11 Fall ill at Military Base

11 Fall Ill at Military Base After Suspicious Envelope Is Opened

Symptoms included burning sensations and a nose bleed.

By Kyle Mizokami

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A suspicious envelope sent to a military base in Virginia sent three people to the hospital and caused eight more to fall ill. The envelope contained an “unknown substance” and a ranting letter addressed to a commanding officer at the base. Who sent the letter and why it was sent is a mystery.


The incident took place yesterday afternoon at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, in Arlington, Virginia. Shortly after the envelope was opened in an administrative building eleven individuals reported feeling sick, with symptoms including a burning sensation on the hands and face, and at least one nose bleed. Three base personnel were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and according to a statement on the base Facebook page were all released late last night.

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According to CNN, the envelope included a letter which, “contained derogatory, at time unintelligible and ranting language, and was addressed to a commanding officer at the base.” Field tests run on the envelope failed to detect any contaminants, and the envelope was sent to FBI facilities in Quantico, Virginia for further analysis. The building where the envelope was opened was screened and cleared and personnel assigned to the building were allowed to return to work today.

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is an odd place to send an envelope laced with a chemical agent. The facility is relatively minor as far as military bases go, primarily acting as an administrative facility for ceremonial military units performing at nearby Arlington National Cemetery and for the President of the United States.