uk troops risk court martial
Herald 22 Nov
UK troops risk court martial if they refuse nerve gas pills
IAN BRUCE
TROOPS heading for Iraq will be allowed to refuse to take anti-nerve gas pills, but could then risk court-martial for refusing a direct order.
The pills are considered by many to be a prime contributor to the crippling effects of Gulf war syndrome.
In an apparent Catch-22 situation, the Ministry of Defence admitted last night that while individual soldiers would have the right to opt out of the tablet treatment, known as Naps, under a new policy of "informed consent", they could be punished for it.
The UK's biggest Gulf war veterans' organisation accused the ministry of "cynical and callous disregard" for the health of up to 15,000 British troops and of "doublespeak" in its new policy guidelines.
Shaun Rusling, chairman of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, said: "A total of 556 British veterans of the last conflict are now dead and more than 5200 remain affected by various debilitating illnesses which we maintain are the result of chemical cocktails given for our protection. Now it looks like a repeat performance is about to be enacted.
"It's a disgrace and a sad endorsement of our claims of Whitehall's cynical and callous disregard for the health of service personnel."
The Naps tablets, each containing 30 milligrams of pyridostigmine bromide, have been blamed for contributing to the Gulf war syndrome symptoms suffered by tens of thousands of British and American soldiers who took part in the campaign 11 years ago. The Ministry of Defence has moved to a policy of "informed consent" on the cocktail of vaccinations to avoid legal claims for damages, but the instructions for the use of Naps appears to breach those guidelines.
A spokeswoman said: "In 1991, the tablets were issued and troops were ordered to take them. If and when units are deployed to the Gulf for another campaign, the operational commander in the theatre of operations will still retain the right to order Naps treatment if the immediate threat is deemed to be high.
"The difference now is that an individual will be briefed on the benefits and then ordered to take the treatment. He or she will then have a choice of accepting or refusing. Those who refuse could face punishment."
Mr Rusling, himself a Gulf veteran, added: "It's Catch-22 nightmare. Take Naps and potentially put your long-term health at risk, or refuse and face court-martial.
"What price 'informed consent' when the alternative is the glasshouse (military prison), a fine, or possibly even discharge?"
American troops are obliged by law to accept any treatment deemed necessary. Those who refuse are denied the chance to serve outside the US.
from aspals - apologies if posted elsewhere.
what do you do?