feasible. The agency did, however, suggest two more specific studies that could provide useful information (10): 1. Continue to follow (at 5-year intervals) the "SMOKY" cohort previously studied by the CDC/NRC. If the excess leukemia detected was simply a matter of chance, no excess of other radiogenic cancers would be expected. 2. Conduct a mortality study of the veterans who participated in Operation CROSSROADS pending the results of a General Accounting Office review of the radiation dose estimates. In determining the feasibility and desirability of an epidemiological study or studies, the VA Advisory Board considered the recommendations of the Caldwell committee, CIRRPC, and OTA. following: It also reviewed commentary given in the the General Accounting Office (GAO) report Operation Crossroads: Personnel Radiation Exposure Estimates Should Be Improved (8 November 1985), discussed in section 7.7; the NAS report Review of the Methods Used to Assign Radiation Doses to Service Personnel at Nuclear Weapons Tests (7 February ¢ 1986), discussed in section 7.7; and the hearing held by the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs on 11 December 1985 regarding issues pertinent to possible radiation exposures received by CROSSROADS participants. During February 1986, the VA Advisory Board listened to presentations by DNA, GAO, and NAS on dose determination for CROSSROADS participants. Asa result of Board recommendations, VA decided that it would not participate ina mortality study of CROSSROADS veterans but that it would continue the followup of SMOKY personnel. The Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs informed OTA of these decisions in April 1986. OTA is reviewing the VA decisions and is considering a NAS proposal to conduct a mortality study of CROSSROADS personnel. In March 1986, DNA indicated to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs that it would be willing to provide part of the funding if OTA considered the study feasible and if Congress decided against appropriating funds specifically for the effort. decision on this study is expected in late 1986. kk*KK* 193 A