Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Oregon National Guard is warning hundreds of its soldiers that they may have been exposed to a dangerous chemical while serving in Iraq. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

At least 52 soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the 162nd Infantry were exposed to hexavalent chromium in 2003.

The chemical was at a water treatment facility near Iraqi oilfields, where soldiers spent about three days protecting private military contractors.

Captain Stephen Bowman is spokesman for the Oregon National Guard. He says soldiers were warned of the danger during demobilization five years ago, but soldiers are being notified to make sure no one is experiencing problems.

Stephen Bowman: “Even though they were there for such a short amount of time, we want to make sure that if they were experiencing anything, they notify us or their chain of command as soon as possible.”

More than a dozen national guard soldiers from Indiana sued military contractor KBR last month, for downplaying exposure to the chemicals.

The suit says KBR dismissed symptoms like nosebleeds and hightened allergies. 

KBR denies it harmed troops or was responsible for unsafe conditions.