Pursuing Agent Orange: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s Pacific region tour included a stopover in Vietnam, where among other topics, he talked about the possibility of sharing data compiled by the US military about the health effects of Agent Orange. This was the defoliation chemical sprayed by US aircrews during the Vietnam War and that was later found to be a cause for some forms of cancer. (Read our 2000 article for background on Operation Ranch Hand.)
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.