CHARLESTON -- The federal Department of Veterans Affairs is pledging to provide special medical monitoring to several West Virginia National Guardsmen who say they were exposed to a highly toxic chemical while serving in Iraq.

Members of the 1092nd Engineer Battalion, as well as National Guard members from Indiana and Oregon, allege they were exposed to sodium dichromate while guarding the Qarmat Ali water plant near Basra over a three-month period in 2003.

The soldiers filed a lawsuit against Kellogg Brown and Root Inc., a former subsidiary of government contractor Haliburton, early last week in Marshall County Circuit Court.

According to court documents, members of the 1092nd stated they were not informed that they were being exposed to the chemical despite the contractor's knowledge of the chemical's presence.

In an Oct. 8 letter to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., Gen. Eric Shineski, secretary for the VA, said the soldiers would receive extra intensive care and health monitoring. Rockefeller, along with fellow Democrat Sen. Robert C. Byrd, has called for a congressional hearing about the long-term effects soldiers are facing due to the exposure to the chemical.

Jeffrey Kessler, lead attorney for the soldiers and a state senator, said he listened to story after story from plaintiffs about an orange dust covering everything in sight and flowing in the air throughout the valley where the water plant is located. The soldiers allege they saw clearly labeled and opened bags of the chemical throughout the site.

Sodium dichromate is a banned substance in the United States because of its toxicity.

Kessler said he was told by many of the soldiers that employees of KBR showed up at the site several times wearing full respiration suits. The soldiers alleged KBR however did not warn them that the area could be dangerous.

"This is a case of gross negligence that endangered the lives of several men and women serving their country," Kessler said. "KBR did not inform them (the soldiers) that they were being exposed to the chemical despite knowing the toxin was all around."

In an August news release, KBR maintained that it was not responsible for the sodium dichromate at the Qarmat Ali site.

Kessler said soldiers were not informed about the possible exposure by the Defense Department until February 2009, almost three years after the alleged incident. He also said that the chemical has a short window for detection, which makes it difficult for the soldiers to receive proper treatment.

In his letter, Sheneski said he promised a "targeted physical examination and ancillary testing looking for indications of health outcomes that may be related to (sodium chromate exposure)" for soldiers who served at Qarmat Ali. Soldiers also will receive periodic chest radiographs and pulmonary exams.

Kessler said many of the soldiers who were informed of the possible exposure said they are suffering from many similar medical ailments, including autoimmune disorders, blood disorders, gastrointestinal problems and rashes.

Kessler said he hopes to have a trial date set by early 2010.