from MajGen Sonntag: https://sofrep.com/95041/exclusive-...-to-careerism-cronyism-and-malfeasance-email/

@Phr3121 Aren't you SF or with Group, too?
 
@sub_thug Aren't you SF? What do you make of this? Seems like Q standards are going to shit.

This is the state of the entire SFQC as it stands today. Students do not need to be able to pass a 2-mile run at an 80% standard. They do not need to pass a 5-mile run in under 40 minutes. They do not need to be able to pass a 12-mile ruck march in under 3 hours. They are not required to find ANY points during their land nav training and assessment. They do not need to be able to perform 8 pull-ups. They do not need to be able to perform 57 push-ups, or 66 sit-ups. They no longer need to be able to climb a 15 foot rope with weight on. Students are no longer administered any form of physical or administrative punishment. After passing a 19-ish day selection process, there are no physical barriers to earning the coveted Green Beret. These all were standards for EVERY Green Beret in modern history prior to this month. To say that standards have not been eliminated would be laughable, were it not so tragic.

https://sofrep.com/94786/careerism-...warfare-center-end-special-forces-capability/

And the response from MajGen Sonntag: https://sofrep.com/95041/exclusive-...-to-careerism-cronyism-and-malfeasance-email/

@Phr3121 Aren't you SF or with Group, too?
So I'm not 100% tied in on the issue. The Q-Course is something that, once you make it through, you really don't keep a close eye on unless you become an instructor there. It's kind of like Basic Training or Boot Camp. Something you maybe tell some stories about, but you don't keep up with what happens there. Also, like those courses, when you graduate, you are nowhere near ready to be the most valuable person on your team. So, as a Team Leader, it was kind of like being a Platoon Leader all over again. It's kind of like a cross between being a Squad Leader, a Platoon Leader, and a Company Commander.

That said, I do have some facts that will provide some key insight into how things have shaped up: SFAS is NOT owned by the SF community! It's curriculum must be signed off by Army TRADOC! That's right, a conventional 4-Star Army Command has some authority over the Green Beret pipeline. This is really important because SFAS was modified when women became eligible to attend SFAS when all combat roles became open to women. Women competed against a woman's standard, not the same standard as the men. And I heard that they carried lighter rucks for all the timed marches, but I don't know that for sure. However, the Q-Course is owned by SWCS. So, if the first article is true, then that means that USAJFKSWCS is under tremendous political pressure to pass some female Green Berets. I can guarantee that is playing into this. As a matter of fact, I think that this is the biggest thing right here. I'm starting to think that we should rethink our political process. I am starting to question Congress' legitimacy in overseeing the US military. I think that the Generals should report up through the Secretary of Defense and to the President without any Congressional oversight. It is the stupidity of Congress and their uneducated opinions that military readiness is slipping in the face of increased Chinese expansion, Russian and North Korean aggression, and a continued lack of stabilization in the Middle East. This is not the time to be playing political correctness. This is the time to be sharpening our blades in case we need to start slitting some throats.

MG Sonntag said that the Q is not a place for high attrition rates? That has not been true. Ever. Passing SFAS was easy. The Q was a whole different animal, and it's always been that way. Not only was it physically much harder, it was mentally challenging as well. Fortunately, the physically hard parts about the Q are not the things that they measure with PT tests. If you don't show up in shape, you will be broken in SUT. And I love it. When you do missions, the cadre will invariably wound some of your guys, and you will carry them for a period of several miles on your back. And if I had a tiny little girl out there with me, guess what? She's either carrying the machine gun and the ammo, the wounded guy's 80lb ruck, or the wounded guy for 5-8k at a time. No breaks because everyone around you is carrying the same stuff. Want a break? Take the machine gun and the ammo for a little bit, as that's probably the lightest extra thing that you need to carry. And if I were the cadre, I would look for the weak ones. I would purposefully be looking to create stress fractures or play "find one of the thousand holes in the pine forest and kiss that ACL goodbye" in those that I don't think belong there. Why? That's how you protect the force from the weak. My cadre did it to me, and I would pass that favor along to my trainees.

As for getting rid of the testable events like land nav, that's bullshit. If you can't meet the standards, you should be shown the door.

This is the problem with Americans today: People somehow think that things will be made easier for them if only they ask nicely or think that they need it. The Q Course was way, way, way easier than doing things for real in an actual war zone. I remember carrying over 200 pounds of gear for almost 20 miles through the mountains of Afghanistan on some operations. That's no fucking joke right there. It was only after that did I close with and engage the enemy while they were fresh. I was dog tired before the fight even began, and so was every guy with me. But the enemy doesn't care. Their AK-47 and DShK don't care that you're tired, and they certainly don't slow down for you. That's the thing about being SF: We don't want you there! Stay home! Go be a shithead somewhere else far away from me and my guys. If you want to be there anyways and can make it through all the hellacious training, then we will welcome you into the misery with us and trust you like a brother. But it is the trainer's job to keep the rest of you out because you aren't capable enough of being there. Shit drives me fucking crazy, I fucking swear...

Does that answer your question, @The Higher Power? ;)
 
So I'm not 100% tied in on the issue. The Q-Course is something that, once you make it through, you really don't keep a close eye on unless you become an instructor there. It's kind of like Basic Training or Boot Camp. Something you maybe tell some stories about, but you don't keep up with what happens there. Also, like those courses, when you graduate, you are nowhere near ready to be the most valuable person on your team. So, as a Team Leader, it was kind of like being a Platoon Leader all over again. It's kind of like a cross between being a Squad Leader, a Platoon Leader, and a Company Commander.

That said, I do have some facts that will provide some key insight into how things have shaped up: SFAS is NOT owned by the SF community! It's curriculum must be signed off by Army TRADOC! That's right, a conventional 4-Star Army Command has some authority over the Green Beret pipeline. This is really important because SFAS was modified when women became eligible to attend SFAS when all combat roles became open to women. Women competed against a woman's standard, not the same standard as the men. And I heard that they carried lighter rucks for all the timed marches, but I don't know that for sure. However, the Q-Course is owned by SWCS. So, if the first article is true, then that means that USAJFKSWCS is under tremendous political pressure to pass some female Green Berets. I can guarantee that is playing into this. As a matter of fact, I think that this is the biggest thing right here. I'm starting to think that we should rethink our political process. I am starting to question Congress' legitimacy in overseeing the US military. I think that the Generals should report up through the Secretary of Defense and to the President without any Congressional oversight. It is the stupidity of Congress and their uneducated opinions that military readiness is slipping in the face of increased Chinese expansion, Russian and North Korean aggression, and a continued lack of stabilization in the Middle East. This is not the time to be playing political correctness. This is the time to be sharpening our blades in case we need to start slitting some throats.

MG Sonntag said that the Q is not a place for high attrition rates? That has not been true. Ever. Passing SFAS was easy. The Q was a whole different animal, and it's always been that way. Not only was it physically much harder, it was mentally challenging as well. Fortunately, the physically hard parts about the Q are not the things that they measure with PT tests. If you don't show up in shape, you will be broken in SUT. And I love it. When you do missions, the cadre will invariably wound some of your guys, and you will carry them for a period of several miles on your back. And if I had a tiny little girl out there with me, guess what? She's either carrying the machine gun and the ammo, the wounded guy's 80lb ruck, or the wounded guy for 5-8k at a time. No breaks because everyone around you is carrying the same stuff. Want a break? Take the machine gun and the ammo for a little bit, as that's probably the lightest extra thing that you need to carry. And if I were the cadre, I would look for the weak ones. I would purposefully be looking to create stress fractures or play "find one of the thousand holes in the pine forest and kiss that ACL goodbye" in those that I don't think belong there. Why? That's how you protect the force from the weak. My cadre did it to me, and I would pass that favor along to my trainees.

As for getting rid of the testable events like land nav, that's bullshit. If you can't meet the standards, you should be shown the door.

This is the problem with Americans today: People somehow think that things will be made easier for them if only they ask nicely or think that they need it. The Q Course was way, way, way easier than doing things for real in an actual war zone. I remember carrying over 200 pounds of gear for almost 20 miles through the mountains of Afghanistan on some operations. That's no fucking joke right there. It was only after that did I close with and engage the enemy while they were fresh. I was dog tired before the fight even began, and so was every guy with me. But the enemy doesn't care. Their AK-47 and DShK don't care that you're tired, and they certainly don't slow down for you. That's the thing about being SF: We don't want you there! Stay home! Go be a shithead somewhere else far away from me and my guys. If you want to be there anyways and can make it through all the hellacious training, then we will welcome you into the misery with us and trust you like a brother. But it is the trainer's job to keep the rest of you out because you aren't capable enough of being there. Shit drives me fucking crazy, I fucking swear...

Does that answer your question, @The Higher Power? ;)
The land nav thing blows me away. I saw a documentary about a RASP class from 2012 and not only did they allow guys to graduate despite failing land nav but 80% of the class graduated.
 
The land nav thing blows me away. I saw a documentary about a RASP class from 2012 and not only did they allow guys to graduate despite failing land nav but 80% of the class graduated.
Yeah, that's really fucked up. If land nav is important, then we need to test it and hold people accountable for their successes and failures in it. If land nav isn't important, then we don't need to train/test it in the Q-Course, and that time should be spent on other things that will make Soldiers into better assets for their teams.
 
Yeah, that's really fucked up. If land nav is important, then we need to test it and hold people accountable for their successes and failures in it. If land nav isn't important, then we don't need to train/test it in the Q-Course, and that time should be spent on other things that will make Soldiers into better assets for their teams.
I'd think that land nav should be one of the most important things for SF/SOF.
 
I'd think that land nav should be one of the most important things for SF/SOF.
I'm inclined to agree, but those are the sorts of things that the SWCS Commander and his staff should be deciding. Not whether or not to make events effectively pointless by discontinuing to grade them.
 
@sub_thug aren't you SF? What do you make of this? Seems like Q standards are going to shit.

This is the state of the entire SFQC as it stands today. Students do not need to be able to pass a 2-mile run at an 80% standard. They do not need to pass a 5-mile run in under 40 minutes. They do not need to be able to pass a 12-mile ruck march in under 3 hours. They are not required to find ANY points during their land nav training and assessment. They do not need to be able to perform 8 pull-ups. They do not need to be able to perform 57 push-ups, or 66 sit-ups. They no longer need to be able to climb a 15 foot rope with weight on. Students are no longer administered any form of physical or administrative punishment. After passing a 19-ish day selection process, there are no physical barriers to earning the coveted Green Beret. These all were standards for EVERY Green Beret in modern history prior to this month. To say that standards have not been eliminated would be laughable, were it not so tragic.

@Phr3121 Aren't you SF or with Group, too?

No, I just went through Ranger school. Regular Infantry and later Civil Affairs. @sub_thug is the real 'hero', he is Special Forces. Funny, I did not get your 'alert'. Just happen to drop in here and read your post.

I think 'sub_thug' covered all the points in his post. Man, that was a long post. Good information though.

This kind of stuff does not really surprise me. The U.S. Army today is not the same Army I joined back in 1988. The writing was on the wall when the whole issue with women in combat arms and gay soldiers serving openly started. Yeah, thanks Obama. It was downhill from there. Women in the Infantry, women in Ranger school, increase the number of Special Operators (i.e. U.S. Navy SEALs and U.S. Army Special Forces).

I personally think that standards have gone out the window. When you have an Army General telling the Ranger Training Brigade cadre that a woman will graduate from the course no matter what, how exactly do you respond to that? Remove your own Ranger tab? He was talking about the female West Point Lieutenants that went through the course. They failed every phase of the course and recycled more than once. They wanted to quit at one point but the General had a 'pep' talk with the girls and made them go back and finish the course. So, they graduated and got their Ranger tab.

"They are not required to find ANY points during their land nav training and assessment." Ok, which 'fucktard' came up with this 'bright' idea? To graduate from basic training an Army private should know how to read a map and navigate with a compass on the ground. How the fuck is he/she going to call for fire or an airstrike if he/she does not know where they are on the ground? Well, I guess knowing how to use a radio is out the window too.

So, no sleep deprivation, no food deprivation, and no stress. Never tired, hungry, hot, cold, wet, or stressed. How exactly are you suppose to select one group from another? Maybe everyone graduates regardless. That is really fucked up.

More politics, and the Generals salute and drive on. They have been told to increase the numbers in the SEAL community and the Special Forces community by a certain date. So, yes, your standards are going to go way down if you can't weed people out and have to meet a quota. That will certainly cause a lot of friction and hate in the Special Operations community. Who wants a third rate guy on their team? Who wants a girl on their team? Pretty soon my grandmother will be able to wear a green beret. Now, go put these sub-standard soldiers against the British, Russian, Chinese, and French Special Forces and see what happens.

Like I said in another thread, I think we (U.S.) will get a real wake up call on the next major ground combat operation we get into. Technology and weapons is what is going to save us, not human courage, leadership, and sacrifice.
 
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The Man in the Arena

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt, 1910.

 
@sub_thug see if you can get a copy of this week's TIME magazine, December 11th, 2017.

"How America is Failing Its Most Elite Fighters"

Inside the new American way of war. A growing reliance on Elite Forces is taking a toll on Commandos - and the country.

 
The issue is that the missions keep coming but recruiting has slowed. The machine is struggling to keep up with demand while maintaining standards. Which in turn violates a primary SOF principal, that we cannot be mass produced. Some missions need to be prioritized. We're already asked to do more with less.

That article should not have had as wide of dissemination as it does. There's times to publicize grievances and times not to, when a fellow GBs are implicated by name that's wrong.

The Q is still producing solid GBs, the regiment is not in some complete turmoil as this article suggests. There's some things to be addressed but that should be a closed door discussion.

You're a team leader @sub_thug?
 
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