The Torchlight Initiative

Examining cancers and OTHER DISEASES, ILLNESSES, AND disorders within the

AIR FORCE Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Community

 

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Latest News

About The Torchlight Initiative

Torchlight is a non-government organization composed of current and former Air Force ICBM community members and their families.

Our mission is to address health issues of vital interest to the ICBM community, specifically, to address the higher rates of cancer and other diseases, illnesses, and disorders amongst those that operated, maintained, supported, or protected ICBM delivery systems.

Our goal is to ensure the ICBM environment is safe for all current and future personnel while continuing to support the vital deterrent capability inherent in the ICBM mission.

We will advocate for this community and strive to ensure former and current community members receive education, health monitoring and care, and when appropriate, VA claim service connection.

IN THE NEWS

PCBs At Missile Wings Signed Memorandum | MAY 06, 2024

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) sampling results at the three active missile wings (Malmstrom AFB, MT; Francis E. Warren AFB, WY; and Minot AFB, ND) as well as Vandenberg SFB, CA.

Cancer rate among Air Force missileers prompts questions, concerns. | MAR 26, 2024

Service members who worked at nuclear weapons facilities seek answers.

They Stood Sentry over America's Nuclear Missile Arsenal. Many Worry It Gave Them Cancer. | MAR 7, 2024

For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers where they’d spend days sleeping, eating and staying on alert in case of nuclear armageddon were filled with things that might get them sick — carcinogens such as PCBs, lead paint, asbestos and tainted water. And every missileer veteran had at least one close friend who was battling a form of cancer.

The Air Force said its nuclear missile capsules were safe. But toxic dangers lurked, documents show. | DEC 29, 2023

A large pool of dark liquid festering on the floor. No fresh air. Computer displays that would overheat and ooze out a fishy-smelling gel that nauseated the crew. Asbestos readings 50 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s safety standards.

These are just some of the past toxic risks that were in the underground capsules and silos where Air Force nuclear missile crews have worked since the 1960s. Now many of those service members have cancer.

Our Vision

Education/Awareness/Monitoring

Torchlight strives to educate and build awareness on the health issues impacting our community, and encourages the DoD to proactively monitor and screen the community.

 

Registry AND STUDIES

Torchlight maintains a self-reported registry of Air Force ICBM missile community diagnoses of cancer and other diseases, illnesses and disorders, to support and inform any data gathered by a formal study.  Torchlight is willing and available to inform current and future study designs and would encourage participation of third-party medical and environmental experts.

Documentation

The Air Force ICBM missile community’s permanent medical records should consistently and thoroughly document all toxic exposures related to service.  We will advocate for our former/current/future missile community members and their families to ensure they receive proper medical care and earned compensation.

 THE REGISTRY

    This is a DATABASE managed by a NGO  

We are collecting this information to support or supplement studies commissioned by proper authorities.  Please feel free to voluntarily register if you or a military family member are/were part of the Air Force ICBM missile community and have a diagnosed cancer or other disease, illness and/or disorder.

JOIN THE REGISTRY

Real Heroes. Real Stories.

On the battlefield, concealment is a survival skill | Off that battlefield,
transparency enables survival | Through the telling of each story, we are united as one | In the telling of the collective, we find our own.

These are our stories. This is our story. | A. Dietz

CAPTAIN JEFF KUBALA 01/10/1968 - 04/16/2024

Diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme Brain Tumor

2021, at the age of 53.

DEAN SHOCKLEY

Diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme

2022, at the age of 57.

JACKIE

Diagnosed with NHL/B-Cell/Follicular

2018, at the age of 42.

 

JASON BOSWELL

Diagnosed with Cutaneous T-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

2015, at the age of 42.

DR. ROB CALDERON

Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

2000, at the age of 28.

 

MONTE WATTS

Diagnosed with NHL/Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

January 2022

Ryan Luecke

Diagnosed with NHL/Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

May 2020, at the age of 45.

DAVID HOLLIS

Diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis & Pruritus. 

 

Captain Jason Leo Jenness 04/06/1970-07/22/2001

Diagnosed with NHL/Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma.

DANIEL C. SEBECK

Diagnosed with NHL/Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

30 Sep 2022 at age of 42.

 

MAJOR MARK HOLMES 12/21/1982-05/12/2020

Diagnosed with NHL/Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

There’s no room for incomplete knowledge or substandard performance when caring for the missile community.
-THE TORCHLIGHT INITIATIVE

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