During that demolition operation, there were no reports of chemical munitions, nor were there reports of anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with exposure to chemical agents.

In retrospect, it is clear that fallout from the oil well fires could affect detection equipment and could have caused many of the chemical alerts recorded by the 11th Marines.

If families are important, if people are important, we should be willing to pay what's necessary. We should be willing to make the appropriate investment in our people.