The Defense Department needs to do a better job of assessing the link between environmental contamination and risk to public health at installations, according to the top government watchdog organization. DoD should “establish a policy that identifies when installations should consider requesting public health assessments,” and work harder to meet a department goal of “providing effective, save, and environmentally sound living and working places,” the Government Accountability Office (GAO) stated in a May 1 report to Congress. GAO produced the report largely in response to past incidents of base contamination. Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, N.C., has grappled with a long-standing problem of contaminated drinking water, and Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, has drawn attention because of polluted air caused by an off-base incinerator. Additionally, many veterans of combat campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have complained of health problems relating to the open burn pits, which have been used to dispose of waste materials.