Views on the News: Weapons Development and Public Health Should Not Mix

The Pentagon?s new microwave weapon has been brought to you by the U.S. Air Force and Raytheon. These are the same organizations that control the IEEE?s SCC-28 committee that writes the standard for exposures to RF and microwaves.

Dr. John Osepchuk, the chair of SCC-28, worked for Raytheon for most of his professional career. And three of the other five members of the SCC-28 executive committee work either at Brooks Air Force Base or for Raytheon.

In the 1980s, during the last major revision of the IEEE standard, Osepchuk was among those who argued for doubling the limit, from 5 to 10 mW/cm2, for frequencies above 3 GHz (see MWN,J/A86). The rationale ?which we never understood? was to make it consistent with the infrared standard all the way up at 300 GHz. This change, though challenged, was adopted.

At the time it appeared to be somewhat of an academic concern, given the paucity of radiation sources above 30 GHz. But few were privy to the designs of military contractors. The loosening of the IEEE standard must have facilitated the development of the military?s new zapper at 95 GHz.

It seems obvious, but it?s worth repeating: Health standards should be written by medical and public health professionals, not those who make weapons for the military-industrial complex.