Are U.S. troops dying as experts debate depleted uranium?

Officials contacted by Boise Weekly at the Idaho National Guard and Boise VA Hospital stated they were "ignorant" about DU, or referred us to Department of Defense Web sites. The only local source to comment was Jacques Chung Hee, who served for 25 years as a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. He currently works as a service officer for the Idaho Division of Veterans Services, helping veterans process claims for combat-related injuries. Chung Hee recalled being exposed to both DU and other "biological and chemical and environmental hazards" during the first Gulf War. During an interview conducted two years ago, he recalled being tested by the Air Force prior to deployment to Iraq, and receiving an exemplary health profile. After returning home, he began experiencing debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, constipation, chronic headaches and fevers, none of which VA physicians could diagnose or treat. But in the course of dealing with veterans with similar ailments, Chung Hee read about DU and started researching the topic in-depth--despite denials from doctors reluctant to perform tests. When pushed, VA doctors referred him to a Department of Defense study at Johns Hopkins University hospital, which did not return phone messages to either Chung Hee or BW.