Fort Bragg Officers Exposed To Asbestos

Evon Colchiski is the father of Pvt. Jason Colchiski who served a year in Iraq and is now stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. As a father, Evon’s concerns were raised when his 21 year-old son called to tell him that he had been ordered to remove floor tile from a storeroom in a barracks building, which was built during the time of the Korean War, for breaking Fort Bragg regulations. The true concern came when his son informed him that the overseeing officer had told Colchiski, and the other officers assigned to the removal, to “be careful” as the tiles contained asbestos.

According to recent articles released on the FayObserver, the father told his son about the dangers of asbestos exposure during a phone conversation and when told to resume working on the floor removal, Pvt. Colchiski told his sergeant that he would not continue the work due to the severe health risks and was then instructed to use a mask. During the work prior to this time, no protective breathing masks were supplied to the officers.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used regularly in building materials, such as floor tiles, prior to the 1970s when regulations were put in place to limit its use. Exposure to asbestos in its stable form is generally harmless, but exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, which occur when asbestos materials are broken up for removal or from age, can lead to several asbestos related illnesses including mesothelioma, a form of terminal cancer. Anyone who works around asbestos dust is supposed to wear masks and take other precautions to keep the particles out of their lungs, off their clothes and from getting into the air where it can travel and effect innocent bystanders.

Although the father, Evon, spoke with the son’s sergeant and explained the risks of asbestos exposure, Pvt. Colchiski told his father that on the following day, he saw other officers enter the store room to complete the removal and install new tile without protective equipment. Evon proceeded to obtain a sample of the removed tile and have it tested. The test results showed that the tile did indeed contain asbestos and the concerned father notified North Carolina health officials. The N.C. Division of Public Health has jurisdiction even though Fort Bragg is a federal military installation and began investigating the incident with the cooperation of the Fort Bragg’s Environmental Branch.

The army conducted chest x-rays and breathing tests on those officers that were exposed; unfortunately, many asbestos related illnesses have a latency period of 20-50 years. The army has agreed to test those officers involved in the asbestos tile clean up once a year for the next five years and every five years thereafter. This was according to Bryan Sleigh, the division’s top doctor, 82nd Airborne Division Surgeon.

Restoring Hope With Memories and The Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund

Restoring Hope With Memories And The Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund

Often times we see tragedy progress into hope, but the stories are always heartening and the story of Chris Knighton and the loss of her husband Mick Knighton does just that; brings tears to your eyes and empowers you at the same time.

Chris and Mick Knighton were a happily married, loving couple with children and grandchildren that they shared their joy for life with. In 2000, Mick had been experiencing difficulty breathing and the couple visited their doctor to investigate. Once they received the diagnosis, they were both shocked and saddened. Mick was diagnosed with mesothelioma and only 6 months to live.

Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer, caused by exposure to airborne asbestos, which can affect the lining of the stomach or, as in Mick’s case, the lining of the lungs (known as pleural mesothelioma). Due to the advanced nature of Mick’s condition upon diagnosis, there were no treatment options available, only means to help make him more comfortable.

Mick and his wife, Chris, were shocked to learn of the limited research and information available on mesothelioma and the family was even more surprised to learn that Mick had been exposed to asbestos during his time serving in the Navy, almost 50 years prior to his diagnosis. The Navy took no responsibility for Mick’s illness. This realization inspired Chris to launch a fundraising campaign, both to honor her husband, who died 7 months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, and to fund more research into this aggressive disease and new treatment options.

Out of the Knighton family’s tragedy was born the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, which raises awareness of mesothelioma and money for mesothelioma research. In 2002, Chris Knighton swore that her husband’s death would not be in vain and the thousands of other people exposed to asbestos would be recognized as she launched the fund.

In addition to the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, Chris launched the Snowdrop Fund that makes it easy for others to conduct fundraising efforts, as tributes to loved ones lost to or suffering with mesothelioma. The Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund helps to organize and promote Snowdrop Fund programs. It is this families hope that the combined efforts of both foundations can bring greater hope for the thousands of families who will be faced with mesothelioma diagnosis in the future.

Honoring Our Veterans

Today we are proud to honor the United States veterans throughout the world. We are forever proud of the men and women who have served America. It is important to honor them this Veterans Day and everyday, as they have continuously risked their lives to protect ours. At SimmonsCooper we also remember the many military veterans that have lost their lives to lung cancer and mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure. We have been honored to represent veterans throughout the U.S., and today we honor them and the families they left behind.