Living Downstream Excerpts: Forgotten Civilians of Eglin Air Force Base Who Tested Agent Orange – December 28, 2018

KRCB-FM: North Bay Report

You may have heard that veterans of Vietnam settled a suit in the 1980s related to exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange. You probably don’t know that civilians who tested the dangerous chemical got no such support.
To end our week of previews, here’s another excerpt from our Podcast on Environmental Justice. “Living Downstream” is the title and guiding metaphor. It sometimes means you show up at work every day, despite the danger, because you need the job.
Civilian workers at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida tested Agent Orange there during the Vietnam War. As reporter Jon Kalish discovered, when the government settled with veterans exposed to this pesticide, civilian workers were left behind.
As they age and become sick, some are still hoping to prevail in court. But so far, lawyers interested in helping don’t have the deep pockets needed to pursue such a case.
The Forgotten Civilians of Eglin Airforce Base was reported and produced by Jon Kalish. Hear the whole story, and subscribe to our Living Downstream podcast, at norcalpublicmedia.org/living. Hear this story on demand with our free KRCB mobile app. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. Comment, share and give us a like there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.