On top of all the risks that come with serving as a fighter pilot in the United States military, the job might pose an increased risk for cancer. Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., introduced the Military Pilot Cancer Incidence Study Act to encourage the Department of Defense to research just how prevalent this risk is.
“Anecdotal evidence of elevated cancer risks for military pilots is alarming,” Luria said. “I am introducing the Military Pilot Cancer Incidence Study Act, so DOD and the VA understand the scope of the problem, identify service-connected illnesses, and address them appropriately. We owe it to these brave service members to know what health risks they assume and ensure we screen and treat early, so they live longer and healthier lives.”
Luria served two decades in the U.S. Navy aboard six ships as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer. She deployed to the Middle East and Western Pacific and was one of the first women to serve the entirety of her career in comabtant ships.
An Air Force study released during the summer of 2019 found that pilots have greater environmental exposure to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation. The same summer, the Veterans Health Administration data showed that rates of reported cases of prostate cancer among veterans rose almost 16 percent across all services over the last 20 years.
"When I joined the Air Force, I knew the risks that came with military service, especially flying in combat missions," said Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ariz. Kinzinger co-signed the bill with Luria. "What I didn’t realize then was the amount of radiation pilots are exposed to during that service. As cancer rates climb among pilots in the Armed Forces, it’s imperative we get more information on this connection and come up with a resolution without degrading our military strength. I’m proud to introduce legislation with my colleague Rep. Luria as we work to determine these incidences.”
The act from Luria and Kinzinger would require that the DoD collaborate with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study incidences and mortality rates of pilots from all services broken down by age, gender, type of aircraft flown, and military service. Depending on correlations between cockpit radiation exposure and cancer rates, the study results should recommend the age at which pilots begin receiving screening for various types of cancers.
The bill was introduced mid-February and awaits review in the House Committee on Armed Services.
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