OPERATION PURPLE HEART : OUR MISSION

[*names project below updates routinely
---RBS 10.31.11]

OPERATION PURPLE HEART is a real life account of soldiers that are returning from Iraq & Afghanistan with cancer. This site is for the soldiers and their families after Iraq; the hopelessness and helplessness they may sometimes feel while tucked away in a VA hospital somewhere across the United States. When they think, 'Am I the only one?' We are responding with an answer, 'No.' And it begins with Army Captain Chaplain Fran E. Stuart, my sister.

Our tracking of cancer in the military follows the challenges and struggles a soldier has to contend with while battling cancer in the military. The frustrations transitioning from war to civilian life, ill---entering a world of military red tape and their language: acronym's. It is a casualty many soldiers returning from Iraq & Afghanistan are confronted with, unbeknownst to the public and unacknowledged by the military. And it is for this battle of their life, stricken with a "war wound" of Cancer that's intentionally ignored by the DoD---that they should be awarded the Purple Heart; a mere decoration for their selfless dedication to serve this country---even at their own peril once they return.

While deployed---soldiers are being exposed to a combination of immune system killers: the Anthrax vaccine, depleted Uranium dust, Burn Pit smoke and contaminated water. Like 911 workers not being informed of the dangers from not wearing protective gear, nor being supplied with it---through inhalation and ingestion of the airborne toxic dust---soldiers are exposed to a more deadly and rapidly moving carcinogen that develops into rare, stage III & IV cancers within 2 - 36 months. Most developing on the battle field.

OPERATION PURPLE HEART puts a face on cancer in the military post deployment with Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom soldiers, as Vietnam Veteran's did twenty years later with Agent Orange and Desert Storm Veteran's did ten years later with The Gulf War Syndrome. Only we're not waiting that long.......let the faces be seen, let the names be read, let the stories unfold and let the voices be heard now.
[This site is updated with soldiers names as soon as they are discovered. Thank you for your support. --RBS 10.31.11]


NAME - AGE - RANK - TOUR/TERM - DIAGNOSIS
*Deceased in red
Since the DoD refuses to admit a problem and release statistics---consider this list to be “evidence based medicine.” [To E-mail me regarding your story click on either name above, under contributors. To read some of their personal stories, visit me at The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/r-b-stuart/ ]


1. Fran E. Stuart, age 41, Army CPT. Chaplain - Kuwait 1 mth. / Mosul, Iraq 11 mths. - Dysgerminoma (stage IV ovarian)
2. Charles Frenzel, age 59, Army SGT. First Class - Kirkuk, Iraq / 8 mths. - Meningioma (non malignant brain tumor)
3. Charles E. Lewis, age ?, Army SGT. - Mosul, Iraq / 12 mths. - Semanoma (stage II testicular/sperm tract)
4. Tonya Fagan, age ?, Army CPT. - Mosul, Iraq / 6 mths. - Cervical cancer (stage II )
5. Frank Valentin, age 34, Army Staff SGT. - Kuwait / 24 mths. - Colon cancer (stage IV spread to lungs)
6. Gladys Lanier, age ?, Army CPT. Chaplain - Iraq / 10 mths. - Breast cancer (stage I)
7. Charles Dougherty, age ?, Army Combat Engineer - Iraq / ? mths. - Leukemia (stage ?) [WSMV News]
8. Erick Stenborg, age 27, Army CPT. - Baghdad, Iraq / 12 mths. - Gliobastoma (malignant brain tumor stage IV)
9. Dirk Spanton, age 50, Army Colonel - Iraq / 32 mths. - Liver cancer (stage IV spread) [AP, Bloomingotn, Ill.]
10. James H. Lauderdale, age 59, Army SGT. First Class - Kuwait / 10 wks. - Squamous Cell (mouth stage II spread to stage IV lungs, ribs, spinal column)
11. April L. Wheeler, age ?, Army SGT. - Afghanistan / 6 mths. - Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (stage ? )
12. Dustin Brim, age 22, Army SPC. - Iraq / 8 mths. - Non-Hodgekins Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma (stage IV spread)
13. Andrew Rounds, age 22, Army SPC. - Iraq / 14 mths. - Acute Myelogenous Luekemia
14. Eric Renner, age 20, Marine Specialist - U. S. Twentynine Palms Training Base / 11 mths. - Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (stage ? spread)
15. Ryan Oyster, age 27, Marine E-6 Staff SGT. - Iraq / 4 mths. - Unknown Rare Incurable Lymphatic Cancer (stage IV spread)
16. Aron Cody Blum, age 22, Marine SGT. - Iraq / 4 mths. - Rare, Agressive Aplastic Anemia [Az. Daily Star]
17. Gregory Anton, age 34, Army E - 4 - Iraq / 12 mths. - Colon Cancer (stage III)
18. Anna, age ?, Air National Guard - Iraq / 4 mths. - Non-Hodgekins Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (stage IAE)
19. Joshua Fitzwater, age 25, Air Force SGT. - Iraq / 16 mths. - Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma (stage ?)
20. T. Bauman, age ?, Rank ? - Iraq / ? mths. - Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma (stage ? )
21. Carmelo Rodriguez, age 29, Marine SGT. - Iraq / ? mths. - Melanoma (stage IV) [CBS News]
22. Steven G. Ochs, age 32, Army Staff SGT. - Iraq / Afghanistan / 39 mths. - Acute Myeloid Leukemia (stage IV)
23. Matthew Bumpus, age 32, Army Staff SGT. - Balad, Iraq / 12 mths. - Acute Myeloid Leukemia (stage IV)
24. Christopher Sachs, age 36, Army SGT. - Iraq / 12 mths. - Acute Myeloid Leukemia (stage IV)
25. Joshua Barber, age 31, Marine / Law Enforcement - Iraq / ? mths. - Acute Myeloid Leukemia
26. Travis Bromfield, age 25, Army SPC. / Mechanic - Iraq / 6 mths. Neuroendocrine Carcinoma (stage IV)
27. Larry Roberta, age 44, Army National Guard SPC. - Iraq / 5 mths. - Lung/stomach disease [AP]
28. James Gentry, age ?, Army National Guard Lt. Col. - Iraq / ? mths. - Lung Cancer (stage IV) [AP]
29. David Moore, age 42, Army Nationa Guard 1st SGT. - Iraq / ? mths. - Lung Disease [AP]
30. Nicholas Thomas, age 21, Army National Guard SGT. - Iraq / ? mths. - Leukemia [The Oregonian]
31. ? Shlesher, age 42, Army MJR. - Iraq / ? mths. - Cancer
32. Ryan Anderson, age 37, Army CPT. - Iraq / 24 mths? - Liver Cancer (stage IV)
33. Gregory Wilson, age 56, Army SSG. - Iraq / 4 mths. - Lung Cancer (stage ?)
34. James W. Hubbard Jr., age 57, Army Reserves Command SGT. MJR. - Iraq / 12 mths. - ALL Leukemia
35. David Petraeous, age 56 ?, Army Commanding General - Iraq / 4 tours - Prostrate Cancer
36. Amanda Older, age 23, Army SGT. - Iraq / 15 mths. - Adrenalcortical Carcinoma (stage IV)
37. Nilton Cacoilo, age 24, Marine / Mechanic / HazMat Handler - Iraq / 24 tmhs. - AML Leukemia [NJ.com]
38. ? Keeton, age 23, Marine - Iraq / 12 mths. - Synovial Sarcoma (stage ?)
39. Jason Gallegos, age ?, Army Master SGT. - Iraq / 36 mths. - CML Leukemia
40. Danielle M. Nienajadlo, age 31, Army Staff SGT. / Mechanic - Iraq / 3 mths. - AML Leukemia [Army Times]
41. ? Thomas, age ?, Army - Iraq / 12 mths. - AML Leukemia
42. Sandi Golden-Vest, age 35, USAF Master SGT. / Air Crew - Iraq / Afghanistan / 25 mths. - AML Leukemia
43. Cody Feeback, age 27, Marine SGT. / Convoy Security - Fallujah, Iraq / 12 mths. 2 Tours - Wilms Tumor (stage III)
44. Raymond Gillett, age 52, Major Army Nat'l Guard / Chaplain - Kuwait 1 mth. / Iraq 11 mths. - Thyroid Cancer (stage I)
45. Austin Monk, age 21, Army SPC. / ? - Al Asad, Iraq / 3 mths. - ALL Leukemia
46. Jose Ordaya, age 28, Navy HM2 / Fleet Marine Force - Jalalabad, Afghanistan / 8 mths. - ALL Leukemia
47. Collin J. Nesbitt, age ?, Army SPC / Driver – Diyala Province, Iraq / ? mths. – Testicular Cancer
48. Richard English, age 39, Air Force TSGT / Medic - Balad, Iraq & Helmand Province, Afghanistan / 2 Tours - Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (stage IV)
49. Eric J. Clark, age 34, Army SSG / ? - FOB Iskan, Iraq / 7 mths. - Papillary Thyroid Cancer (stage II)
50. Wes Landry, age 25, Marine SGT. / ? – Camp FOX, Kuwait / 4 mths. – Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (stage IV)
51. Michael Belloli, age 27, Army SPC./ Airborne Unit – FOB Orgun-E, Shkin & Khost, Afghanistan / 12 mths. - Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (stage IV)
52. Kirk W. Stowell, age 25, Army SGT. / ? - Iraq / 3 tours – Cancer (stage IV)
53. Ryan W. Hill, age 30, Army SGT. / Airborne Medic – Khost Afghanistan / 13 mths. – Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (stage IV)
54. Wesley de Groot, age 30, Dutch Army SGT. / MP – Basrah, Iraq / 4 mths. - Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (stage IV)

Since unexplained illnesses first began with Gulf War vet's....and it's ending horrifically with Operation Iraqi Freedom vet's. OPERATION PURPLE HEART will be incorporating DESERT STORM/SHEILD Veteran's to this site.

It appears many Desert Storm vet's have returned with Gulf War Syndrome and unexplained illnesses, and have unintentionally passed disease and illness along to their wives via sperm. The beginnings of this syndrome has now progressed from Desert Storm vet's passing on cancer and illness to their offspring post the Gulf War....and 10 years later OIF & OEF soldiers returning with cancer themselves. Below will be another list of names of soldiers with offspring diagnosed with cancer, other diseases and illnesses.

Thank you so very much for all of the suffering you've gone though for our country. I hope to make it known that it's our turn to give back to the soldiers, the veteran's, who have battled for us ill informed of the full consequences of their military dedication, while fighting in someone else's war, and continuing to fight their own battles....alone.


NAME --- RANK --- TOUR/TERM --- ONSET OF ILLNESS --- OFFSPRING (age, onset, diag.)


1. Darren Barnett, Marine E - 3 Lance Corp. - Kuwait / 6 mths. (10/1990 - 4/1991) - Gulf War Syndrome - Three offspring post-deployment: Son, born 1993 / Diag. age 5 with Nueroblastoma (brain tumor stage IV) - Daughter, born 1994 / Diag. at birth with heart murmur - Daughter, born 2001 / Diag. at birth with heart murmur

2. Leif Lange, Army SGT. Infantry - Iraq / Kuwait (1991 / 9 mths.) - Cerebellar Astrocytoma (brain cancer stage ? )

3. Stanley Brian Dailey, Army SGT. 551st Transportation Unit - Saudi Arabia / Iraq (8/1989 - 8/1990) - Non-Small Cell Adenocarcinoma (lung cancer stage IV)