WASHINGTON _ Last fall, the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association asked its 3,400 members, all current or former military pilots, to respond to a survey about whether they had been diagnosed with cancer. The response was "astonishing," a leader of the group said.
A total of 894 association members, known as "River Rats," responded to the seven-question survey which asked, "Have you ever been diagnosed with cancer?" The results of the survey were shared exclusively with McClatchy.
"500 of them, 56% of them, said 'Yes, I am disclosing a personal cancer.' That was astonishing. I was not prepared for that," said retired Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle pilot Col. Vince "Aztec" Alcazar, in an interview with McClatchy. Alcazar, who does not have cancer, serves on the association's medical issues committee.
