[AMRadio] OT - Cleaning Equipment

[rbethman]

Sometimes one ends up getting involved in cleaning for other reasons.

I was involved in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll.  The reason behind it 
all was to be able to allow the Marshallese people to be returned to 
their home.

This had been where a whole bunch of Nuclear testing was done.

I was standing in line for chow at the Dining Facility.  (Most of us Old 
Goats always knew them as Mess Halls.  The name change was toward the 
beginning of being PC.)

I observed the USAF Radiation/Radioactive Remediation Team hosing down 
their vehicles right in front of the Dining Facility.

Wrote a long letter to the DNA, (Defense Nuclear Agency), Commander whom 
was  Bird Colonel.

The letter was duplicated and passed around the table for the big weekly 
conference/briefing.

The core of my letter was to bring attention to the fact that they were 
washing off the vehicles that were contaminated with alpha particles.

Okay, BUT - I was questioning the wisdom in doing this within several 
feet of where we would Charcoal Grill our weekly steaks.

Colonel brought my points up and asked if I - 1) knew what I was talking 
about.  The answer came back - Yes!

2) Since I was indeed correct, WHY are we doing this?  Isn't this a 
valid concern?  How do we change what is being done?

I had stirred a hornet's nest.

They moved the Decon point to the other end of the causeway.  A good 200 
yards away from where they had been doing this.

One point for those that think before acting.

Bob - N0DGN