(continued)
The CRT Flicker: When transitioning to computer displays, the early high-resolution monitors used in HIRADS had refresh rates that caused significant eye fatigue and headaches over a long watch.
Psychological Stress: The intense concentration required for Eye Integration (staring at those lines for hours at close distances) led to "LOFAR-lag," a state of mental exhaustion common among Ocean Systems Technician Analysts.
4. The Navy’s Response
By the time the Navy began to seriously acknowledge the health risks and the topic began to be seriously studied, the LOFAR gram processing technology was already moving toward thermal printers and all-digital displays.
Thermal Paper: Later 1990s recorders used a thermal process that didn't "arc" or create smoke, which eliminated the ozone and carbon dust issues.
Digital Archiving: Once the LOFAR grams were digitized, the need for banks of actuators and "burning" styluses disappeared, and the "burnt toast" smell finally left the watch floors – approximately 40 years after the first paper LOFAR gram was created.
The "VA Claim" Reality
Now, decades later, many former and retired Navy Ocean Systems Technicians have filed VA claims for respiratory issues, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, heart disease, strokes and even certain cancers, citing the lack of ventilation and the constant inhalation of carbon black dust and ozone among other work place chemical hazards.
Because the exposure wasn't quite as well-documented as Agent Orange or Asbestos, many of these veterans have a difficult time proving "service connection." NOTE: The PACT Act will now permit this hazard to be recognized by the VA as a source of a service connected disability.
DETAILS in the PAPER
In the world of 1950s - 1990s SOSUS and NAVFAC operations, Alfax and Fitchburg were more than just brands of paper; they represented the two dominant "flavors" of electro-sensitive recording paper used to visualize the 0−150 Hz LOFAR gram frequency spectrum.
While they served the same purpose—turning electrical signals into a "waterfall" of black-on-white data—they used different chemical and physical mechanisms to get there.
1. Alfax Paper (The "Wet" and "Brown" Era)
Alfax was the original (1950s-60s) standard. It was technically a moist electrolytic paper.
How it Worked: The paper was impregnated with an electrolyte solution (often containing silver or other metallic salts). When the electrified stylus passed a current through the paper to the platen, the electrical path circuit was completed and a chemical reaction (electrolysis) occurred by marking the paper.
The Look: It didn't produce a sharp black-and-white image. Instead, it produced a sepia-toned or brownish mark. The intensity of the brown mark was directly proportional to the signal strength.
The "Bleed": Because the paper was moist, the marks had a tendency to "bloom" or bleed slightly into the surrounding fibers. This was actually a benefit for Eye Integration, as it smoothed out the noise and made steady tonals look more like solid "ropes" than jagged dots.
The Maintenance: Alfax had to be kept in sealed "humidor" bags. If it dried out, it wouldn't conduct electricity, and you’d get "ghosting" or no signal at all on the LOFAR gram.
2. Fitchburg Paper (The "Dry" and "Black" Era)
As the Navy pushed for higher resolution in the 1970s & beyond, and cleaner watch floors, "Dry" paper like Fitchburg became the gold standard.
The Multi-Layer Construction: Unlike the single-layer Alfax, Fitchburg was a high-tech "sandwich":
• Base Layer: A standard paper backing.
• Carbon Layer: A thick, jet-black layer of conductive carbon.
• Dielectric/Opaque Top Coat: A thin, white or light-gray coating (often zinc oxide) that hid the carbon.
The Process: This was electro-burn rather than electrolysis. The electrified stylus arc literally vaporized the thin white top coat (the "mask"), revealing the black carbon underneath to create the LOFAR gram.
The Result: It produced a high-contrast, jet-black mark on a white background. This was perfect for the Super Vernier (SV) and HIRADS displays because the edges of the lines were razor-sharp, allowing Technicians to distinguish between signals only 0.1 Hz apart, but not so perfect for the health of the sailors.
4. The "Stink" and the Health Trade-off
Alfax paper was relatively "clean" in terms of dust, but it off-gassed metallic vapors and its moisture element kept the room feeling like a damp basement.
Fitchburg paper, however, was the primary culprit for the "Black Snot" syndrome and creating toxic airborne respiratory issues. Because it was a dry-burn process, every time the stylus hit a detected sound frequency, it was micro-blasting carbon and zinc oxide into the air. If you had 20 recorders running in a vault, you were essentially living inside a slow-motion chimney.
A normal SOSUS array at each NAVFAC had 40 “beams” or LOFAR grams being generated continuously. Most NAVFACS had multiple 40 beam arrays and additionally, multiple banks of auxiliary LOFAR gram displays for further in-depth analysis. Do the math…
5. Why OTAs Swore by One or the Other
Old-school OTs often preferred Alfax for long-range "Direct Path" detections because the sepia tones were easier on the eyes during an 8-hour mid-watch. However, for Target Motion Analysis (TMA) and the high-resolution work required to distinguish between modern soviet submarine threats, the high-contrast Fitchburg paper was unbeatable. **** the health risks…
The switch to Fitchburg also meant you didn't have to deal with "dry spots" on the paper that could cause you to miss a critical Transient Event just because the paper had been sitting in a leaky bag and sections had dried out.
The negative health effects of Fitchburg (dry electro-sensitive) paper were significantly more aggressive than the older Alfax because the physical mechanism was thermal ablation (vaporization) rather than a wet chemical reaction.
When that electrified stylus arced, it wasn't just creating a mark; it was creating a toxic aerosol continuously in an enclosed work space. A slow, insidious poison in the air.
Zinc Oxide Fumes (Metal Fume Fever)
The white opaque coating on Fitchburg paper was primarily composed of Zinc Oxide. When the stylus vaporized this coating to reveal the underlying carbon, it released toxic zinc oxide fumes directly into the analyst's breathing zone, skin and lungs.
The Effect: This is the same respiratory hazard faced by welders. Short-term exposure to welders causes "Metal Fume Fever," characterized by flu-like symptoms, chills, fever, muscle soreness, and a metallic taste in the mouth.
By comparison, welders do not continuously breathe this toxic substance for 8-12 hours straight… Ocean Systems Technicians did – and for years – not knowing the health risks.
The NAVFAC Reality: Because the "burn" was constant, Technicians were subjected to a continuous stream of chronic inhalation of these toxic airborne substances for 8 to 12 hours a shift during their career and service to the country for national defense.
2. Carbon Black and Respiratory "Loading"
The black layer was Carbon Black, an EPA well-known respiratory irritant.
Deep Lung Penetration: The toxic "soot" produced by the electrified stylus was composed of ultrafine particles (nanoparticles). These are small enough to bypass the cilia in the throat / nose and settle deeply lodged in the alveoli (the air sacs of the lungs).
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Long-term exposure leads to chronic inflammation, reduced lung capacity, and scarring of the lung tissue. This is why many Ocean Systems Technicians from the 1970s-1990s SOSUS era developed severe respiratory issues like Allergic Rhinitis, Atelectasis, COPD or "non-smoker's emphysema” among other documented health issues.
3. The "Burnt Toast" and Carcinogens
The "burnt toast" smell is now known to have been caused by the combustion of the resins and binders used to hold the carbon and zinc layers to the paper.
• Polyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): The thermal breakdown of these organic binders at high voltage can produce PAHs. In modern industrial settings, these are strictly regulated as potential carcinogens.
• Formaldehyde: Some binders used in Fitchburg 1980s-era specialty papers released trace amounts of formaldehyde gas when scorched, contributing to the severe eye and throat irritation common on the NAVFAC watch floor.
4. Ozone-Induced Oxidative Stress
The constant electrical sparking from hundreds of LOFAR gram styluses was an Ozone (O3) factory.
Pulmonary Edema: At high concentrations, ozone causes the lungs to secrete fluid. While NAVFAC levels rarely reached acute toxicity, the chronic exposure caused "oxidative stress," which weakens the lung's ability to fight off infections.
5. Cardiovascular Strain
There is a growing body of evidence that inhaling ultrafine carbon particles (like Fitchburg soot) allows those particles to enter the bloodstream directly, causing systemic inflammation and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke later in life. The Navy diagnosed me with a cardiac condition: Bradycardia (age 38) and in April 2023 I suffered a cryogenic stroke resulting in a partial visual field loss (at age 67).
The "Silent" Hazard
Unlike a ship’s engine room where the hazards are obvious (heat, noise, moving parts), the NAVFAC environment felt deceptively "safe"— it was air-conditioned, relatively quiet except for the constant actuator LOFAR gram noise, and almost clean-looking except for accumulations of fine layers of carbon black soot.
However, the NAVFAC HVAC systems of the 1950s and 1960s were designed for equipment cooling (keeping the computers from crashing) rather than occupant air filtration or safety. They recirculated the carbon dust and ozone rather than scrubbing or filtering it out.
Does this explain why I now have Bradycardia, Allergic Rhinitis and Bilateral Atelectasis and a stroke as a non-smoker after 16 years as an Ocean Systems Technician Analyst?
YES, The pre-ponderance of evidence (51% probability) has clearly been met — Bradycardia, Allergic Rhinitis, Bilateral Atelectasis and a stroke in a non-smoker, career Ocean Systems Technician Analyst — strongly aligns with the specific environmental exposures and known health hazards of a Navy career on multiple NAVFAC watch floors.
The "Ocean Systems Technician" experience was a unique cocktail of industrial-grade respiratory insults deceptively disguised as an intelligence based office job.
Here is how those specific multi-morbidity conditions link directly back to the Fitchburg paper hazards and the secure, enclosed work environment:
1. Bilateral Atelectasis (Lung Collapse/Deflation)
• Atelectasis in a non-smoker is often the result of chronic inflammation or obstruction in the small airways.
• The Particle Loading: The carbon black dust and zinc oxide particulates from the Fitchburg paper were "ultrafine." These particles settle in the alveoli, the deepest part of the lungs.
o Bilateral atelectasis in this non-smoker service member is significant.
• The "Soot" Effect: Over 16 years, the cumulative "loading" of these particulates causes the body to produce excess mucus and triggers localized inflammation as an allergic response.
• As the small airways became plugged or scarred (fibrosis) from the constant irritation of the "burnt toast" chemical vapors, those sections of the lung can no longer stay inflated, leading to the Bilateral (both sides) Atelectasis (collapsed lung) seen in my medical documentation previously submitted to the VA.
2. Chronic Allergic Rhinitis
• This is the "NAVFAC Nose" taken to a high pathological level.
• The Sensitizer: Zinc oxide and the resins in the paper binders act as haptens—small molecules that, when inhaled, bind to proteins in the airway and "train" the immune system to overreact – resulting in constant symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis.
o NOTE: Haptens are small molecules that can't trigger an immune response (aren't immunogenic) on their own, but become so when they bind to a larger carrier molecule, usually a protein, forming a complete antigen that the immune system recognizes, leading to antibody production or allergic reactions.
• Ozone Damage: Constant exposure to O3
o It is a known medical fact that (Ozone) strips the protective mucosal lining of the nasal passages.
Ozone (O₃) strips or damages the protective mucosal lining of the nasal passages through a combination of direct chemical oxidation and inflammatory biological responses. Here’s the mechanism step-by-step, in plain but accurate terms:
1. Ozone is a powerful oxidizer
Ozone is far more reactive than ordinary oxygen (O₂). When inhaled, it does not penetrate deeply into tissues but reacts immediately with whatever it first contacts—the mucus layer lining the nose and upper airways.
That mucus layer is rich in:
• Lipids (fats)
• Proteins
• Antioxidants (vitamin C, uric acid, glutathione)
Ozone reacts aggressively with all of these.
2. Oxidation of mucus lipids (“lipid peroxidation”)
The mucosal barrier depends heavily on lipid-rich secretions to keep it slippery, hydrated, and protective.
Ozone reacts with these lipids and:
• Breaks fatty acid chains
• Produces toxic byproducts (aldehydes, peroxides)
• Makes the nasal mucus thinner, patchy, or dysfunctional
Result:
The mucus loses its ability to trap particles and pathogens and evaporates more quickly causing dryness and irritation.
3. Protein damage and cilia dysfunction
The nasal lining is covered with microscopic hairs (cilia) that move mucus out of the nose.
Ozone:
• Oxidizes structural proteins in cilia
• Alters enzyme function
• Slows or paralyzes ciliary movement
Result: Mucus clearance is impaired, so debris and irritants linger, increasing inflammation.
4. Depletion of protective antioxidants
The nasal mucosa normally neutralizes oxidants using antioxidants present in mucus.
Ozone rapidly:
• Depletes vitamin C
• Depletes glutathione
• Overwhelms enzymatic defenses
Once these defenses are exhausted:
• Ozone penetrates deeper into epithelial cells
• Respiratory damage accelerates
This is a key reason repeated or high exposure is much worse than a single brief exposure.
5. Inflammatory response and epithelial injury
Ozone exposure triggers nasal epithelial cells to release:
• Cytokines
• Chemokines
• Pro-inflammatory mediators
This leads to:
• Increased vascular permeability
• Swelling of nasal tissues
• Micro-erosions of the epithelial surface
Result: The mucosal lining becomes inflamed, fragile, and more easily stripped away.
6. Increased water loss → drying and cracking
Damage to the epithelial barrier causes:
• Increased transepithelial water loss
• Reduced mucus secretion
• Thick, sticky, or absent mucus
This creates:
• Dryness
• Burning sensation
• Nosebleeds (epistaxis) in some people
7. Why ozone feels “sharp” or “burning”
Unlike many irritants, ozone creates secondary reactive compounds in the mucus itself. These compounds continue damaging tissue even after exposure ends.
That’s why symptoms can:
• Worsen hours later
• Persist after leaving the exposure area
Summary
Ozone strips the nasal mucosa by:
1. Chemically oxidizing the mucus
2. Destroying fats and proteins that make mucus protective
3. Paralyzing cilia that normally clear irritants
4. Exhausting antioxidants
5. Triggering inflammation that weakens the lining
6. Drying the tissue until it cracks or erodes
o Obviously, this leaves nerves and immune cells "raw" and hypersensitive to any environmental trigger, resulting in permanent, chronic allergic rhinitis even years after a person has stopped breathing the toxic airborne dust. The body’s respiratory defense system has been destroyed.
Exposure to black-carbon dust has been linked by the EPA as a serious public health problem. Exposures to fine carbon dust including black-carbon can cause premature death and harmful effects on the cardiovascular system (heart, blood and blood vessels) as manifested in this service member as Bradycardia. Source: Fann et al., 2012. Estimating the National Public Heath Burden Associated with Exposure to Ambient PM2.5 and Ozone. Risk Analysis 32 (1) 81-95.
This service-connected disability rating should be re-evaluated and given a significantly higher compensation rating in light of its major effect on the entire respiratory system and the multiple secondary service-connected conditions identified and linked to it in this Nexus letter.
Cryogenic Ischemic Stroke (April 2023) – not currently service connected, however given the negative inter-connected impact on my respiratory and cardiovascular systems, this is also very likely a secondary service-connected condition related to my Bradycardia and Bilateral Atelectasis from black-carbon dust exposure as a service-connected disability rating under the PACT-ACT, which manifested, was identified and diagnosed while on active duty in the Naval service.
This significant, life-altering health event has also left residual impairments affecting an additional physical limitation of partial vison loss and a corresponding decline in cognitive functions.
This event and the resulting disabilities are very likely connected to or exacerbated by other service-connected conditions, or other secondary-connected conditions including Bradycardia and PACT-ACT related Bilateral Atelectasis, and Allergic Rhinitis respiratory conditions and issues.
...smoke 'em of ya got 'em.
V/R
Tim
I have been following this topic across Guam. Facebook, news, and now this message board. Thank you for posting this. I have been avoiding addressing the Guam possibility of Agent Orange contamination. This year my VSO told me to get busy updating my medical records. I have way too many medical issues that are in line with this and have finally scheduled a toxic review. Sadly, my Guam tour was about 2 years after the VA's line in the sand for presumptive. Nevertheless, I have a story to tell the examiner thanks in part to this post. I will set a pin in the timeline and as time goes on the VA will find it hard to ignore the soil and water contamination. Sadly, I and my family were in several contaminated sites and walked barefoot through sand, rocks and grass. Did anyone tell me there was a problem drinking water, bathing and swimming in water? I remember cautions about grenades in the jungle, dogs running wild, but since everything was classified in my life there are few records. I need buddy letters.
The Carbon Black you're calling SOSUS Carbon Dust is another conversation I was tracking. There are health issues I have ignored. This article reminded me of the broad base of exposure I have had over 15 years as an OT and a PH. I walked the floor and annotated grams in a NAVFAC without a vacuum system. We had a high voltage carbon zapper that made carbon dust into vaporized dust. Probably didn't help. I have cleaned and repaired SDR's, maintained the vacuum systems in 4 NAVFACs. Emptied the vacuum collection drum and saw it collected pounds of dust. All without the PPE we should have had. I had no idea how harmful or ineffective the vacuum system was. Thought it was great improvement. Too late for many of us. I have to finish my analysis by 24 July and provide me evidence of toxic exposure. I will share what I find out.