Fw: Defense Press Service: News

[Guest guest]

List,

I received this message this morning from Asst. Secretary of Defense,

son's office. I am re-posting Dr. Meryl Nass' comments to the

Facts vs Myths section of this website for anyone who may not have had the

opportunity to see it.

Lori

----------

| From: de Beauclair, , MSGT, OASD/HA

<.Debeauclair@...>

| 'lori greenleaf' <david.greenleaf@...>

| Subject: FW: Defense Press Service: News

| Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 8:30 AM

|

| Lori

| I am providing an article from the American Forces Press Service for your

| information. I hope you will forward this article to the individuals who

| are in contact with you so they have all information.

|

| Thanks and have a good holiday season!

|

| Rick de Beauclair

|

| > ----------

| > From: Press Service[sMTP:afisnews_sender@...]

| > Sent: Friday, December 11, 1998 9:15 AM

| > DEFENSE-PRESS-SERVICE-L@...

| > Subject: Defense Press Service: News

| >

| > 98681. Anthrax Online: Straight Shooting from DoD

| > By J. Gillert

| > American Forces Press Service

| > WASHINGTON -- Are DoD's mandatory anthrax inoculations really safe? Why

is

| > anthrax suddenly such a big deal? Why doesn't DoD make the shots

optional

| > and

| > let each of us decide for ourselves what protection we need?

| > If you've asked any of these questions, you are in good company,

because

| > many

| > service members have since May. That's when Defense Secretary

| > Cohen made

| > the anthrax vaccinations mandatory. You can find out why and answers to

| > many

| > other questions at " Countering the Anthrax Threat, " a new Web site

| > highlighted

| > on " DefenseLink, " DoD's Internet home page at <a

| > href=http://www.defenselink.mil/>http://www.defenselink.mil/</a> or go

| > directly to <a

| >

href=http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/Anthrax>http://www.defenselink.mi

| > l/specials/Anthrax</a>.

| > The Web site developers said they had only one audience in mind:

service

| > members

| > and their families. By replacing medical jargon with straightforward

| > language

| > and using strong visuals, the developers felt they could make it much

| > easier to

| > understand the purpose of the anthrax immunization program and why it

is

| > so

| > important to force protection.

| > " We think the site is both informative and 'eye-friendly,' " said one of

| > the

| > developers. " We included an easy-to-follow site index so service

members

| > can

| > quickly find answers to their questions on a range of topics including

the

| > immunization sequence and the vaccine's safety record. Whenever

possible

| > we've

| > also included compelling graphics and images to make sure the deadly

| > reality of

| > anthrax comes across loud and clear. "

| > The site provides a range of features. One section called " Facts vs.

| > Myths "

| > addresses common misconceptions about the disease, the vaccine and the

| > immunization program.

| > Another section gives a historical overview of anthrax. For instance,

the

| > disease is thought to be the fifth plague of seven visited on Egypt in

the

| > time

| > of Moses, about 1500 B.C. The deadly disease was called the " Black

Bane "

| > during

| > the Middle Ages.

| > Rear Adm. Cowan, medical readiness director for the Joint

Staff,

| > called

| > anthrax the " poor man's atom bomb " and increasingly the weapon of

choice

| > of

| > rogue nations and transnational terrorists. That's why DoD made the

| > vaccination

| > program mandatory, he said. " By immunizing our force, we are immunizing

| > ourselves against an 'atomic' bomb. "

| > If you have questions or comments about the information contained at

this

| > Web

| > site, forward them to DoD online at <a

| >

href=http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.html>http://www.defenselink.mi

| > l/faq/comment.html</a>.

| > ##END##

| >